Indian Post Office Rules, 1933

[30th March, 1933]

In exercise of the powers conferred by the Indian Post Office Act, 1898. And in supersession of the Indian Post Office rules, 1926 the Central Government is pleased to make the following rules, to have immediate effect:

PRELIMINARY

Rule - 1. Short title.

These rules may be called the Indian Post Office Rules, 1933.

Rule – 2. Definitions.

In these Rules ‘Act’ means the Indian Post Office Act, 1898.

Part I

RATES OF POSTAGE I-INLAND POSTAL ARTICLES

1.        The following rates of postage shall be chargeable on postal articles where the postage is prepaid.

Letters

For a weight no exceeding twenty grams Rs. 5/-

For every twenty grams or fraction thereof Rs. 5/-

Letters Cards

For a letter card Rs. 2.50/-

Postcards not being postcards containing printed communication

For a single postcard 50 paise

For a reply postcard Rs … 1/-

Postcards containing printed communication

For a postcard … Rs. 6.00

Competition Post Cards

For a competition post card … Rs. 10/-

Meghdoot Post card

For a meghdoot post card……… 25 paise

Vide GSR 612(E) dated 2nd September, 2002 Book, pattern and sample packets

For the first fifty grams or fraction thereof … Rs. 4/-

For every additional fifty grams or Fraction thereof in excess of fifty grams … Re. 3/-

Book packets containing printed books

(i)       For the first one hundred grams or fraction … Re 1/- thereof

 

(ii)      For every one hundred grams or fraction … Re 1/- thereof, in excess of one hundred grams

Book packets containing periodicals

Vide GSR 381(E) dated 24th May, 2002

Blind Literature Packets

“Blind Literature” packets shall be exempt from postage.

Registered Newspapers

(a)      In the case of a single copy of a registered newspaper

For a weight not exceeding fifty grams … 25 paise

For a weight exceeding fifty grams but … 50 paise not exceeding one hundred grams

For every additional one hundred grams or … 20 paise fraction thereof exceeding one hundred grams

(b)      In the case of more than one copy of the same issue of a registered newspaper being carried in the same packet.

For a weight not exceeding 100 grams … 50 paise

For every additional one hundred grams or fraction thereof, exceeding one hundred gms. … 20 paise

Provided that such a packet shall not be delivered at any addressee‘s residence but shall be given to a recognized agent at the post office.

Parcels

For a weight not exceeding five hundred grams … Rs. 19.00

For every five hundred grams or fraction thereof Exceeding 500 gms. … Rs. 16.00

1-A (a) Wherever the postage, tariff or charges are fixed for a postal article based on weight, the weight shall mean the gross weight or the volumetric weight, whichever is more.

(a)   The manner of working out the volumetric weight and conditions of its applicability shall be laid down, by order, by the Director General.”

Vide GSR 86(E) dated 9th February 2009

2.        (1) For letters, letter cards and post cards whether registered or unregistered posted for transmission by air at any post office in India, no additional air mail fee is Chargeable.

(2) On postal articles other than letters, letter cards, and post cards posted for transmission by air at any post office in India, an air mail fee of rupee 2/- for the first fifty grams or fraction thereof and Rs. 1/- for every additional fifty grams or fraction thereof, shall be chargeable in addition to the postage and other charges payable under the rules.

3.        The following rates shall be chargeable on the delivery of postal articles where the postage or air mail fee is not prepaid or is insufficiently prepaid.

4.        Business Reply Envelopes, Business Reply Letter Cards and Business Reply Cards shall be transmitted without prepayment of postage and shall be charged on delivery with a handling charge of rupee one per article of such Business Reply Envelopes, Business Reply Letter Cards and Business Reply Cards in addition to the postage specified for such article in rule 1.

Vide GSE 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

II. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

5.        (1) The following rates of postage shall be chargeable on the postal articles to be sent by surface where the postage is pre paid, namely.

 

(2) For the postal articles to be sent by Sur face Airlifted (SAL) mail the surcharge of rupees 4 for 20 grams or part thereof for all countries other than SAARC countries shall be charged in addition to normal surface mail rates.

