Maharashtra Govt Announces Major Reforms In Stamp Duty, Simplifies Land Registration With E-Stamping & 'Jivant Satbara' Initiative

Mumbai: The Maharashtra government has announced a major reform in stamp duty and land registration procedures, allowing citizens to obtain e-stamp certificates online from the comfort of their homes. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule presented the Maharashtra Stamp Reform Bill in the Legislative Council, which has now been approved.

Explaining the bill, Minister Bawankule stated that since 2004, citizens had to visit stamp paper vendors or franking centers, making the process cumbersome. Additionally, even after paying e-challan fees, a physical printout had to be submitted at the registration office. The government has now eliminated these hassles.

Key Features of the New Bill:

Citizens can pay stamp duty online anytime, anywhere and Instant issuance of e-stamp certificates without visiting any office.

Fixed fee of Rs 500, ensuring no extra financial burden.Traditional stamp paper purchase remains an option but is no longer mandatory.

Simplifying Stamp Duty Assessment

To eliminate confusion regarding the required stamp duty amount, the government has reformed the adjudication process. Now, applications for stamp duty determination must be made on a Rs 1,000 stamp paper instead of plain paper. If excess duty is paid, refunds will be processed within 45 days. If underpaid, the balance must be paid immediately.

'Jivant Satbara' Initiative for Faster Land Succession Rights

The Maharashtra government has launched the 'Jivant Satbara' (Live Land Records) campaign to ensure that heirs of deceased landowners can quickly obtain legal ownership of agricultural land. Revenue Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule urged all public representatives to actively participate in this statewide initiative.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Minister Bawankule highlighted the longstanding delays in succession registration, which often forced farmers to approach courts to claim their rightful land. The new initiative will improve transparency in the revenue department, reduce time and financial burdens, and provide rightful land ownership to heirs efficiently.

Key Features of the 'Jivant Satbara' Campaign:

The revenue department will proactively record heirs' names.

No need for heirs to submit applications; the process will be initiated automatically.

Deceased land owners' names will be removed, and rightful heirs will be registered.

The entire process will be completed within 1.5 months.

Successful first initiative in Buldhana district

After a successful pilot project in Buldhana, the state government decided on March 19, 2025, to implement this campaign across Maharashtra from April 1, 2025. Under this initiative, land records in every village will be updated, and succession rights will be determined at the tehsil level without requiring a succession certificate.

This reform is expected to bring significant efficiency to Maharashtra's revenue system and provide major relief to farmers.