1 week ago
Bombay High Court Rejects Fresh Stamp Duty on Conveyance
Kumar Housing Corporation made agreements to develop and acquire rights in land in Pune.
Later, it signed a final document called a conveyance deed to complete the property transfer.
The company had already paid stamp duty on the earlier agreements and the conveyance.
Stamp authorities later demanded another Rs 2.60 crore, saying the property’s value had increased.
The company argued that all the documents were parts of one deal.
The Bombay High Court agreed with the company.
It said officials must look at the whole transaction, not treat the final document as an entirely new deal.
The court cancelled the additional duty, penalty, and other charges.
The Bombay High Court quashed a Rs 2.60 crore stamp duty demand against Kumar Housing Corporation.
The dispute concerned agreements and a later conveyance for land at Pashan in Pune.
The company had paid Rs 5 lakh on agreements and Rs 45 lakh on the 2012 conveyance.
Stamp authorities assessed the property’s 2012 market value at about Rs 61.09 crore and sought additional duty.
The court held that the documents formed one continuous transaction under Section 4 of the Maharashtra Stamp Act.
- Who
- The Bombay High Court, Kumar Housing Corporation Private Limited, and Maharashtra stamp authorities.
- What
- The court set aside a Rs 2,60,49,475 stamp duty demand, along with penalties and other charges.
- Where
- The dispute involved land at Pashan in Pune.
- When
- Justice Amit Borkar issued the order on August 20, 2026.
- Why
- The court found that the earlier agreements and the 2012 conveyance were parts of one continuous transaction under Section 4 of the Maharashtra Stamp Act.
Kumar Housing Corporation
Stamp Authorities
Nature of the transaction
Kumar Housing Corporation
The earlier agreements, supplementary agreements, and the 2012 conveyance were connected documents forming one continuous transaction.
Stamp Authorities
The authorities treated the final conveyance as attracting additional stamp duty based on the property’s 2012 market value.
Stamp duty calculation
Kumar Housing Corporation
The company argued that the final conveyance only completed rights and transfer already contemplated by the earlier agreements.
Stamp Authorities
The Sub-Registrar assessed the property’s market value at about Rs 61.09 crore and demanded approximately Rs 2.60 crore in additional duty.
Key facts
- Company
- Kumar Housing Corporation Private Limited
- Property
- Land at Pashan, Pune
- Earlier agreements
- Executed in 1995 and 1999
- Total consideration
- Rs 5 crore
- Stamp duty already paid
- Rs 5 lakh on the agreements and Rs 45 lakh on the March 2012 conveyance
- Additional demand
- Rs 2,60,49,475, plus a penalty of 2 per cent per month and other charges
- Legal provision
- Section 4 of the Maharashtra Stamp Act
Quotes
Justice Amit Borkar
Bombay High Court judge who decided the stamp-duty dispute
“the contents of the document, the rights created under it, the nature of possession and the legal effect of the document”
freepressjournal.in
“The final Conveyance does not appear to have started a new transaction”
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