Vide GSR 588(E) dated 11th August 2008

5-A (1) The following rate of postage shall be chargeable on the gross weight of bulk bag of printed matter when the postage is prepaid, namely.

Vide GSR 588(E) dated 11th August 2008

5-A (2) For the postal articles to be sent by Surface Airlifted (SAL) mail the surcharge of rupees 4 for 20 grams or part thereof for all countries other than SAARC countries shall be charged in additional to normal surface mail rates.

Vide GSR 588(E) dated 11th August 2008

6.        The rates of postage and air mail fees specified in the Schedule below shall be chargeable on postal articles posted at an Indian Office for transmission by air, or by air-cum-surface routes, to the countries and places mentioned in the schedule and to which such mode of transmission is available.

NOTE:- At least 75 percent of air mail fees shall be prepaid, otherwise this will be sent by surface route. The registration fee in the case of registered articles shall be in addition to the charges mentioned in the Schedule.

NOTE (2):

For airmail articles addressed to Asian Pacific Postal Union member countries except Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan and Nepal, international surface postage rates, applicable to Universal Postal Union member countries (and not surface postage rates of Asian Pacific Postal Union member countries) together with airmail surcharge namely Rs. 3.00 for every 20 grams or part thereof is to be levied. Rates for airmail postcards and aerogram will be the same for Asian Pacific Postal Union member countries (except Pakistan, Nepal, Bhutan and Bangladesh) as for others”.

For airmail articles addressed to Pakistan, the rates given in the following schedule shall apply.

 

Vide GSR 588(E) dated 11thAugust, 2008

6-A. A delivery fee of rupees five shall be chargeable from the addressee on the delivery of a small packet weighing more than 500 grams received by Foreign Post.

Vide GSR 860(E) dated 12th December 1994

7.        (1) The following rates shall be chargeable on the delivery of postal articles, other than parcels and insured boxes, received by the Foreign Post, when the postage or air mail fee is not prepaid or is insufficiently prepaid.

When the postage or air mail fee is not prepaid.… Double the prepaid rate

When the postage or air mail fee is insufficiently prepaid …… Double the deficiency

Provided that the postage or air mail fee actually charged shall in no case be less than 8 paise.

(2) For clearance through the Customs, a fee, recoverable from the addressee, at the rate of thirty rupees if released after levying customs duty for each foreign letter packet or insured box and at the rate of thirty rupees for each foreign parcel or bulk bag of printed matter which weights more than 500 grams, each imported by post into India on which Import customs duty is payable shall be levied.

Vide GSR 860(E) dated 12th December 1994

PART II

MAIN CONDITIONS OF TRAMSMISISON BY POST OF POSTAL

ARTICLES

I-INLAND POSTAL ARTICLES

LETTERS

8.        (1) Letters may be transmitted by post with or without prepayment of postage.

(2) Any unpaid letter which is posted open or insecurely closed shall be securely closed by the post office before being forwarded to its destination.

(3) Letters for transmission by post shall conform to the maximum and minimum dimensions specified below.

(a)     Maximum dimensions:-

In roll form

Single dimension 80 cms.

Sum of length & twice diameter 100 cms.

In other than roll form

Single dimension 60 cms.

Sum of length & breadth and depth combined 90 cms.

(b)      Minimum dimensions.

In roll form

Single dimension 10 cms.

Sum of length & twice diameter 17cms.

In other than roll form

140 mm × 90 mm with tolerance of +- 2mm.

(4) (a) Letter in other than roll form shall be in envelopes of the following sizes, unless its dimension are more than 353 × 250 mm, namely.

1.        140 × 90mm

 

2.        152 × 90mm

 

3.        220 × 110mm

 

4.        162 × 114mm

 

5.        176 × 125mm

 

6.        229 × 162mm

 

7.        324 × 229mm

 

8.        353 × 250mm

With tolerance of +-2 mm

(b) These dimensions are not binding on letter sent to or received from any other country;

(c) All envelopes must have flap at the top on the back of the longer side and not at the right or the left;

(d) Envelops should be made of paper of the following thickness:—

Minimum 0.08mm

Maximum 0.18mm

(e) Surface of the envelope should be level with uniform surface structure:

9.        Deleted.

10.    (1) No letter shall be transmitted by post if it exceeds 2 kilograms in weight.

