Shimla, Sept. 4 -- Despite opposition from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the Himachal Pradesh Assembly on Thursday passed the Indian Stamp (Himachal Pradesh Second Amendment) Bill, 2026, reducing stamp duty for women purchasing property worth up to Rs.1 crore from8% to 4%. Terming it a step towards "women empowerment", chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said the move was aimed at encouraging property purchases in the name of women. Under the amended provisions, women will pay 4% stamp duty on property purchases up to Rs.1 crore, while properties valued above Rs.1 crore will attract 8% duty for both women and other buyers. For men and other buyers, the duty will be 6% on properties valued up to Rs.40 lakh and 8% on those above Rs.40 lakh. The amendment also provides for higher stamp duty and fees in several other categories, including transactions involving people from outside Himachal Pradesh. A 12% duty will be levied on outsiders acquiring property, either through transfer or lease, with government permission under Section 118(2)(h) of the Himachal Pradesh Tenancy and Land Reforms Act, 1972. The rate will apply equally to men and women. The government has also tightened provisions relating to the re-registration of the same property between the same buyer and seller within a year. If the combined value of such transactions exceeds the prescribed limit, an 8% stamp duty will be levied by aggregating the transaction values. A fee equivalent to 100 times the standard stamp duty will be charged for executing a Power of Attorney in favour of a non-resident living outside Himachal Pradesh or in relation to property located outside the state. The BJP opposed the Bill, arguing that the government was imposing a financial burden on people to address the state's fiscal challenges. Leader of Opposition Jai Ram Thakur said the hike in stamp duty was "exorbitant" and alleged that rates had been increased across almost every category. "The state is undergoing fiscal challenges but that does not mean to burden common man with financial burden by raising stamp duty," Thakur said, urging the government to withdraw the Bill and reconsider the proposed increases. BJP MLA Trilok Jamwal alleged that the government was seeking to change the entire Act in the name of amending certain sections. Revenue minister Jagat Singh Negi defended the increases, saying stamp duty rates had not been revised since 2012 and needed to be rationalised in line with current circumstances. He said the higher charges were also intended to check the misuse of General Power of Attorney arrangements by non-Himachalis in property transactions. Negi said the government had reduced stamp duty for women while increasing rates in categories where, he argued, the higher charges would primarily affect those with the ability to pay. "We are trying to check corruption and the rates have not been revised since 2012. The Centre is not giving our share, RDG has stopped, and now when we are trying to generate revenue through our resources, you are objecting to the same," Negi said....