Nagpur: The Maharashtra Legislative Council on Friday passed the Maharashtra Stamp (Amendment) 2024 Bill, effectively increasing the stamp duty on affidavits from Rs 100 to Rs 500. This significant hike follows an ordinance issued on October 14, based on a Cabinet decision made on September 30.
The bill, presented by Cabinet Minister Radhakrishna Vikhe-Patil, was passed without any recommendations in the Council. Justifying the move, Vikhe-Patil stated, “The government’s intention was to bring uniformity among stamp paper rates.”
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However, the decision drew criticism from the Opposition. Leader of Opposition Ambadas Danve raised concerns over the increased financial burden on the public, particularly students. “This will increase the expenses for affidavits. Earlier, students could get affidavits for purposes like obtaining duplicate transfer certificates for just Rs 50 or Rs 100. Charging Rs 500 for an affidavit is unfair. The best solution would be to allow self-attestation or at least provide franking services,” said Danve.
Highlighting the potential impact on rural students, Danve added, “Many students from rural areas cannot afford to spend Rs 500 or Rs 1,000 every time they need to submit an affidavit.”
The ordinance amending the Maharashtra Stamp Act, 1958, had earlier proposed increasing stamp duty on affidavits, agreements, and related documents. According to the Revenue Department, this amendment is expected to bolster revenue from stamp duty and registration fees by nearly Rs 2,000 crore annually.
The government’s decision, aimed at streamlining stamp duty rates, has sparked a debate on balancing revenue generation with affordability for common citizens, especially the economically weaker sections and students.
