{"id":271266,"date":"2009-06-09T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2009-06-08T18:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/m-p-rajeswaran-nair-vs-the-district-collector-on-9-june-2009"},"modified":"2016-10-13T04:59:00","modified_gmt":"2016-10-12T23:29:00","slug":"m-p-rajeswaran-nair-vs-the-district-collector-on-9-june-2009","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/m-p-rajeswaran-nair-vs-the-district-collector-on-9-june-2009","title":{"rendered":"M.P.Rajeswaran Nair vs The District Collector on 9 June, 2009"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"docsource_main\">Kerala High Court<\/div>\n<div class=\"doc_title\">M.P.Rajeswaran Nair vs The District Collector on 9 June, 2009<\/div>\n<pre id=\"pre_1\">       \n\n  \n\n  \n\n \n \n  IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM\n\nWP(C).No. 33503 of 2008(L)\n\n\n1. M.P.RAJESWARAN NAIR, S\/O.PADMANABHA\n                      ...  Petitioner\n\n                        Vs\n\n\n\n1. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR,\n                       ...       Respondent\n\n                For Petitioner  :SRI.K.B.PRADEEP\n\n                For Respondent  : No Appearance\n\nThe Hon'ble MR. Justice S.SIRI JAGAN\n\n Dated :09\/06\/2009\n\n O R D E R\n                                                                    C.R.\n                             S. SIRI JAGAN, J.\n                 -------------------------------------------------\n                      W.P.(C)No. 33503 OF 2008\n                 -------------------------------------------------\n                  Dated this the 9th day of June, 2009\n\n\n                                 JUDGMENT\n<\/pre>\n<p id=\"p_1\">       The petitioner got registered Ext.P1 partition deed with the<\/p>\n<p>appropriate Sub Registrar&#8217;s office, which was executed on 25.01.08.<\/p>\n<p>That    document     was     produced        before      the    Munsiff&#8217;s  Court,<\/p>\n<p>Thiruvananthapuram in OS No.872\/06, wherein a question arose as<\/p>\n<p>to whether that document was properly stamped.                  To get the stamp<\/p>\n<p>duty payable on that document adjudicated under Section 31 of the<\/p>\n<p>Kerala Stamp Act, 1959, the petitioner submitted an application<\/p>\n<p>dated 03.10.08 before the respondent.              The respondent refused to<\/p>\n<p>accept the same on the ground that the document was produced<\/p>\n<p>after the expiry of one month from the date of its execution, which is<\/p>\n<p>the period of limitation prescribed under Section 32 of the Act.<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_1\">       2. According to the petitioner, Sections 31 and 32 deal with<\/p>\n<p>two separate functions and the second function comes only after the<\/p>\n<p>first is completed. Section 31 relates only to adjudication of proper<\/p>\n<p>stamp duty payable on an instrument. No limitation is prescribed for<\/p>\n<p>the same.     Only if, after adjudication of the proper stamp duty<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_1\">                                  -:2:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>payable on the instrument, the applicant seeks endorsement under<\/p>\n<p>Section 32, the limitation prescribed under Section 32 would come<\/p>\n<p>into play is the contention of the petitioner.    Petitioner therefore<\/p>\n<p>submits that the respondent is duty bound to accept the application<\/p>\n<p>and adjudicate the stamp duty payable on the instrument under<\/p>\n<p>Section 31 and seeks a direction in that regard.<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_2\">      3. Although no counter affidavit has been filed, the learned<\/p>\n<p>Government Pleader contends that Sections 31 and 32 have to be<\/p>\n<p>read and applied together as        an integrated procedure and the<\/p>\n<p>limitation prescribed under the proviso to Section 32, therefore,<\/p>\n<p>applies to Section 31 also. Hence, only if the document is produced<\/p>\n<p>within the period of one month from the date of its execution,<\/p>\n<p>prescribed under the proviso to Section 32, the Collector is bound to<\/p>\n<p>accept the application and exercise his powers under Section 31, is<\/p>\n<p>the contention raised by the learned Government Pleader.<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_3\">      4. I have considered the rival contentions in detail. Since the<\/p>\n<p>issue involved in this writ petition relates to the  interpretation of<\/p>\n<p>Sections 31 and 32 of the Kerala Stamp Act, I shall extract both<\/p>\n<p>Sections here:\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_4\">WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_1\">                                      -:3:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>     &#8220;31.     