Collection of service fee in karnataka for estamping
Sagar Trivedi
(Querist) 02 November 2012
This query is : Resolved
Dear Sir,
I have noticed estamping centres in karnataka collect service fee for issue of estamp and not providing receipts for the same. Is the service fee for issue of estamp legal. Whether the stamp act or a notifications provides for it?
Could someone please share the relevant section of the stamp act/notification
Regards
Sagar
Devajyoti Barman
(Expert) 02 November 2012
Check with your local office. It is not in work in WB or in some other states.
Anirudh
(Expert) 02 November 2012
Whenever you are in doubt - think about the issue and analyse.
Normally, one has to obtain the stamp paper from the Treasury. If one purchases from the treasury, one has to pay only the value of the stamp paper and nothing more.
However, such stamps are earlier being sold by stamp vendors. Whenever any one used to purchase the stamp paper, one used to pay an extra amount which used to be the 'commission' for the stamp vendor.
To the best of my knowledge, no stamp vendor ever used to give any 'receipt'. In fact, only when you pay the amount demanded by him including the 'commission' portion, he will part with the stamp papers.
Similarly, estamping centres will also demand and take service fee. But whether it is possible for them to issue 'receipt' for the said fee is altogether another matter.
There will definitely be no provision in the Stamp Act. The service fee charged by the estamping centres has nothing to do with stamp Act.
At best, you can make an RTI enquiry from the Registrar of Stamp of Karnataka as to what is the amount of service fee that an estamping centre is entitled to charge etc. etc.
