State waives ₹500 stamp duty for domicile, income certificates | Mumbai news

Mumbai: The state revenue department has waived the ₹500 stamp duty required to obtain domicile, nationality, income, caste verification and similar certificates, revenue minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule announced on Wednesday. The move will benefit lakhs of students passing their board exams, said a statement issued by the minister’s office.

“Students passing class X and XII exams will save around ₹3,000 spent on obtaining such certificates for admission (in higher studies),” the statement mentioned.

As per prevailing procedure, those seeking income, domicile, non-creamy layer, caste verification and similar certificates must submit an affidavit on a ₹500 stamp paper for every certificate.

Revenue authorities have been directed to do away with the stamp duty with immediate effect and applicants will now have to apply for certificates at the tehsil office via self-attested affidavits on plain paper, the statement from Bawankule’s office noted.

An official from the revenue department, however, said that the decision to waive stamp duty for certificates was taken way back in 2004.

“The directions were not being implemented by many collectors and tehsil officers, so fresh orders have been issued. Revenue offices have been directed ensure strict implementation,” said the officer.