Non-judicial stamp papers to be obsolete from October 1, 2023

 STAFF REPORTER

GUWAHATI: From October 1, this year, all non-judicial stamp papers (dalil papers) will be obsolete, barring only a few unforeseen cases with prior permission from the authorities concerned.

The State Government took a decision recently to introduce digital stamps (e-stamps) mandatorily on October 1, 2023. To make this happen, the State Government has already notified the Assam Digital Stamping Rules, 2023, to pave the way for the mandatory use of e-stamps.

The State Government had in mind that even now, many vendors and general people were in possession of many unused non-judicial stamp papers. That prompted the government to issue a notification regarding the timeline for the discontinuation of non-judicial stamp papers. According to the notification of the Revenue and Disaster Management (Registration) Department, (i) the sale of non-judicial stamp papers from treasuries shall be discontinued with effect from July 1, 2023; (ii) the consumption of stamps purchased before June 30, 2023, by vendors and common people for legitimate transactions will be allowed until September 30, 2023; and (iii) the use of non-judicial stamps shall be discontinued with effect from October 1, 2023, except in special unforeseen cases where it becomes necessary to use stamps. In such rare cases, the use of stamps may be allowed by the district registrar with prior permission from the Superintendent of Stamps.

People in need of e-stamps will get them from licenced vendors, common service centres, 34 branches of the Assam Gramin Vikash Bank, 11 branches of the Union Bank, and a few branches of the Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd. (SHCIL).

E-stamps were first introduced in Kamrup (M) in the state in 2009. In 2013, six other districts of the state also started using e-stamps, and the provision of e-stamps was made in all districts of the state in 2017 but not made mandatory. Both non-judicial stamp papers and e-stamps are used simultaneously. However, from October 1 this year, e-stamps will be mandatory, putting an end to the era of non-judicial stamp papers.

Also Read:  Scarcity of non-judicial stamp papers in Assam

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