(2) The Director General may prescribe that every letter having contents of a specified nature and posted at or addressed to such places as the Director General may notify, shall be accompanied by a declaration in such form as may be prescribed by the Director General.

LETTER CARDS

10-A. Letter cards may be transmitted by post provided that postage is prepaid in full and nothing is attached to or enclosed in them:

Provided that they conform to the following specifications:

(a)      The weight of the letter card shall not exceed five grams:

 

(b)      The dimensions of the letter card including its flaps when unfolded or folded shall be respectively as follows.

Unfolded

Maximum-30 centimeters by 21 centimeters.

Minimum-28.2 centimeters by 18.2 centimeters.

Flaps-Letter Card will have three flaps, one each on the left and right side not exceeding 1.5 centimeters by 10 centimeters and another on the top side not exceeding 1.5 centimeters by 21 centimeters. Flaps are not required if the Inland letter Card can be closed by any other effective process.

Folded

Maximum-21 centimeters by 10 centimeters

Minimum-15.2 centimeters by 9centimeters.

(c)      There shall be printed on the outside at the top left hand corner on the address side of every folded letter intended for inland transmission the words “Inland Letter Card” or

 

(d)      Inland Letter Card shall be made of paper of minimum 70 GSM.

Explanation (i): Letter Card” means a sheet of paper of the kind ordinarily used for letter writing suitably folded and gummed.

Explanation (ii):- Letter Cards of private manufacture suitably folded and closed on all sides through gumming or any other effective process may be conveyed by post, provided the dimensions and other conditions mentioned in this rule are compiled with.

Vide GSR 400(E) dated 26th May, 2008

10-B. (1) nothing shall be attached to or enclosed in a letter card.

(2) Should a letter card be posted infringing the conditions laid down in sub rule (1) of this rule or rule 10 A, it shall be taxed as a letter and double the deficiency at letter postage rate shall be recovered subject to a minimum of Re. 1/-.

10-C. Bill Mail Service.

(1)     The mail shall be received for posting at identified location (s) provided by India Post under bill mail service.

 

(2)     The bill mail service shall be delivered within a circumscribed area like one city or one district.

 

(3)     The posting of the bill mail shall not be less than 5000 pieces at a time.

 

(4)     The bill mail shall be received at the receiving office sorted pin code wise and bundled delivery office wise.

 

(5)     The following rates of postage shall be chargeable on the bill mail service.

For a weight not exceeding 50 grams Rs. 3.00

For every 50 grams or fraction thereof exceeding 50 grams Rs. 2.00

Explanation: For the purposes of this rule,

(a)      “bill mail service” means the communication in the nature of financial statement, bill, monthly account bill or other such item of similar nature posted by a service provider to a customer at least once in 90 days, but does not include a communication in the nature of letter mail or having the character of a personal communication or exclusively commercial publicity items,

 

(b)      “city” include twin cities or urban agglomerations.

Vide GSR 511(E) dated 27th July, 2007 10-D. Rakhi Mail Service:—

The following rates of postage shall be chargeable on the rakhi mail service:—

For a weight not exceeding 50 grams Rs. 5.00 For every 50 grams or fraction thereof exceeding 50 grams Rs. 3.00

Explanation:- For the purpose of this rule, the ‘rakhi mail service’ means any communication comprising closed envelop addressed to an individual containing at least one rakhi.

Vide GSR 466(E) dated 8th August, 2006

10-E National Bill Mail Service.

National Bill Mail Service.

(1)     (a) The mail shall be received for posting at identified location provided by Indian Post.

(b) The posting of national bill mail shall not be less than 10,000 pieces at a time for all destinations taken together.

(c) The national bill mail service shall be delivered beyond the circumscribed area delineated for bill mail service.

(d) The national bill mail shall be received at the receiving office sorted pin code wise and bundled delivery office wise.

(e) The following rates of postage shall be chargeable on the bill mail service:—

For a weight not exceeding 50 grams Rs. 5.00

For every 50 grams or faction thereof exceeding 50 grams Rs. 2.00

(2)     Director General may, by order, modify the conditions motioned in clauses (a), (b) and (d) of sub-rule (1) and explanation or add new conditions from time to time.

Explanation:- For the purpose of this rule, “National Bill Mail Service” means the communication of the same nature as prescribed for bill mail service, but addressed to be delivered beyond the circumscribed area delineated for bill mail service.

Vide GSR 775(E) dated 18th December, 2007

Post Cards

11.    (1) Single and reply cards of private manufacture may be transmitted by post as post cards:

Provided that.

(a)      The postage shall be prepaid in full:

 

(b)      Their dimensions shall be 14cm * 9cm and they shall have the legend,” Post card” written in Hindi or English or printed on the address side.

 

(c)      As regards substance, they shall be neither thinner nor more flexible than the inland post cards issued by the post office.

(2) A postcards shall be deemed to contain a printed communication, if any matter (except the name and address of, and other particulars relating to, the sender and the place and date of dispatch) is recorded by any process intended to make more than one copy or impression, like Bradma, addressograph, photocopying, printing, cyclostyling, rubber stamping, not bring typewriting on any part of the post card except the right hand half of the address side thereof and shall be charged as per the postage rate specified for printed post card in rule 1.

(3) A post card shall be deemed to be a competition post card if it is so embossed or marked and is used in response to competition organized on or through Television, radio, Newspaper or any other media and shall be charged as per the postage rate specified for competition Post cards in rule 1.

(4)- A. A post card shall be deemed to be a meghdoot post card if it is so marked and provides in the space on the left hand portion of the address, side, a space for single colour or multi colour printed advertisement and it shall be charged as per the rate of postage specified for meghdoot post card in rule 1 subject to the following conditions, namely.

(a)      that such advertisement shall bear pictorial depictions or messages or both;

 

(b)      that no advertisement shall be printed anywhere else except the space provided therefor on such post card;

 

(c)      that on the address portion of such post card the word “Meghdoot post card” shall be printed in Hindi and English;

 

(d)      that the obverse side of such post card shall be used for communication only;

 

(e)      that such post card shall be single post card;

 

(f)       that such post card shall conform to the dimensions and substance of post card specified in clauses(b) and (c) of sub-rule (1) respectively.

Vide GSR 612(E) dated 2nd September, 2002

12.    All reply post cards of private manufacture shall display the title “post card” on the address-side. Reply halves of reply-paid cards shall bear the words “post cards” and Reply”. Whatever is printed on the address-side of the inland or international official post cards issued by the Post Office is also permissible on the address-side of cards of private manufacture.

 

13.    (1) A post card shall not be folded, cut or otherwise altered except that the impressed postage stamp (if any) may be perforated with initials' nor may a post card be enclosed in cover of any kind.

(2) The right-hand of the address-side of a postcard is in all cases reserved for the address of the recipient, for the postage stamp or impression of stamping machine necessary for prepayment, which should, so far as possible, be affixed in the upper right-hand corner, and for the postal directions “Registered and “Acknowledgement due” but the left hand half of the address-side, as well as the back, may be used by the sender for the purpose of a written communication, or may be otherwise disposed of, subject to the restriction mentioned in clause (3) of this rule.

NOTE I. A small space marked off by lines or minute dots to indicate the place where the postage stamp should be affixed is allowed on the upper right- hand corner of the address-side of postcards.

(3) Nothing shall be attached to a post card except.

(a)      stamps in payment of postage or other postal fees or stamp duty;

 

(b)      a gummed label completely adherent to the card, and bearing the name and address of the person to whom the card is sent;

 

(c)      a similar label not exceeding 5 centimeters in length and 2 centimeters in width bearing the name and address of the sender of the card; and

 

(d)      engravings, illustration, drawings and photographs on very thin paper and completely adherent to the card.

 

(e)      Stamps in payment of stamp duty may be affixed only to the back of the post card. The articles specified in Clauses (c) and (d) may be affixed either to the back or the left hand half of the address side.

(4) The reply-halves of reply-paid cards cannot be registered by the original senders of such cards.

14.    Should any of the conditions imposed by items (b) and (c) of Rule 11 and Rules 12 and 13 be infringed, the postcard shall be treated as a letter and charged on delivery with double the deficiency between the postage already paid for such postcard and the postage payable for a letter subject to a minimum of one rupee.

Greeting Post

14-A (1) The Greeting Post shall be the greeting card with envelope having embossed stamp and bearing the same design in miniature as the greeting card.

(2) The Greeting cards shall be for festivals, for birthdays and for other general important occasions.

Vide GSR 71(E) dated 7th February, 2001

15.    Omitted.

Business Reply Envelopes and Cards

16.    (1) “Business Reply Cards”, “Business Reply Envelopes” and “Business Reply Letter Cards “shall, subject to the provisions of this rule, be transmitted by post without prepayment of postage, and postage thereon shall be collected in cash from the addressee on deliver.

(2) Persons desiring the privilege of sending out Business Reply Cards, Letter Cards and Envelopes for return to them shall make application to the Postmaster at the office to which the cards or envelopes are to be returned, who shall transmit the application to the Superintendent of Post Offices and await the receipt of a permit.

(3) The fee for the permit shall be recovered in advance from the applicant and shall be charged at the following rates, namely.

The permit shall remain in force up to the 31st March of the financial year during which it is issued but may be renewed during the month of March every year for a period of one year beginning on the 1st of April of that year on payment of a fee of Rs. 200 in respect of each renewal. The permit shall be cancelled if there is default in the payment of the postage due on such cards and envelopes;

(4) The minimum size of “Business Reply Envelopes” shall conform to the minimum, size prescribed for covers of letters. Business Reply Letter Cards shall conform in size, quality and other conditions to those prescribed for letter cards of private manufacture. The “Business Reply Cards” shall conform in size and quality with conditions prescribed for postcards of private manufacture. The address side of each such card shall be reserved fully for the particulars given in sub-rule (5) and the other side may be used by the sender for the purpose of written communication, or may be otherwise disposed of, provided that nothing shall be attached to any side of such card except.

(a)      in the case of address side, a Business Reply referred to in sub-rule (5); and

 

(b)      in the case of the other side.

(i)       a gummed label not exceeding 2 inches (5cms) in length and ¼ (2cms) in width, completely adherent to the card and bearing the name and address of the sender of the card; and

 

(ii)      engravings, illustrations, drawings and photographs on very thin paper and completely adherent to the card.

(5) Business Reply Cards, Letter Cards and Envelopes shall bear on the address side, either printed thereon or on a label affixed thereto (a) the printed name and address of the permit holder to whom the card or envelope is to be delivered, (b) the permit number, (c) the name of the post office issuing the permit, (d) two thick vertical lines in black or any other color near the right hand edge, (e) the words Business Reply Card”, Business Reply Envelope”, or “Business Reply Label” as the case may be, (f) the words “No postage stamp necessary, if posted in India”, and (g) the words “postage will be paid by addressee”.

Sufficient space should be left for post-marking at the top of the card or envelop. A permit holder may incorporate in any advertisement issued by him in a newspaper or other publication a special design containing the printed entries hereinbefore specified with a view to its being used as Business Reply Label and affixed to a card or envelope.

(5-A) A “Business Reply Cards shall not be folded, cut or otherwise altered.

(6) Business Reply Cards may be sent out as reply portions of double post cards or may be enclosed with other matter, but Business Reply Envelopes and Business reply Letter cards shall be enclosed with other matter.

(7) When Business Reply Cards, Letter Cards or Envelopes are returned to the office of origin, they shall be delivered to the person for whom they are intended on payment of the postage chargeable thereon plus handling charge as specified in rule 4.

16-A should any of the conditions imposed by rule 16 be infringed, the Business Reply Card, Letter Card or Envelope shall be treated as an unpaid letter and charged on delivery with double the deficiency between the postage already paid for such card or envelope and the postage payable for a letter subject to a minimum of one rupee.

