The Himachal Pradesh legislative assembly on Thursday cleared a bill that seeks to revise stamp duty rates on property-related transactions in the state.
The Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, was passed by a voice vote in the state assembly amidst opposition's protests.
The government stated that the revision aims to make stamp duty rates rational and practical, considering current circumstances.
Opposing the bill, Leader of the Opposition Jairam Thakur argued that the proposed hike in stamp duty could adversely affect property transactions in the state and potentially bring them to a standstill.
Thakur said the proposed rate increases were excessive, and he urged the government to reconsider the move. He demanded that the government withdraw the bill and reintroduce it in the next session with amendments.
BJP MLA Trilok Jamwal also opposed the bill.
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Presenting the government's stance, Revenue Minister Jagat Singh Negi said that the bill sets the affidavit fee at Rs 100, a rate already in effect in states like Bihar and Maharashtra.
He said that this fee would primarily impact property owners and those involved in high-value transactions, with no bearing on the poor. The minister pointed out that stamp duty rates had not been increased since 2012.
The bill proposes a complete overhaul of Schedule 1-A of the Indian Stamp Act. It establishes new rates for various instruments, including agreement to sale, deposit of title deeds, documents related to pledges or mortgages, powers of attorney, arbitration awards, bonds, and sale certificates.
Provisions for new rates regarding property transfers have also been included. For women, a stamp duty of 4 per cent is proposed in case the property is valued up to Rs 1 crore, and 8 per cent for those above Rs 1 crore.
For others, the duty will be 6 per cent of the market value or consideration amount of up to Rs 40 lakh, and 8 per cent on amounts exceeding Rs 40 lakh.
The government has also introduced a provision to prevent the practice of splitting sale deeds into smaller parts to evade stamp duty. If a subsequent sale deed is executed between the same buyer and seller within one year and the total value exceeds the prescribed limit, stamp duty will be levied based on the applicable rate by aggregating the transactions.
The revenue minister said that this amendment also aims to bring transparency to transactions involving individuals from other states purchasing property in Himachal Pradesh and to curb corruption.
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