The Tamil Nadu Registration Department has directed Sub-Registrars, Special Deputy Collector (Stamps) and others to expedite disposal of files relating to stamp value anomalies.
After a review by the State-level Audit Committee on the action taken under the provisions of Section 47(A)(1) of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, the Inspector-General of Registration in an order urged the need for expeditious disposal of such anomalies.
Going by the Act, if the Sub-Registrar, “while registering any instrument relating to the transfer of any property, has reason to believe that the market value of the property or the consideration, as the case may be, has not been truly set forth in the instrument, he may, after registering such instrument, refer the same to the Collector for determination of the market value or consideration, as the case may be, and the proper duty payable thereon.”
While there are many reasons resulting in suspected undervaluation of a property presented for transaction, the most common is the fixation of guideline value involving agricultural lands. “In many cases, the anomaly arises out of agricultural lands getting registered as housing plot by fixing value per square feet. Though approval of the Directorate of Town & Country Planning is mandatory for registering plots, a large number of transactions took place without that across the State,” an official in the Registration Department said.
The official said the guideline value fixed for a particular Survey Number should remain unchanged even if a registration of a part of the land is allowed with higher stamp value. “In cases where unapproved housing plots are registered on agricultural lands at enhanced stamp fee, the guideline value of the remaining portion of the land should not be increased. There is a huge confusion in this regard, some Sub-Registrars allow the original guideline value for agricultural land and others insist on the last registered housing plot rate in the Survey Number.”
Wherever a doubt arose on the valuation, the Sub-Registrars sent the file to the Special Deputy Collector (Stamps) for field verification and fixation of stamp value. Though the interim and final orders should be passed within a period of three months, the files were pending for years causing revenue loss to the State exchequer. “There are thousands of such files pertaining to value fixation pending in many districts,” the official who preferred not to be quoted said.
Sub-Registrar suspended
In a separate development, the Registration Department suspended M. Umamaheswari, Sub-Registrar, Thottipalayam, in Tiruppur registration district.
In an order, the Inspector General of Registration said an enquiry into “grave charges” was contemplated against the official and it was necessary in public interest that she be placed under suspension. The official was directed not to leave the headquarters (Thottipalayam) during the period of suspension without the approval of the competent authority.
