Non-judicial stamp of Rs 50 sold at Rs 1200

By Our Staff Reporter
IMPHAL, Jan 31: In a chance encounter that has exposed people in need of legal documents being exploited, Rs 50 and Rs 100 non-judicial stamp papers have been found sold at exorbitant prices in Imphal.
Non-judicial stamp papers are legal papers used to pay stamp duty to the Government for executing agreements, contracts, affidavits, and property trans- actions outside of Court.
These papers are available in denominations of Rs 5, Rs 10, Rs 20, Rs 50, Rs 100, Rs 500, Rs 1,000, and up to Rs 25,000.
While other stamp papers are also being sold at higher prices, most costly are Rs 50, Rs 100 and Rs 500 stamp papers.
A stamp paper of Rs 50 or Rs 100 costs between Rs 1,200 and Rs 1,400 while a Rs 500 stamp paper costs around Rs 1,000.
When enquired about the sky-high price of the non-judicial stamp papers, some licensed vendors in the city said "it was due to shortage of the legal papers".
They accused the Treasury Office of not releasing adequate stamp papers on time.
They claimed the Treasury Office has not released the legal papers in the last two months.
The licensed vendors said they are selling old stocks which they bought earlier at a higher price.
If the Treasury Office releases the papers in time and in adequate quantities, then the prices would fall, said the vendors.
A person, who was at a vendor buying the stamp papers, said the Rs 50 and Rs 100 papers cost only Rs 700 about a month ago.
"Now, the same papers are costing above Rs 1000 a piece. We have no choice, but to buy it at the price they are selling," the person said.
A licensed vendor claim-ed that most of the stamp papers being sold in Imphal are ones released by Chura-chandpur Treasury Office.
"Most of the stamp papers being sold are released by the Churachandpur Trea-sury Office. Those released by Treasury offices of other districts are scarce. The Treasury Office may be deliberately regulating this for unknown reasons and benefits," said the vendor.
There is e-stamp, but these are limited to only Rs 500 per day to a person, said a person who was at the vendor buying stamp papers.
When the sky-high price of stamp papers is surely a burden to a massive number of people who need the legal documents for various reasons, it may also affect students who are applying for scholarships.
Rs 50 non-judicial stamp papers are generally used by students when applying for scholarships.
Rs 100 stamp papers, on the other hand, are used in sale deeds and mortgages etc.
Due to shortage and exorbitant price, people are reportedly clubbing Rs 20 papers to get the value of a Rs 100 paper.
Concerned authorities of the Government must intervene to improve supply and check the illegal price hike, said persons who were at different vendors in Imphal buying the legal papers.