Adjudication as to proper stamp:- (1) When any<\/p>\n<p>     instrument, whether executed or not and whether previously<\/p>\n<p>     stamped or not is brought to the Collector, and the person bringing<\/p>\n<p>     it applies to have the opinion of that officer as to the duty, if any,<\/p>\n<p>     with which it is chargeable, and pays a fee of such amount (not<\/p>\n<p>     exceeding ten rupees and not less than one rupee) as the Collector<\/p>\n<p>     may in each case direct, the Collector shall determine the duty, if<\/p>\n<p>     any, with which, in his judgment, the instrument is chargeable.<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_5\">             (2)     For this purpose the Collector may require to be<\/p>\n<p>     furnished with an abstract of the instrument, and also with such<\/p>\n<p>     affidavit or other evidence as he may deem necessary to prove that<\/p>\n<p>     all the facts and circumstances affecting the chargeability of the<\/p>\n<p>     instrument with duty, or the amount of the duty with which it is<\/p>\n<p>     chargeable, are fully and truly set forth therein, and may refuse to<\/p>\n<p>     proceed upon any such application, until such abstract and<\/p>\n<p>     evidence have been furnished accordingly:\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_6\">    Provided that-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_1\"><p>         (a) no evidence furnished in pursuance of this section shall be<br \/>\n         used against any person in any civil proceeding except in any<br \/>\n         enquiry as to the duty with which the instrument to which it<br \/>\n         relates is chargeable; and\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_1\"><p>         (b) every person by whom any such evidence is furnished,<br \/>\n         shall, on payment of the full duty with which the instrument to<br \/>\n         which it relates, is chargeable, be relieved from any penalty<br \/>\n         which he may have incurred under this Act by reason of the<br \/>\n         omission to state truly in such instrument any of the fact.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p id=\"p_7\">    32. Certificate by collector.- (1) when an instrument brought to the<\/p>\n<p>    Collector under Section 31, is in his opinion, one of a description<\/p>\n<p>    chargeable with duty, and<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_8\">         (a) the Collector determines that it is already fully stamped, or\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_9\">         (b) the duty determined by the Collector under Section 31, or<br \/>\n             such a sum as, with duty already paid in respect of the<br \/>\n             instrument, is equal to the duty so determined, has been<br \/>\n             paid, the Collector shall certify by endorsement on such<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_2\">                                         -:4:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>              instrument that the full duty (stating the amount) with which it<br \/>\n              is chargeable has been paid.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_10\">        (2) When such instrument is, in his opinion, not chargeable with<\/p>\n<p>         duty, the Collector shall certify in manner aforesaid that such<\/p>\n<p>         instrument is not so chargeable.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_11\">        (3) Any instrument upon which an endorsement has been made<\/p>\n<p>         under this section shall be deemed to be duly stamped or not<\/p>\n<p>         chargeable with duty, as the case may be; and, if chargeable<\/p>\n<p>         with duty, shall be receivable in evidence or otherwise, and may<\/p>\n<p>         be acted upon and registered as if it had been originally duty<\/p>\n<p>         stamped:\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_12\">      Provided that nothing in this section shall authorize the Collector to<br \/>\n      endorse-\n<\/p>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_2\"><p>          (a)   any instrument executed or first executed in India and<br \/>\n          brought to him after the expiration of one month from the date of<br \/>\n          its execution, or first execution, as the case may be;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_3\"><p>          (b) any instrument executed or first executed out of India and<br \/>\n          brought to him after the expiration of three months after it has<br \/>\n          been first received in the State; or\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_4\"><p>          (c) any instrument chargeable with the duty of twenty paise or<br \/>\n          less than twenty paise when brought to him, after the execution<br \/>\n          thereof on paper not duly stamped. &#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p id=\"p_13\">      5. As is clear from the wordings in the two sections, Section 31<\/p>\n<p>relates to adjudication of stamp duty payable on an instrument<\/p>\n<p>simpliciter. Section 32 goes a further step after adjudication under<\/p>\n<p>Section 31 of the proper stamp duty payable providing that after<\/p>\n<p>adjudication, if the applicant wants an endorsement as provided in<\/p>\n<p>Section 32, then only the limitation prescribed under the proviso to<\/p>\n<p>Section 32 becomes applicable.                 