Stamp duty scheme to get a month's extension

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government is set to extend the stamp duty amnesty scheme by another month. The scheme was to end on September 8.

Announced on June 9, over 13,000 property owners have paid their dues even though lakhs have been turning up at stamp offices. People have been queuing up since early morning to clear their dues.

���Looking at the response, the government has decided to keep it open for another month,��� a official from the revenue ministry said.

Earlier, many had pointed out lack of clarity on the eligibility of the scheme and its implementation. The scheme says flat owners have until September 8 to pay stamp duty at the rate applicable when the property was bought. But a circular issued in 2006 by the state inspector general of registration and controller of stamps says the current owner is liable to pay the unpaid stamp duty of the flat���s previous occupant at current market value.

If there is more than one transaction involving a flat over the past two decades and no stamp duty has been paid, the present owner must pay stamp duty on all the earlier sale deeds, the circular states.

The government, however, now is seen trying to clarify the confusion.