In May last, J&K Government abolished the stamp duty for properties registered in the name of women in an obvious attempt at economic empowerment of women. Nine months later, the state has witnessed dramatic increase in the number of the properties owned by women. In Srinagar alone, more than ten thousand properties have been registered in the name of female members of the families.
This is seen as a redeeming change in a state where according to government data only 33 percent women in the age group of 15-49 own a house. Similarly, just 23 percent of women own land. But the new law made a remarkable difference. To save the stamp duty on the newly bought property, more and more people registered them in the name of women. New property registration records in the Valley reveal that every day an average of 25 to 30 properties worth crores are registered in the name of women.
The abolition of property tax for women assumes more significance in view of the fact that real estate is the predominant investment asset in the Valley. Over the past two decades, as the Valley witnessed a growing urbanization and consequent spike in real estate rates, land and construction of house have become the preferred investment for the people. With people now incentivised to register properties in the name of their mothers, wives and daughters, this was expected to lead to empowerment of women.
But this is likely to come to a halt after the Governor’s administration decided to do away with the law, despite the public and political opposition. The decision has even been opposed by the BJP which usually takes a stand on issues contrary to the one espoused by the people in the Valley. Much like many other contentious laws, Governor Satya Pal Malik has gone ahead with scrapping this law without being bothered about the public opinion. And which makes the revocation of the law undemocratic. Such arbitrary pursuit of introducing new laws and revoking the old and publicly supported laws is not what any government is supposed to do, let alone a Governor’s administration. At best, a Governor’s administration is a make-shift arrangement until a democratically elected government is formed. It is not supposed to make laws, except those which are essential to run the affairs of the government.
But this administration has taken on all the formal functions of a government. It has forayed into areas which are contentious and dealt with them directly, in its own wisdom. A wisdom that has often invited suspicion of being motivated. And by revoking the zero stamp duty for the properties bought by the women, the Governor’s administration has only further undermined the confidence in its intentions. It is therefore important that the zero tax on the properties bought by women is revoked, if the government wants to retain its faith with the people.
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