Shortage of Stamp Paper of Rs 500

Pune: The state government has made it mandatory to use a stamp paper of Rs 500 for filing affidavits, withdrawal of rights or other types of documents. However, there is a shortage of these stamps in the market. As a result, ordinary citizens have to buy it at a higher rate.

Meanwhile, the Registration and Stamp Duty Department said that if you do not get a stamp paper of Rs 500, then it is possible to do your work using five stamp papers of Rs 100.

Stamp papers of Rs 100 to Rs 200 were used for work other than government offices, such as affidavits, withdrawal of rights, etc. The registration and stamp duty department had said that the cost was low considering the cost of stamp paper and actually the cost of printing it.

The department had already sent a proposal to the state government to increase the price of these stamp papers. The state government approved it in September and amended the Maharashtra Stamp Act.

With this decision, the common man now has to buy a stamp paper of Rs 500 for every work instead of a stamp paper of Rs 100 or Rs 200.

As a result, there has been a shortage in the market due to lack of adequate supply of Rs 500 stamps for the last few days. As a result, a stamp paper of Rs 500 has to be taken for Rs 700 to Rs 800.

When contacted, the stamp paper vendors, who did not wish to be named, said, "Stamp paper worth Rs 500 is not available in the required quantity. After the demand, the department provides a stamp paper of Rs 100. And that's what we're pushing for. The possibility of it being misused by some vendors cannot be ruled out."

In this regard, an official of the Registration and Stamp Duty Department said, "It is a fact that there is a problem in supplying stamp paper worth Rs 500 in proportion to the demand. But instead of Rs 500, citizens can do their work using a stamp paper of Rs 500. Similar instructions have also been issued to the stamp sellers to avoid inconvenience to the citizens.

Current status

• Stamp paper vendors in the state: About 1100

• 7-88 lakh annual stamp sales in the state, of which 20 per cent were sold in Pune.

• A rs 500 stamp sells for Rs 700 to Rs 800.