Appeal to simplify stamp duty amnesty scheme
Giving it an extended 12-month run is among suggestions made to improve the scheme
Adelegation of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), associations working in the housing sector, and other activists, on Tuesday appealed to the state government to simplify and extend the Stamp Duty Amnesty Scheme 2008.
The scheme, started in June 2008, was welcomed by lakhs of flat owners who wanted to pay overdue stamp duty and regularise their flats.
However, confusion about the criteria set for payment, lack of clarity about circulars, fewer counters and long queues — which in turn resulted in an entire clan of agents making money from the scheme — led to disorder in implementation of the scheme.
A delegation of Registration Fee and Stamp Duty Payers Association (RFSDPA) and NGOs, while endorsing this cause, submitted a memorandum to the principal secretary (housing) on Tuesday.
The points in the memorandum include accepting of applications by post and courier as it will do away with long queues, accepting photocopies of agreements instead of originals, having at least a 30-day period for payment of deficit stamp duty and penalty from date of receipt of demand notice.
At present, only two days are given for payment, while the Bombay Stamp Act 1958 provides for a 30-day period for payment of deficit stamp duty.
We also demanded that the scheme be allowed to continue for the next 12 months, as even though it has been introduced, there is not enough awareness about it.
The scheme needs to be popularised by organising awareness campaigns and seminars.
The collectors of stamps, sub-registrars, joint registrars can hold such seminars. Look at how successful the scheme became among MHADA flat owners when MHADA arranged a camp for spreading awareness about the scheme, said advocate Vinod Sampat, president of RFSDPA.
The delegation has received a positive response from the state government.
The principal secretary has assured the delegation of sorting out the problem with the concerned authorities, an official said.