Understanding Franking of Documents: Stamp Duty Process Explained

Hi,

I would like to know, what is franking? Why do documents need to be franking? Can only banks perform franking, or are other firms also given the authority?

Thanks & Regards,
Mayura Sawant

Dear Mayura,

Franking involves stamping. The Oxford meaning of Franking is to stamp a mark to indicate that the amount has been paid.

I am trying to understand from your query, if I am not wrong you want to know the difference between Franking and Printed Stamp Papers. If it is true, NJS (Non-Judicial Stamp) Paper can be purchased from the Stamp Vendor, and later on, you can type on it. Because of the Telgi effect, the government brought some changes. You first prepare a document on paper and before signing parties on it, take it to the nominated branch of a bank, pay the stamp duty there, and then the bank will put a stamp on your document indicating the value of the stamp duty. That is called franking.

FRANKING: This is one of the several methods of indicating the payment of stamp duty. Franking machines are installed in some Sub-Registrar offices in the State. These machines frank up to a denomination of 999 rupees. An application indicating the amount of duty to be franked is made to the proper officer authorized under the rules along with the unexecuted typed or printed documents. The necessary amount is paid in cash to the proper officer, and the required denomination is franked on the document and returned to the applicant.

This is known as franking of documents.

Hello Mayura Sawant,

To add to what Giridhar SK mentioned, you must have seen postal envelopes with the stamp denominations not in actual stamps but sort of stamped in red or black, which includes the postal amount. No separate stamps are needed to be affixed for such envelopes. This method is called franking. This is usually adopted for bulk postings, like magazines, letters from companies to shareholders, etc.

Franking is done by any authorized government body. Sometimes private companies are also allowed to do it, subject to strict control by the respective government department, since they have to pay the equivalent cash for the total amount franked. The franking machine has a counter to show how much worth of money has been franked.

Hope this clarifies your query.

Regards,
TS.