State government should recover the loss due to stamp duty evasion - HC
24 Nov, 2013
The reply to an application filed under the Right to Information (RTI) Act has revealed that the state exchequer of Punjab has lost around Rs. 200 crore due to stamp duty evasion.
In this regard, a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) was filed with the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking directions to the government for taking action against the revenue officials guilty of charging deficient stamp duty. The PIL also sought a committee of experts to be set up to suggest ways and means to put a check on stamp duty evasion.
The division bench of the high court has held that the onus of recovering the huge amount lost in the stamp duty scam lies with the government and has directed the Punjab government to take appropriate actions. However, regarding the expert committee, the court declined to accept the petitioner’s plea to set up a committee of experts under a retired judge of the high court to look into the matter and suggest ways and means for keeping a check on stamp duty evasion.