LHC Fixes Rs. 500 Stamp Duty on Inherited Property Partition

The Lahore High Court has decreed that inherited property partition will incur a fixed stamp duty of Rs. 500, rather than the previous 2 percent levy. This decision, stemming from a writ petition initiated by Muhammad Sajjad, sets a significant precedent for subordinate courts. The court dismissed the legal basis for the 2 percent duty, asserting that the Stamp Act 1899 mandates a Rs.

500 stamp duty for such partitions. The ruling emphasizes that the nature of the suit remains unchanged regardless of additional co-owners, and that imposing a percentage-based financial burden lacks legal validity. This judgment, penned by Justice Tanveer Ahmad Sheikh, underscores the court's commitment to enforcing the Stamp Act 1899 and rejecting arbitrary financial burdens imposed on property partitions.