In other words, if after the<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_3\">                                 -:5:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>adjudication of the stamp duty payable on an instrument, the<\/p>\n<p>applicant does not want an endorsement as provided under Section<\/p>\n<p>32, the application of Section 32 does not arise at all. That being so,<\/p>\n<p>Sections 31 and 32 are distinct and separate and not inter-<\/p>\n<p>dependent.     Consequently, the limitation prescribed under the<\/p>\n<p>proviso to Section 32 does not apply to adjudication as to proper<\/p>\n<p>stamp duty under Section 31. But, if the Collector on adjudication<\/p>\n<p>under Section 31 finds that there is deficit in stamp duty payable on<\/p>\n<p>that instrument and the document had been presented beyond one<\/p>\n<p>month from the date of its execution, naturally the Collector cannot<\/p>\n<p>make the endorsement even if the petitioner pays the deficit stamp<\/p>\n<p>duty and the Collector is bound to proceed under Section 33, which<\/p>\n<p>is the only consequence of bringing the instrument for adjudication of<\/p>\n<p>proper stamp duty after expiry of one month from the date of its<\/p>\n<p>execution.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_14\">      6.   This is all the more so, since under Section 31 an<\/p>\n<p>unexecuted document can also be brought for adjudication.         The<\/p>\n<p>limitation prescribed under    proviso to Section 32 applies only in<\/p>\n<p>respect of documents brought after the expiry of one month from the<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_4\">                                   -:6:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>date of its execution. Therefore for attracting the limitation under the<\/p>\n<p>proviso to Section 32, the document has to be one which has been<\/p>\n<p>executed.      That itself shows that the two sections are not<\/p>\n<p>interdependent. Further, Section 32 becomes applicable only after<\/p>\n<p>the Collector determines either that the instrument is fully stamped or<\/p>\n<p>stamp duty is payable or the instrument is not chargeable with duty at<\/p>\n<p>all. Therefore the question of application of Section 32 arises only<\/p>\n<p>after adjudication under Section 31. Further if the limitation under the<\/p>\n<p>proviso to Section 32 is held to be applicable to Section 31 also, then<\/p>\n<p>even if an instrument is properly stamped and it is disputed after one<\/p>\n<p>month from its execution, it would become impossible for a person to<\/p>\n<p>get an adjudication as to the proper stamp duty by the Collector,<\/p>\n<p>which cannot be the intention of the law maker while incorporating<\/p>\n<p>the limitation in the proviso to Section 32. This is further evident from<\/p>\n<p>the language of the proviso. The words &#8220;nothing in this Section shall<\/p>\n<p>authorise the Collector to endorse&#8221; puts an embargo only on the<\/p>\n<p>endorsement and not on the adjudication under Section 31.<\/p>\n<p>Therefore clearly the limitation prescribed under the proviso to<\/p>\n<p>Section 32 is not applicable to adjudication of the proper stamp duty<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_5\">                                      -:7:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>under Section 31.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_15\">     7. I am supported in this view by a decision of the Supreme<\/p>\n<p>Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/1976947\/\" id=\"a_1\">Government of Uttar Pradesh and others v. Raja<\/p>\n<p>Mohammed Amir Ahmad Khan<\/a> [AIR 1961 SC 787] dealing with<\/p>\n<p>exactly identical provisions in the <a href=\"\/doc\/74910796\/\" id=\"a_1\">Indian Stamp Act<\/a> 1899, as also a<\/p>\n<p>Full Bench decision of this Court in <a href=\"\/doc\/914298\/\" id=\"a_2\">The Secretary to Government<\/p>\n<p>v. The Gwalior Rayon Silk<\/a> [1971 KLJ 309] dealing with the same<\/p>\n<p>provisions as in this case. The learned counsel for the petitioner<\/p>\n<p>would refer to the decision of the Madras High court in <a href=\"\/doc\/1904090\/\" id=\"a_3\">Sethuraman<\/p>\n<p>v. Ramanathan<\/a> [AIR (33) 1946 Madras 437] also dealing with<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_4\">Section 31<\/a> and <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_5\">32<\/a> of the Indian Stamp Act, which are in pari materia.