Affidavit & Declaration on stamp paper of Rs. 100 shall continue to be valid: Clarification Circular issued by Maharashtra Stamp Department
The Government of Maharashtra initially raised the minimum stamp paper value from Rs. 100 to Rs. 500 under the Maharashtra Stamp Act, 2024, effective October 14, 2024.
Following this, various government departments started demanding affidavits and declarations to be submitted on Rs. 500 stamp paper when citizens applied for official documents like caste, birth, and income certificates, or in court proceedings.
However, a recent circular from the Stamp and Registration Department, dated October 30, 2024, clarified that government authorities should not insist on Rs. 500 stamp paper for affidavits and declarations. The circular refers to an earlier exemption provided on November 16, 2021 (Circular dated 16.11.2021 and PIL 58-2021), which allowed affidavits and declarations to be submitted on plain paper for official use, exempting them from the stamp duty requirement.
In summary:
• Rs. 500 stamp paper is no longer mandatory for affidavits and declarations submitted to government departments.
• Plain paper affidavits and declarations are accepted, as per the exemptions provided in 2021.
• This clarification ensures that citizens are not unnecessarily burdened by the higher stamp paper requirement when submitting these documents.
The copy of the circular is as under:
