In Brief
A cooperative housing society challenged a 2009 government memorandum requiring the Assistant Registrar's approval before granting stamp duty exemptions on property transfers under the Indian Stamp Act. The Supreme Court held that once a cooperative society is registered and issued a certificate, that certificate is conclusive evidence of its legal existence and status under the Cooperative Societies Act. Requiring additional administrative approval was deemed superfluous, unnecessary, and violative of good governance principles. The Court set aside the memorandum as illegal, allowing cooperative societies to register property transfers without the extra requirement.
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