<\/p>\n<p>In Raja Mohammed Amir Ahmad Khan`s case, in paragraph 5, the<\/p>\n<p>Supreme Court held thus:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_5\"><p>     &#8220;5. After an inordinately long delay, the Collector determined the<br \/>\n      amount of duty payable and impounded the document. Power to<\/p>\n<p>      impound is given in S.33 of the Act. Under that section any person<\/p>\n<p>      who is a Judge or is in-charge of a public office before whom an<\/p>\n<p>      instrument chargeable with duty is produced or comes in the<\/p>\n<p>      performance of his functions is required to impound the instrument<\/p>\n<p>      if it appears to him not to be duly stamped. The question is does<\/p>\n<p>      this power of impounding arise in the present case ?          The<\/p>\n<p>      instrument in dispute was not produced as piece of evidence nor<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_6\">                                      -:8:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>     for its being acted upon, e.g., registration, nor for endorsement as<\/p>\n<p>     under S.32 of the Stamp Act but was merely brought before the<\/p>\n<p>     Collector for seeking his advise as to what the proper duty would<\/p>\n<p>     be. The words &#8220;every person &#8230; before whom any instrument &#8230; is<\/p>\n<p>     produced or comes in the performance of his functions&#8221; refer firstly<\/p>\n<p>     to production before judicial or other officers performing judicial<\/p>\n<p>     functions as evidence of any fact to be proved and secondly refer<\/p>\n<p>     to other officers who have to perform any function in regard to<\/p>\n<p>     those instruments when they come before them, e.g, registration.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p id=\"p_16\">\n<p id=\"p_17\">     They do not extend to the determination of the question as to what<\/p>\n<p>     the duty payable is. They do not cover the acts which fall within<\/p>\n<p>     the scope of S.31, because that section is complete by itself and it<\/p>\n<p>     ends by saying that the Collector shall determine the duty with<\/p>\n<p>     which, in his judgment, the instrument is chargeable, if it is<\/p>\n<p>     chargeable at all. <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_6\">Section 31<\/a> does not postulate anything further<\/p>\n<p>     to be done by the Collector. It was conceded that if the instrument<\/p>\n<p>     is unexeucted, i.e., not signed and the opinion of the Collector is<\/p>\n<p>     sought, he has to give his opinion and return it with his opinion to<\/p>\n<p>     the person seeking his opinion.        The language in regard to<\/p>\n<p>     executed and unstamped documents is no different and the<\/p>\n<p>     powers and duties of the Collector in regard to those instruments<\/p>\n<p>     are the same, that is, when he is asked to give his opinion, he has<\/p>\n<p>     to determine the duty with which, in his judgment the instrument is<\/p>\n<p>     chargeable &amp; there his duties &amp; powers in regard to that matter<\/p>\n<p>     end. Then follows S.32. Under that section the Collector has to<\/p>\n<p>     certify by endorsement on the instrument brought to him under<\/p>\n<p>     S.31 that fully duty has been paid, if the instrument is duly<\/p>\n<p>     stamped, or it is unstamped and the duty made up, or it is not<\/p>\n<p>     chargeable to duty. Under that section the endorsement can be<\/p>\n<p>     made only if the instrument is presented within a month of its<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_7\">                                      -:9:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>     execution. But what happens when the instrument has been<\/p>\n<p>     executed more than a month before its being brought before the<\/p>\n<p>     Collector ? <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_7\">Section 31<\/a> places no limitation in regard to the time<\/p>\n<p>     and thee is no reason why any time limit should be imposed in<\/p>\n<p>     regard to seeking of opinion as to the duty payable.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_18\">                                                 (emphasis supplied)<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_19\">     8. In The Gwalior Rayon Silk&#8217;s case the Full Bench of this<\/p>\n<p>Court held thus:\n<\/p>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_6\"><p>      &#8220;9. If any case whatsoever arising under the Act would come within<br \/>\n      the scope of a reference under sub-section (1) of <a href=\"\/doc\/80683146\/\" id=\"a_8\">section 55<\/a>, that<\/p>\n<p>      would lead to difficult, indeed impossible, results.      