Ending outdated colonial laws: Relevance of Revenue Stamps

Union government has rightly taken up review of all laws of British era to end those colonial laws which have of no relevance now. Already self-attested affidavits are set to replace old tradition of getting these attested by gazetted officers. Revenue-stamp is required for receipts of amounts over a specified limit which is now rupees 5000 even though payment is made through banks. This is also a useless colonial practice which needs to be altogether abolished. Rather signed receipts become useless in case gumming of revenue-stamps is not proper, because major portion of signature vanishes in case poorly gummed revenue-stamp is somehow removed from the signed receipt with signature made on a revenue-stamp. Union government should do away with requirement of revenue-stamps for any receipt either by cash or through bank. If needed, special receipt-papers printed at Government security printing-press on lines of stamp-papers may be introduced at cost of say rupees one hundred for heavy transactions of say rupees 50000 and above. But such receipt-papers if introduced should be conveniently available at all post-offices and bank-branches (private and public-sector) apart from other convenient centres by having a sale-commission.

Union government should also abolish Notary Public and Oath Commissioners who just authenticate documents for a fees without actually identifying authenticity of persons having signed the documents. Instead medical practitioners, lawyers, chartered-accountants etc apart from gazetted officers can be empowered to attest documents. Colonial practice of having special legal-size paper for use in courts should also be abolished by replacing these with normal A-4 size papers because most photo-copiers used at homes and offices are equipped to copy papers of A-4 size or less. If necessary, court-papers can be in distinct colours like for example green papers are used at Madras High Court.