IN THE HIGH COURT OF RAJASTHAN
NUPUR BHATI, J.
Ram Sukh and Ors. - Petitioners
Versus
Smt. Sohni – Respondent
S.B. Civil Writ Petition No. 12387 of 2021
Decided On : 13-02-2023
| Table of Content |
|---|
| 1. requirement of proper stamping under section 39 (Para 1 , 2) |
| 2. importance of judicial precedent on admissibility of evidence (Para 3 , 4 , 5) |
| 3. court's observation on proper consideration of objections (Para 6 , 7 , 8) |
| 4. final order quashing prior decision (Para 9 , 10) |
ORDER :
(Nupur Bhati, J.)
This writ petition has been preferred by the petitioner claiming for following reliefs:-
b) The application (Annexure-6) filed by the petitioner may kindly be allowed.
c) Any other appropriate order or direction which this Hon'ble Court considers just and proper in the facts and circumstances of this case may kindly be passed in favour of the petitioner."
2. Learned counsel for the petitioner further submits that a bare perusal of Section 39 of Rajasthan Stamps Act, 1998 shows that no document can be admitted in evidence for any purpose by any person having by law or consent of parties to receive evidence unless such instrument/document is duly stamped however, there is a proviso to the Section 39 where certain exemptions have been laid down. He also submits that if the exemptions so provided in the Section 39 have been complied with then the patta in question could have been admitted in evidence and that the exemptions so provided in the Section 39 of the Act have not been fulfilled by the respondents and therefore, the patta in question could not have been admitted in evidence.
3. Learned counsel for the petitioner places reliance upon the judgments passed by this Court and Jaipur Bench in the cases of Ramesh Chandra and Ors. v. Addl. District Judge No.1, Chittorgarh and Ors. in S.B. Civil Writ Petition No.4696/2016 decided on 16.05.2016, Harilal Chowdhary v. Addl. District and Session Judge No.2, Jaipur Metropolitan, Jaipur and Anr. in Civil Writ Petition No.6737/2013 decided on 10.12.2014, Vedprakash Rathor and Anr. v. Munshiram Jattav and Ors. in Civil Writ Petition No.6307/2019 decided on 01.11.2019, Batti Lal Meena v. Manmohan Meena and Ors. in Civil Writ Petition No.8508/2008 decided on 01.04.2019.
4. Learned counsel for the petitioner submits that there was a specific objection taken by the petitioner that the patta was not only unregistered but also unstamped and therefore, in such circumstances, the same was not admissible as evidence, however the learned Court below has considered only one aspect of the matter and the objection in regard to the document being unstamped has not been considered while dismissing the application of the petitioner.
5. Learned counsel for the petitioner placed reliance upon Section 39 of the Rajasthan Stamps Act, 1998 (hereinafter The Act of 1998).
No instrument chargeable with duty under this Act shall be admitted in evidence for any purpose by any person having by law or consent of parties authority to receive evidence, or shall be acted upon, registered or authenticated by any such person or by any public officer, unless such instrument is duly stamped:
Provided that,-
(a) any such instrument shall, subject to all just exceptions, be admitted in evidence on payment of-
(i) the duty with which the same is chargeable, or in the case of an instrument insufficiently stamped, of the amount required to make up such duty, and
(ii) a penalty at the rate of two percent of the amount of the deficient duty per month or part thereof for the period during which the instrument remained insufficiently stamped or twenty five percent of the deficient stamp duty, whichever is higher, but such penalty shall not exceed to two times of the deficient stamp duty.
(b) where a contract or agreement of any kind is effected by correspondence consisting of two or more letters and any one of the lett
Admissibility of unregistered documents affecting immovable property and the requirement for sufficient stamp duty under the Rajasthan Stamp Act, 1998.
An insufficiently stamped and unregistered document is inadmissible in evidence; thus, it must be impounded by the trial Court for assessment of stamp duty and penalties.
Insufficiently stamped documents are inadmissible in evidence for any purpose unless stamp duty is paid.
The main legal point established in the judgment is that the proviso to Section 49 of the Registration Act, 1908, allowing unregistered documents to be admitted as evidence, is limited to specific pe....
The court clarified that an unstamped document marked as evidence must be impounded and assessed for stamp duty prior to its admissibility in court.
The trial court must adhere to the provisions of the Indian Stamp Act and the Rajasthan Stamp Act regarding the impounding of inadequately stamped documents and cannot exceed its jurisdiction by addr....
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