Supposing a<\/p>\n<p>      Collector were to decide that proper stamp duty has been paid in<\/p>\n<p>      respect of an instrument, whereas in fact it has not, or that the<\/p>\n<p>      instrument is not chargeable with duty whereas it is, and to certify<\/p>\n<p>      accordingly by endorsement thereon under sub-section (2) of<\/p>\n<p>      <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_9\">section 32<\/a>.     Then, under sub-section (3) of the section, the<\/p>\n<p>      instrument shall be deemed to be duly stamped or not chargeable<\/p>\n<p>      with duty, as the case may be, and may be acted upon accordingly.<\/p>\n<p>      Now, if a case wrongly decided under <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_10\">section 31<\/a> in favour of the<\/p>\n<p>      Revenue is a case coming within the scope of sub section (1) of<\/p>\n<p>      <a href=\"\/doc\/80683146\/\" id=\"a_11\">section 55<\/a>, a case wrongly decided in favour of the citizen must also<\/p>\n<p>      be such a case. In such a case, namely, a case wrongly decided in<\/p>\n<p>      favour of the citizen, what is the Government to do under sub-<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p id=\"p_20\">\n<p id=\"p_21\">      section (2) of <a href=\"\/doc\/168043105\/\" id=\"a_12\">section 57<\/a> conformably to the judgment the High Court<\/p>\n<p>      may deliver in pursuance of a reference made to it ?            Is the<\/p>\n<p>      Government to decide the case afresh, under <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_13\">section 31<\/a> or send it<\/p>\n<p>      to the Collector for making a fresh decision ? There is no provision<\/p>\n<p>      in the Act that enables it to do so and even if it did so what purpose<\/p>\n<p>      would that serve ? The certificate endorsed by the Collector under<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_8\">                                       -:10:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>       <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_14\">Section 32<\/a> can neither be recalled nor cancelled, for the deeming<\/p>\n<p>       provisions in sub-section (3) of <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_15\">section 32<\/a> is absolute and is not<\/p>\n<p>       made subject to any such fresh adjudication.           And even if the<\/p>\n<p>       certificate could be cancelled, in most cases, it would be too late to<\/p>\n<p>       serve any purpose since the certificate would already have served<\/p>\n<p>       its purpose and the instrument would have been acted upon.<\/p>\n<p>       Surely, it cannot be that its reception in evidence, its registration and<\/p>\n<p>       such other instances of its being acted upon, can be recalled or are<\/p>\n<p>       rendered null and void. It must be remembered that <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_16\">section 31<\/a><\/p>\n<p>       places no obligation on the citizen to pay the stamp duty adjudged<\/p>\n<p>       by the Collector. It is only if he wants the certificate under <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_17\">section<\/p>\n<p>       32<\/a> that he need pay the stamp duty; else, he can decline to pay it<\/p>\n<p>       and face whatever consequences might flow if, in fact, the<\/p>\n<p>       instrument is not sufficiently stamped.       How then, on the fresh<\/p>\n<p>       adjudication being made, will be stamp duty be collected?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_22\">                                                      (emphasis supplied)<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_23\">      9. Since the Madras decision interpreting identical Sections in<\/p>\n<p>the <a href=\"\/doc\/74910796\/\" id=\"a_18\">Indian Stamp Act<\/a>, 1899, deals further with the consequences of<\/p>\n<p>production for adjudication under <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_19\">Section 31<\/a> after one month, with<\/p>\n<p>which view I respectfully agree, I shall extract the relevant portion of<\/p>\n<p>that judgment in Sethuraman&#8217;s case(supra) also.