Key Takeaways
- The Lahore High Court (LHC) has approved a new Transport Monetisation Policy.
- Judicial officers can now purchase their official vehicles at depreciated prices.
- The policy will take effect from July 1, 2026.
The Lahore High Court (LHC) has introduced a new Transport Monetisation Policy that allows judicial officers across Punjab’s district judiciary to purchase their officially allotted vehicles at depreciated prices. This decision was made in pursuance of the National Judicial (Policy Making) Committee (NJPMC) and the Punjab cabinet, with Chief Justice Aalia Neelum approving it.
Under this policy, judicial officers will no longer receive official fuel, maintenance, or driver facilities for personal use. Instead, they will be paid a monthly transport monetisation allowance, which will be determined by the competent authority and revised periodically based on fuel prices and economic conditions.
A key feature of the new policy is that judicial officers have been given the option to purchase their official vehicles at a depreciated lump-sum price. The notification states that the depreciation rate for the first year would be 15 per cent, with 10 per cent for each subsequent year. However, the sale price cannot fall below Rs200,000 for vehicles up to 1000cc and Rs250,000 for those with an engine capacity of 1300cc and above.
Eligible officers must submit a formal undertaking accepting the terms of the purchase before making the payment in a single lump sum through a pay order or demand draft to the LHC registrar. After purchasing the vehicles, they will be required to register them as private vehicles and surrender government registration numbers and green number plates. All re-registration, transfer, and applicable taxes must also be borne by the purchasing officer.
The policy clarifies that only officers who have been officially allotted vehicles by the Lahore High Court are eligible to purchase them. It extends this option to the widow or spouse of a judicial officer who dies while in service, enabling them to buy the vehicle at the depreciated price, subject to approval and prescribed procedures. Judicial officers facing disciplinary proceedings or those who have already surrendered official vehicles are generally ineligible, although probationary officers may avail themselves of the facility under specific conditions.
The policy also directs that each district will maintain a centralised pool of official vehicles exclusively for official and protocol duties. Any surplus vehicles resulting from the monetisation policy must be reported to the high court immediately. This move is expected to streamline administrative processes while providing financial benefits to eligible officers.
