Noida property owners face deadline

Noida is witnessing a last minute rush for registration of property by hundreds of group housing society apartment owners as only three days are left to do so which otherwise will invite penalties ranging from Rs. 2 to 8 lakh. Since the last several years, over ten thousand allottees belonging to group housing societies have failed to get their flats registered. Earlier the local administration of Noida allowed sub-lease registration of flats which could be done on a stamp paper of Rs. 100. Stamp duty used to be levied on the land that was registered under a group housing cooperative society. Later officials thought of stopping the practice of levying stamp duty because structures came up on the allotted land. Thereafter land registration officials asked allottees to pay stamp duty and register their respective flats in their names otherwise they will not get the ownership of flats.

A writ petition was filed in the Supreme Court by the Indian Railway Welfare Organisation (IRWO), the Air Force Naval Housing Board (AFNHB), the Army Welfare Housing Organisation (AWHO) and several others where it was stated that had levying of stamp duty is not required. They pleaded with the court that the circle rates charged presently by the registration department should be replaced by charging of allotment rates for the first allottees.