<\/p>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_7\"><p>              &#8220;15. The expression &#8216;duly stamped&#8217; is defined in S.2(11) as<br \/>\n      meaning that the instrument bears an adhesive or impressed stamp<\/p>\n<p>      of no less than the proper amount and that such stamp has been<\/p>\n<p>      affixed or used in accordance with the law for the time being in<\/p>\n<p>      force in British India. Mr. Sampath Aiyangar has raised a number<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_9\">                                    -:11:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>    of questions as to the interpretation of these provisions with a view<\/p>\n<p>    to show that S.26 applies to the case notwithstanding the<\/p>\n<p>    Collector&#8217;s certificate endorsed on Ext.P1 and precludes the Court<\/p>\n<p>    from passing a decree for any sum in excess of Rs.10,000\/-. He<\/p>\n<p>    argues that the Collector has no jurisdiction to entertain the<\/p>\n<p>    respondent&#8217;s application for adjudication of the proper stamp duty<\/p>\n<p>    for Ext.P1 under S.31, as the document was brought to him more<\/p>\n<p>    than six years after its execution and that the certificate endorsed<\/p>\n<p>    by him on the bond was void and inoperative. He relies upon the<\/p>\n<p>    proviso to S.32 which requires that the instrument on which an<\/p>\n<p>    endorsement of the Collector&#8217;s adjudication is sought should be<\/p>\n<p>    brought within on month after its execution. It is said that Ss.31<\/p>\n<p>    and 32 contained in Chap.III form one integrated procedure for<\/p>\n<p>    adjudication as to stamps and that the time limit referred to in<\/p>\n<p>    proviso (a) to S.32 governs applications made under S.31. We are<\/p>\n<p>    unable to agree with this view. <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_20\">Section 31<\/a> provides no time limit for<\/p>\n<p>    an application to the Collector for adjudication as to the proper<\/p>\n<p>    stamp duty payable in respect of an instrument. There is nothing in<\/p>\n<p>    the section to prevent a person from resorting to the Collector for<\/p>\n<p>    an adjudication as to the proper stamp even after the expiry of one<\/p>\n<p>    month from the date of its execution. If the instrument is brought to<\/p>\n<p>    the Collector within one month of its execution, the applicant would<\/p>\n<p>    be entitled to have the Collector&#8217;s certificate endorsed on the<\/p>\n<p>    instrument on payment of the deficit duty, if any; but without having<\/p>\n<p>    to pay any penalty. But if he seeks the Collector&#8217;s adjudication<\/p>\n<p>    beyond the time limit specified in S.32, the Collector has, under<\/p>\n<p>    S.33, to impound the instrument and proceed under S.40 to decide<\/p>\n<p>    whether the instrument is duly stamped and to require the payment<\/p>\n<p>    of the additional duty chargeable in respect of the instrument<\/p>\n<p>    together with the prescribed penalty in case he is of opinion that it<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_10\">                                       -:12:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>     is not duly stamped.     On payment of such duty and penalty a<\/p>\n<p>     certificate that the proper duty and penalty have been paid has to<\/p>\n<p>     be endorsed under S.42 on the instrument which becomes<\/p>\n<p>     thereupon admissible in evidence and may be acted upon as if it<\/p>\n<p>     had been duly stamped.          It is under this procedure that the<\/p>\n<p>     Collector must be taken to have dealt with Ext.P1, for it is significant<\/p>\n<p>     that he levied a penalty which he had no power to do under S.32.<\/p>\n<p>     We are accordingly of opinion that the Collector had jurisdiction to<\/p>\n<p>     adjudicate as to the proper stamp duty payable in respect of Ext.P1<\/p>\n<p>     although it was not presented within one month of its execution and<\/p>\n<p>     that, as a result of the certificate endorsed by him on the bond, it<\/p>\n<p>     can be acted upon as if it had been duly stamped.&#8221;\n<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_8\"><p>                                                (emphasis supplied)<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<blockquote id=\"blockquote_9\"><p>     10.     As held in that judgment if an executed instrument is<\/p>\n<p>produced for adjudication as to proper stamp under <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_21\">Section 31<\/a>, after<\/p>\n<p>one month of its execution, the other consequences applicable to<\/p>\n<p>production of an insufficiently stamped instrument before a person in<\/p>\n<p>charge of a public office under other provisions of the Kerala Stamp<\/p>\n<p>Act would necessarily follow and after adjudication of the proper<\/p>\n<p>stamp, if the Collector finds that the same is insufficiently stamped he<\/p>\n<p>has to proceed further against that instrument under those<\/p>\n<p>provisions. In other words, if an executed instrument is produced<\/p>\n<p>before the Collector under <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_22\">Section 31<\/a>, within one month, even if the<\/p>\n<p>Collector finds that the instrument is insufficiently stamped, the<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_11\">                                  -:13:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p>instrument would not attract penalty, and the Collector shall make the<\/p>\n<p>endorsement under <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_23\">Section 32<\/a>, if the party pays the deficit stamp<\/p>\n<p>whereas if it is produced after one month, it would, and the Collector<\/p>\n<p>cannot make the endorsement which is the effect of the limitation<\/p>\n<p>prescribed under the proviso to <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_24\">Section 32<\/a>, instead the Collector has<\/p>\n<p>to, after adjudication of the proper stamp, proceed either under<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/doc\/61287904\/\" id=\"a_25\">Sections 33<\/a> and <a href=\"\/doc\/74684503\/\" id=\"a_26\">39<\/a> read with <a href=\"\/doc\/29392070\/\" id=\"a_27\">Section 41<\/a> or under <a href=\"\/doc\/20856670\/\" id=\"a_28\">Section 40<\/a> read<\/p>\n<p>with <a href=\"\/doc\/29392070\/\" id=\"a_29\">Section 41<\/a>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n<p id=\"p_24\">\n<p id=\"p_25\">      11. From the above it is abundantly clear that, an application<\/p>\n<p>for adjudication of proper stamp duty under <a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_30\">Section 31<\/a> cannot be<\/p>\n<p>refused to be accepted on the ground of limitation prescribed under<\/p>\n<p>the proviso to <a href=\"\/doc\/41042021\/\" id=\"a_31\">Section 32<\/a>.      In the above circumstances, this writ<\/p>\n<p>petition is allowed.    The respondent is directed to accept the<\/p>\n<p>application for adjudication of proper stamp duty on Ext.P1 document<\/p>\n<p>submitted by the petitioner under Section 31 of the Kerala Stamp Act<\/p>\n<p>and to proceed to adjudicate on the proper stamp duty payable on<\/p>\n<p>the same. Petitioner shall re-present the application with the original<\/p>\n<p>of Ext.P1 document within two weeks from today. The respondent<\/p>\n<p>shall adjudicate the proper stamp duty payable on the same under<\/p>\n<p>WPC : 33503\/08<br \/>\n<span class=\"hidden_text\" id=\"span_12\">                                 -:14:-<\/span><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"\/doc\/51264169\/\" id=\"a_32\">Section 31<\/a> and communicate his opinion to the petitioner within two<\/p>\n<p>months from the date of receipt of the same. However, I make it<\/p>\n<p>clear that, since admittedly the document has been submitted after<\/p>\n<p>expiry of one month from the date of its execution, if the Collector<\/p>\n<p>finds that the stamp duty paid is not sufficient, then all consequences<\/p>\n<p>flowing from production of an insufficiently stamped instrument shall<\/p>\n<p>be applicable to Ext.P1 document and the Collector shall proceed<\/p>\n<p>accordingly either under <a href=\"\/doc\/61287904\/\" id=\"a_33\">Sections 33<\/a> and <a href=\"\/doc\/74684503\/\" id=\"a_34\">39<\/a> read with <a href=\"\/doc\/29392070\/\" id=\"a_35\">Section 41<\/a>, or<\/p>\n<p>under <a href=\"\/doc\/20856670\/\" id=\"a_36\">Section 40<\/a> read with <a href=\"\/doc\/29392070\/\" id=\"a_37\">Section 41<\/a>.\n<\/p>\n<p id=\"p_26\">\n<p id=\"p_27\">                                               S. SIRI JAGAN, JUDGE<br \/>\nttb<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kerala High Court M.P.Rajeswaran Nair vs The District Collector on 9 June, 2009 IN THE HIGH COURT OF KERALA AT ERNAKULAM WP(C).No. 33503 of 2008(L) 1. M.P.RAJESWARAN NAIR, S\/O.PADMANABHA &#8230; Petitioner Vs 1. THE DISTRICT COLLECTOR, &#8230; Respondent For Petitioner :SRI.K.B.PRADEEP For Respondent : No Appearance The Hon&#8217;ble MR. Justice S.SIRI JAGAN Dated :09\/06\/2009 O [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_lmt_disableupdate":"","_lmt_disable":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[8,21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-271266","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-high-court","category-kerala-high-court"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>M.P.Rajeswaran Nair vs The District Collector on 9 June, 2009 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; High Court | Legal India<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.legalindia.com\/judgments\/m-p-rajeswaran-nair-vs-the-district-collector-on-9-june-2009\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"M.P.Rajeswaran Nair vs The District Collector on 9 June, 2009 - Free Judgements of Supreme Court &amp; 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