Manipur faces acute shortage of Rs 50, Rs 100 stamp papers; black market thrives

Imphal: Manipur is currently facing a critical shortage of non-judicial stamp papers, particularly in the denominations of Rs 50 and Rs 100, causing significant disruptions to legal, property, and administrative transactions.

This scarcity, which became acute in January 2026, has led to a black market where stamp papers are being sold at grossly inflated prices.

Non-judicial stamp papers worth Rs 50 and Rs 100 are reportedly available outside court premises from street vendors at inflated prices of Rs 500 and Rs 1,000, respectively.

Reports indicate that stamp vendors with ulterior motives are collusively creating this scarcity, causing delays in legal documentation and forcing people to pay 10 to 20 times the face value for essential papers.

Licensed vendors are allegedly hoarding stamps to sell on the black market, or they are simply not receiving a sufficient supply from the Treasury Office.

The shortage is affecting students needing stamps for scholarships, as well as individuals requiring them for affidavits, rent agreements, and property sales.

Meanwhile, reports state that the Manipur Bar Association (MBA) and Manipur Police have initiated crackdowns on unauthorized sales by black marketers.

While some reports attribute the shortage to a lack of supply from the Central Government Press, others suggest that the state's slow transition to e-stamping has created a gap in availability.