The Union Territories (Stamp and Court-fees Laws) Act, 1961
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Law and Justice / Department of Justice
Act details
| Short title | The Union Territories (Stamp and Court-fees Laws) Act, 1961 |
|---|---|
| Long title | An Act to provide for the amendment and repeal of certain laws relating to stamp duties and court-fees as in force in certain Union territories. |
| Act number | 33 of 1961 |
| Act year | 1961 |
| Enactment date | 29 Aug 1961 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Law and Justice / Department of Justice |
| Department | Department of Justice |
| Jurisdiction | Central (Parliament of India) |
| Sections | 6 |
| Status | Not repealed |
| Last checked on India Code | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Source | India Code, Government of India |
Summary
Summary of the Union Territories (Stamp and Court-fees Laws) Act, 1961
Key Provisions
1. Amendments and Extensions: - Himachal Pradesh: Aligns the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, with Punjab's Schedule I-A (effective from a notified date).
• Manipur and Tripura: Extends Assam's versions of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899, and the Court-fees Act, 1870, upon notification.
2. Repeals: - Court-fees Act, 1870 in Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura, upon the extension of respective state laws.
• Indian Stamp Act, 1899 in Manipur and Tripura, upon the extension of Assam's Act.
3. Validation: - Manipur: Legitimizes stamp duties collected from 16th April 1950 until the Assam Act's extension.
Legislative history
Legislative History:
The Union Territories (Stamp and Court-fees Laws) Act, 1961
● Act Title - The Union Territories (Stamp and Court-fees Laws) Act, 1961
● Act Number / Year - 33 of 1961
● Act ID (India Code) - 196133
● Presidential Assent Date - August 29, 1961
● Enforcement Date - August 29, 1961
● Nodal Ministry - Ministry of Law and Justice (Department of Justice)
Precedent & Historical Rationale
● Transition to Decimal Currency System - Enacted following the national introduction of decimal coinage (rupees and naye paise) to modernize stamp duty rates and court-fee structures in the Union Territories of Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, and Tripura, replacing rates previously expressed in rupees, annas, and pies.
● Harmonization with Neighboring State Legal Frameworks - Formulated to replace outdated local stamp and court-fee laws in Manipur and Tripura with the corresponding provisions of Assam, and to replace the court-fee and stamp duty schedules in Himachal Pradesh with those prevailing in Punjab.
Parliamentary Trajectory & Enactment
● Formulation - Introduced by the Central Government to overcome limitations under Section 2 of the Union Territories (Laws) Act, 1950, enabling Parliament to explicitly repeal older territorial enactments while extending state-level tax laws.
● Parliamentary Passage - Debated and passed by both Houses of Parliament (Second Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) during the August 1961 session.
● Presidential Assent - Received Presidential Assent on August 29, 1961.
● Enforcement - Enforced on August 29, 1961.
Source - Official Record of Parliament, India Code, and Ministry of Law and Justice.