SASARAM: With the amendment in Bihar Finance Rule 2001 effective from July 29 this year, Bihar has become the first state in the country where a male purchasing land or building to gift it to someone will have to pay more registration fee if the seller is a female. The state government has, however, given relaxation in registration fee to a woman if she purchases the same from a male. And in case of seller and purchaser both being female, there will be no relaxation in the registration fee.

Sources in the state registration department said two days after the state cabinet decision to amend the Bihar Finance Rule 2001, the registration department on July 29 issued a notification to this effect. So far a purchaser irrespective of gender had to pay 8% including 6% as stamp duty of total cost of the land, as registration fee.

But after the amendment, in case of the seller being a woman, the male purchaser will have to pay 8.4% as registration fee. But in case of male seller, a female purchaser will get a relaxation of 0.4% in registration fee. Also if the name of a male figures along with a female in the column of purchaser, there will be no relaxation in the registration fee. A male family member and relative will have to pay more as registration fee if a women gifts her immovable property to him.