Book Packets

17.    A book packet may contain.

(1)     Newspapers, publications of all kinds, printed music books, paper, parchment and cardboard, either blank or printed, not bearing any writing except as follows.

(a)      in the case of books and complimentary (such as, Christmas, New Year, Birthday, ID and Bijova cards), the name of the person to whom sent or presented, the name and address of the sender or owner, date, and not more than five words or initials of a complimentary nature or signifying presentation:

 

(b)      in the case of invoices, bills of lading and receipts (for goods or money) on printed forms, the necessary manuscripts entries.

 

(c)      in the case of invoices, bills of lading and receipts (for printed notices and printed letters) and printed invitations, the date and hour of the occasions to which they related, the name and address of the addressee, the name of the sender and, in the case of notices of a meeting, the object of the meeting;

 

(d)      in the case of printed market reports, quotations for goods and price lists, necessary entries relating to particular of prices,

 

(e)      in the case of printed notices for payment of premia posted by Insurance companies, dates name and address of the insurant, “name of the insurance agent, name of the branch office of the company at which the premium is payable, the sum assured under the policy”, number of policy, amount and reference, number and letters; and,

 

(f)       Proof corrections in proof sheets and music sheets, and corrections of printing errors in other printed maters;

 

(g)      Omitted

 

(2)     pictures, plans, maps and drawings whether done by hand or any mechanical process, photographs and engraving, not bearing any writing except a signature, a date and description not exceeding five words;

 

(3)     business, commercial or legal documents drawn wholly or partly by hand, e.g., deeds, account, powers or attorney, proposals for insurance policies;

 

(4)     Manuscripts for press and manuscript music, not bearing any written endorsement other than a direction consisting of not more than ten words regarding the disposal or return of the manuscript, and the name and address of the sender;

 

(5)     licenses, statistical returns sent by or to officials by their designation only, and Revenue and Judicial processes sent by Courts to Presidents of Union Boards, President of Punchayats and Presidents of Chaukidari Unions and vice versa;

NOTE:-Court summons, notices and similar documents issued by a Criminal or Civil Court, whether sent from the court of issue or returned to its direct, or through the medium of another court, Government office, or railway administration as well as Police diaries cannot be sent at book packet rates.

(6)     Written letters of old date which have previously passed through the post and served their original purpose;

 

(7)     Documents wholly or partly produced in imitation of printing as well as documents reproduced from printed manuscript or typewritten originals by photocopying or any similar process;

Provided that.

(i)       At least 20 identical copies of such documents are presented for posting at the post office counter;

 

(ii)      If such documents are posted in letter boxes, they will be treated as letters;

 

(8)     Pupils exercises, in original or with corrections, but without any note which does not relate directly to the execution of the work.

 

(9)     Horoscopes in manuscript not bearing any written endorsement.

 

(10)   Petitions under the Rules and Conduct of Business in Lok Sabha or under the Rules of Procedures and conduct of Business in the Council of States for presentation or report to the House of the People (Lok Sabha) or the Council States (Rajya Sabha), as the case may be provided that the cover or wrapper thereof bears a declaration that the petitions are submitted under such rules.

“Explanation. For the purpose of this rule,

(i)       “Printing “means any species or printing easy to recognize or any mechanical process ordinarily used to produce a number of identical copies but does not include typewriting, carbon copies produced by any process, computer printing, photocopying or any similar process;

(ii)      “Writing” includes.-Typewriting and any mechanical or other process ordinarily used to produce singly document or a small number of documents;

 

(iii)     “Imitation of printing” includes computer printing of all kinds, photocopying and any similar process.

Vide GSR 7 E dated 3.01.2002

Conditions for charging special rates for book packets containing printed books

17-A. (1) The special rates mentioned in Rule 1 in respect of a book packet containing printed books shall be applicable only if the following conditions are satisfied.

