<h1>Companies must pay 0.1% stamp duty on share issuances per Article 19, Schedule IA; DEMAT and physical certificates covered</h1> State revenue department has directed companies with registered offices in the territory to pay stamp duty of 0.1% of share value on issuance of shares and securities, citing Article 19 of Schedule IA of the Indian Stamp Act, 1899; the obligation applies to both physical certificates and dematerialized (DEMAT) forms. The department instructed central depositories not to collect a lower 0.005% rate they had been applying and established a payment mechanism via the stock-holding agent's portal with certificates issued by the stamp collector. Non-compliance may attract penalties, interest and other consequences under the Stamp Act.