Taking serious note of public complaints, the Nagpur Bench of the Bombay High Court has initiated suo motu action over allegations that notary vendors are overcharging citizens for stamp papers. The issue was brought to the Court’s attention through a recent media report that revealed how some vendors near the Zilla office in Civil Lines were demanding nearly twice the actual cost of stamp papers. It was also highlighted that buyers were being forced to avail notary and typing services to get stamp papers.
According to a media report, the matter was heard by a division bench comprising Justice Nitin W Sambre and Justice M M Nerlikar, which acknowledged the seriousness of the situation and decided to take it up for further hearing.
The judges expressed concern over the lack of action by the office of the Collector of Stamps, which is responsible for ensuring the fair distribution and availability of stamp papers. They noted with surprise that despite the seriousness of the issue, authorities had not taken concrete steps to curb the malpractice. The bench also highlighted that the impact of such exploitation extends beyond the general public and is affecting legal professionals as well.
The Court questioned the inaction of the State Government’s Stamp Collector, stating in its order, “We fail to understand how the Collector of Stamps of the State Government cannot attend the grievances of the citizens.”
To delve deeper into the matter, the bench decided to treat the issue as a Suo Motu Public Interest Litigation (PIL). Advocate Rahul Ghuge has been appointed as amicus curiae and tasked with drafting a formal writ petition. He informed the Court that the petition would be submitted to the Registry by July 15. The matter will be heard next on July 16.
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