Gujarat Stamp Act, 1958
(1) When any instrument, whether executed or not and whether previously adjudicated-stamped or not, is brought to the Collector, by one of the parties to the instrument and such person applies to have the opinion of that officer as to the duty (if any) with which for the Article of Schedule I under which it is chargeable and pay the fee of fifty rupees, and one rupee on every Rs. 1,000 or part thereof, subject to a minimum of five rupees and maximum of twenty-five rupees in cases involving stamp duty on ad valorem basis, the Collector shall determine the duty (if any) with which for the Article of Schedule I under which in his judgement, the instrument is chargeable. (2) For this purpose the Collector may require to be furnished with if a true copy or an abstract of the instrument, and also with such affidavit or other evidence as he may deem necessary to prove that all the facts and circumstances affecting the chargeability of the instrument with duty, or the amount of the duty with which it is chargeable, are fully and truly set forth therein and may refuse to proceed on any such application until such true copy or abstract and evidence have been furnished accordingly: Provided that,— (a) no evidence furnished in pursuance of this section shall be used against any person in any civil proceeding, except in an inquiry as to the duty with which the instrument to which it relates is chargeable; and (b) every person by whom any such evidence is furnished shall, on payment of the full duty with which the instrument to which it relates is chargeable, be relieved from any penalty which he may have incurred under this Act; by reason of the omission to state truly in such instrument any of the facts or circumstances aforesaid. (3) Where the Collector acting under sub-sections (1) and (2) is not the Collector of the District and if he has reason to believe that the market value of the property, which is the subject matter of the instrument, received by him for adjudication, has not been truly set forth therein, he shall, for the purpose of assessing the stamp duty, determine the true market value of such property, as laid down in the Bombay Stamp (Determination of True Market Value of Property) Rules, 1995. (4) When an instrument is brought to the Collector for adjudication,— (i) within one month of execution or first execution of such instrument in the State; or (ii) if, such instrument is executed or first executed, out of the State, within three months from the date of first receipt of such instrument in this State, the person liable to pay the stamp duty under section 30 shall pay the same within sixty days from the date of service of the notice of demand in respect of the stamp duty adjudicated by the Collector. If such person fails to pay the stamp duty so demanded within the said period, he shall be liable to pay a penalty at the rate of two per cent. of the deficient portion of the stamp duty, for every month or part thereof, from the date of execution of such instrument, or as the case may be, date of the first receipt of such instrument in the State.