Types of Stamps and Some Concepts of Stamp Duty
Types of Stamps and Some Concepts of Stamp Duty
Stamp duty means a tax payable on certain legal documents specified by statute;
the duty may be fixed or ad valorem, meaning that
- the tax paid as a stamp duty may be a fixed amount or
- an amount which varies based on the value of the products, services or property on which it is
levied.
Briefly, the scheme relating to stamp duties, provided for in the Constitution is as follows: Stamp duties on documents specified in Entry 91 of the Union List
-(viz. Bills of Exchange, cheques, promissory notes, bills of lading, letters of credit, policies of
insurance, transfer of shares, debentures, proxies and receipts)
- are levied by the Union.
Under Article 268, the State in which the Stamp duty is collected retains the proceeds, except
in the case of Union Territories in which case the proceeds form part of the Consolidated Fund
of India.
Where does the revenue provided for paying stamp duty go?
The considerable amount of the revenue from stamp duty goes to the State and with regard to
some non commercial instruments, it goes to Union Legislature.
Some Definitions and concepts:
Instrument V/s Document
Document: It is one which is written, presented or recorded statement or condition agreed as
per the parties involved which may be evidentially used.
Instrument: As per Sec 2(14), it is document by which any right or liability, is, or purported to be
created, transferred, limited, extended, extinguished or recorded.
Judicial V/s Non Judicial Stamp
Judicial Stamp (Court fee Stamp): Stamps used in courts i.e. for applications, petitions, etc. are
judicial stamp papers.
Non Judicial Stamp: Stamp papers which would be used for execution of documents are called
non judicial stamp papers.
Types of Stamp
A. Impressed Stamps
1. Labels affixed and impressed by proper officer
2. Stamps embossed or engraved on stamp paper (done by government printing press)
3. Impressions by franking machines generally done by the bank by depositing the necessary
amount of stamp duty with the banks. This kind of stamping is mostly preferred on instruments
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(other than commercial instruments) as at times it becomes difficult to obtain stamps embossed
on stamp paper of a higher value.
B. Adhesive Stamps
These stamps are those which are to be stuck on the instrument.
These are again categorised as Postal Stamps and Non Postal Stamps.
Postal Stamps: These are used only for transactions with post office and related functions.
Postal Stamps perform multiple roles as being paper ambassadors representing their country of
origin, thus promoting its national heritage.
Non Postal Stamps: They are of many types1. Revenue Stamp are used for money related transactions (receipts).
2. Notarial Stamp - used by the officer of Notary to certify, attest under his official seal along
with notary stamp.
3. Foreign Bill Stamp Generally used for bills of exchange or promissory notes drawn out of
India.
4. Brokers Stamp Used for transactions through brokers or agent to his principal for purchase
or sale.
There are many types of such non postal adhesive stamps like court fee stamp, insurance policy
stamps, fiscal stamps, share transfer stamp, etc.
Some new stamps which are released in 20151. Swachh Bharat : Release of a set of these stamps and a miniature sheet on the theme Swachh
Bharat is a part of an effort to achieve the vision of Clean and Healthy India.
2. Beti Bachao Beti Padhao Stamp: This stamp is released to highlight and recognize important
socio-economic and welfare initiatives in the country.
3. Project Rukmani : It is a multi band communication satellite, a project by the Indian Navy and
the Indian Space Research Organisation that allowed the Indian Navy to join the elite group of
Navies that possess the capability to conduct operations using dedicated communication
satellites.
Several instrument used in single transaction of sale, mortgage or settlement :
When one single transactions is made for executing sale and/or mortgage and/or settlement,
stamp duty as prescribed in Schedule 1-B will be applicable for any 1 instrument. It should be
noted that amongst the instruments used, the one having highest stamp duty should be paid as
per the prescribed Schedule. For other instruments duty of five rupees will have to be paid
(instead of that prescribed in the schedule).
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Instruments that are not related to the same matter (i.e. for several distinct matters):
Instruments which are related to several distinct matters shall be charged with full duty as
specified in Schedule under the Stamp Duty Act.
Charging of Duty:
Bonds, debentures or other securities which are issued as a loan are chargeable to duty of 1%
on total amount of bonds, debentures or debentures issued. Such duty will not be chargeable
on further renewal of loan. These bonds, debentures or securities need not be stamped.
If any instrument (not being a promissory note) or bill of exchange, is given as security,
- for money advanced or to be advanced by way of loan, or for an existing or future debt,
- or redeems a duly stamped transfer, intended as a security,
it shall be chargeable with duty as if it were an agreement or memorandum of an agreement
chargeable with duty.
How to pay the Stamp Duty?
All duties on instruments can be paid as mentioned below:
i) Payment of duty shall be indicated on such instruments, by means of stamps (sec 10 of The
Stamp Duty Act)
ii) In cash (sec 10A of The Act)
By means of Stamps:
Payment by cash
-When there is temporary shortage of stamps in the district or
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But, there is exemption to the above article 57Exemption: Bond or other instrument, when executed- by officers of the Government or their
sureties to secure the due accounting for money or other property received by virtue thereof
are exempted from the payment of stamp duty.]
The point for consideration is whether this document comes under this
exemption.
Held: The property to be attached is the moveable property in the possession of assessee, thus
it is to be attached by actual seizure, and the attaching officer is to keep the property in his own
custody and "shall be responsible for the due custody thereof". Hence, the legal responsibility
for the due custody of the attached property lies on the attaching officer. However, the
supurddar who keeps the property in his own custody on behalf of the amin, is a surety for the
amin and undertakes to restore the goods or pay their price if not produced before the Court. It
was laid down there that although the amin ceases to be liable after the Court has approved of
the arrangement or given him permission to make the arrangement, the supurddar was liable as
a surety. The position of the supurddar was therefore that of a surety for the amin; undertaking
duly to account for the property received from the amin by virtue of the document executed by
the supurddar and is covered by Exemption (e).
Therefore, the document was not liable to duty because it was exempted under
Exemption (e) to Article 57.
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