Team Herald
PANJIM: The cabinet on Friday decided to waive off stamp duty to International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) for its project on Chorao Island. The decision was taken despite the Law department’s observation that exemption cannot be granted as the society is not registered with the State.
The cabinet, chaired by Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, granted ex-post facto approval for exemption of stamp duty to ISKCON on transfer of gifted cum donated land measuring 23,824 sq mtrs in Chorao.
ISKON had approached the government for waiver of stamp duty on the land and the Finance department had granted its concurrence for this.
However, the Law department observed that this exemption from payment of stamp duty is not in consonance with the Budget as the society is not registered in Goa. “Law department further mentioned that the government is empowered to grant exemption from the payment of stamp duty,” the proposal before the cabinet reads.
The government in its 2015-16 Budget had announced to exempt all gifts/donations in favour of educational institution and charitable organisations, registered for over 15 years with the
Inspector General of Societies under the Societies Registration Act, 1860 in Goa from payment of Stamp Duty.
ISKCON is registered in Maharashtra under the Bombay Public Trust Act, 1950. “The State Registrar was of the opinion that the Societies Registration Act, 1860 being a Central Act, it is not mandatorily required to re-register ISKCON with the Inspector General of Societies in Goa,” the note reads.
It was recommended that government obtain ex-facto cabinet approval for clearing the proposal.
