THE HON’BLE SRI JUSTICE NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO WRIT PETITION No. 7573 of 2011 Dated: 13-4-2011 Between: Meru Ramana …Petitioner and The Collector and District Registrar, Krishna District, Registration and Stamps Department, Machilipatnam and another …Respondents ORAL ORDER: This writ petition is directed against the orders passed by the District Registrar, Registration and Stamps Department, Krishna District at Machilipatnam on 28-12-2010 directing the petitioner herein to make good the deficit amount of Rs.99,870/- in respect of a document, which has been found to have been insufficiently stamped. The case of the writ petitioner is that on document bearing No. 1348/08, he has paid a stamp duty of Rs.84,000/-. But however, it was suspected that it ought to have been stamped to duty of Rs.1,83,870/- and on that basis, the impugned order is passed directing the petitioner to make good the deficit stamp duty. A notice for the proposed action was issued by the District Registrar on 13-10- 2010, but however, the said notice could not be served on the writ petitioner. Hence, he prayed for an opportunity to be given to him before a decision with regard to the deficit stamp duty is finalized. The petitioner appears to have submitted a detailed representation on 30-3-2010 indicating his latest office address as he is working at far away place in Bhubaneswar, Orissa State. It is a settled principle of law that no person should be condemned unheard and a fair and reasonable opportunity is what is required to be given, before the petitioner can be held as liable to make good the deficit stamp duty. Since the writ petitioner has not received any prior notice, he could not be represented before the District Registrar at the time inquiry was conducted by him. Therefore, the orders passed by the District Registrar on 28-12-2010 are ordered to be kept in abeyance. The writ petitioner be issued a notice fixing another date for hearing. Let the notice of the date of hearing be communicated at the following address: Meru Ramana, Dy.Manager, State Bank of India, Govt. Treasury Branch, Pt.J.N.Marg, Bhubaneswar (Orissa), Pin Code: 751001 and on the next date of hearing, if the petitioner appears either himself or through any authorized representative, the case of the petitioner be heard and appropriate decision in the matter be taken. Based upon the decision to be arrived at afresh, the impugned order be either given effect to or suitably be modified. With this, the writ petition stands disposed of, after hearing the learned Government Pleader for Revenue. No costs. ------------------------------------- NOOTY RAMAMOHANA RAO, J 13th April, 2011 GRR