"9. I further say and submit that the petitioner
has mixed up two independent issues. One of the
said issues is the usage and printing of special
adhesive stamps of the denomination of Rs.500/-,
Rs.1000/- and Rs.5000/- and the other issue is in
respect of the introduction of the system of
franking by the postal department and/or financial
institutions and banks. As stated hereinabove,
the special adhesive stamps are capable of
mis-utilization and forgery, as the same don’t
bear any distinctive number or identification
marks, etc. The special adhesive stamps, which
are in stock, have only face value that is printed
on the same. they have no intrinsic value, and as
such, it cannot be said that the stock are worth
Rs.108 crores, as alleged by the petitioner. It
is only the authority of the State which lends
value to the piece of paper which may be called as
a ‘stamp’. Without such authority, the paper is
useless and does not have any value worth
mentioning. The reference to the Ready Reckoner
that is the statement of annual rates of
properties prepared as per the Bombay Stamp
(Determination of True Market Value of Properties)
Rules, 1995 is totally irrelevant in the facts of
