Himachal Vidhan Sabha passes Stamp Duty Bill in amended form amid walkout by BJP

PTI

Shimla, September 23

Himachal Vidhan Sabha on Saturday passed the Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh amendment) Bill 2023 seeking hike in stamp duty in amended form amid walkout by opposition BJP.

The original Bill had proposed a uniform stamp duty of 8 per cent for both sexes for properties values at above Rs 50 lakh against 4 per cent and 6 per cent for women and men earlier.

The opposition members opposed the amendment saying that 8 per cent stamp duty for women for property valuing over Rs 50 lakh was unfair.

Intervening in the matter, the CM said the government would bring an amendment to change the clause.

Later, the bill was passed in an amended form increasing the limit of four per cent stamp duty for women for properties up to Rs 80 lakh but BJP was not satisfied with the change and staged a walkout.

Taking exception to the walkout by BJP, Sukhu said that we accepted the suggestion of the BJP and increased the four per cent stamp duty for women up to Rs 80 lakh but still they staged walkout.

The CM said in the past 10 months, a large number of cases have come to notice where properties were sold through Power of attorney and this needed to be checked.

Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi, who introduced the Bill said that the financial position of the state was grim and the debt burden was over Rs 75,000 crore.

Resource mobilisation was imperative but still the stamp duty was on par with neighbouring state of Haryana, he added.

BJP MLA Randhir Sharma said that a steep hike in stamp duty would put a burden on the people.

Instead of giving Rs 1,500 per month to women, the government was increasing the stamp duty.

Trilok Jamwal of BJP said that the increase in stamp duty was 100 per cent and the government should reconsider it.

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