KATHMANDU: The Government of Nepal has abolished a decades-old practice of using postage stamps as revenue stamps to authenticate documents in public service delivery.
In a notice issued on Tuesday, the Ministry of Finance announced that the practice of affixing postage stamps to documents during service delivery has been eliminated. The decision was made at the Cabinet meeting on November 11, according to the ministry.
The move applies to all service delivery processes, except in cases where existing laws or regulations explicitly require the use of stamps. The ministry said it has already directed all subordinate bodies, departments, and offices to implement the decision.
“All concerned are hereby notified that the practice of affixing postage stamps in place of revenue stamps for the authentication of documents, except as expressly permitted by applicable law, has been abolished,” the notice stated.
Earlier, service seekers were required to affix postage stamps worth Rs 5 or Rs 10 when submitting applications or seeking recommendations at government offices. In many cases, citizens faced inconvenience due to the unavailability of stamps near these offices.
The ministry expects the decision to simplify procedures and improve the efficiency of public service delivery. However, it clarified that the change will not apply where a specific law clearly mandates the affixing of a stamp.