(a)      Such books packet shall not contain any publication, published at regular intervals;

 

(b)      Such book packet shall bear on the outside the inscription “Printed books”;

 

(c)      Each book in such book packet shall consist wholly or substantially of reading matter, paintings, photographs, diagrams or any other similar matter, with or without blank spaces, for notations by students;

 

(d)      Each book in such book packet shall consist of printed matter but shall not contain any advertisements other than incidental announcements or list of books;

 

(e)      Each book in such book packet shall contain the name of the printer or publisher;

 

(f)       No book in such book packet shall bear any character or inscription reproduced by any means other than printing;

Provided that any such book may contain in writing the name of the person to whom it is sent or presented, the date, the name and address of the sender or owner, and not more than five words or initials of a complimentary nature or signifying presentation.

Explanation.—The expression printing means anything capable of being recognized as printing or any mechanical process ordinarily used to produce a number of identical copies including the book or books on compact disk or floppy with or without printed book or books but does not include type writing, carbon copies processed by any mechanical process, Computer printing, photocopying or any similar process.

Vide GSR 292(E) dated 13th May, 2005

(g)      No book in such book packet shall contain any price list or bills or orders for supply of the books.

Provided that the book packet may contain an invoice or a bill or both pertaining to books being sent in that packet.

(h)     No book or books on compact disk or floppy with or without any printed book or books in such book packets shall be accepted for transmission by post unless they are presented in the Post Office designated by the Head of the Circe for this purpose and such packets presented for posting are not less than one thousand at a time.

Vide GSR 292(E) dated 13th May, 2005

(2) The provisions of Rules 18 to 23 (both inclusive) shall, so far as may, apply in relation to book packets to which this rule applies as they apply in relation to book packets to which Rule 17 applies,

Conditions for charging special rates for book packets containing periodical

17-B.(1) The special rates of postage mentioned in Rule 1 in respect of a book packet containing periodicals shall be applicable only if the following conditions are satisfied.

(a)      That it is registered with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under the Press and Registration of Books Act, 1867 (25 of 1867).

 

(b)      That the periodical bears in print in any convenient place either on the first or last page thereof, the superscription “Registration with the Registrar of Newspapers for India under No……………”

(2) The provision of Rules 18 to 23 (both inclusive) shall, so far as may, apply in relation to book packets containing periodicals as they apply in relation to book packets to which Rule 17 applies.

18.    With any of the articles mentioned in rule 17 may be sent anything that is necessary for their safe transmission through the post, such as rollers, etc., and any legitimate binding, mounting, or covering, loose or attached, and anything that ordinarily appertains to such articles, as pens and pencils in the case of a pocket book, photographs in the case of a photograph book, and card places in the case of visiting cards.

Prohibitions

19.    (a) No communication of the nature of a letter or having the character of a personal communication shall be enclosed in or written upon a book packet except to the extent specified in rule 17.

(b) No card bearing the heading “Post card” shall be transmitted open as a book packet.

(c) A book packet shall not contain “paper money” which for the purposes of this rule includes unobliterated postage or other stamps, currency notes, hundies, cheques, bank notes, bank post bills, bills of exchange, and all orders or authorities for the payment of money; provided that a book packet may contain one stamped and addressed envelope, post card or wrapper bearing the name and address of the sender of the packet, or some other person named thereon.

20.    (1) The dimensions of a book packet shall be subject to the following maximum and minimum limits.

(2) Book packets when sent open in card form, whether folded or not shall be neither thinner nor more flexible than inland postcard.

(3) Packet in envelope shall conform to the following sizes, unless its dimensions are more than 353mm × 250 mm, namely.

1.        140 × 90mm

 

2.        152 × 90mm

 

3.        220 × 110 mm

 

4.        162 × 114mm

 

5.        176 × 125 mm

 

6.        229 × 162 mm

 

7.        324 × 229 mm

 

8.        353 × 250 mm

With tolerance of +- 2 mm.

Vide GSR 616 dated 16/09/1993

21.    (1) A book packet may not exceed 5 kilograms in weight, but the Director General may, in special circumstances, prescribe a lower limit of weight for book packets for and from any particular post office or offices.

(2) The Director General may also prescribe that every book packet having contents of a specified nature and posted at or addressed to such places as the Director General may notify shall be accompanied by a declaration in such form as may be prescribed by the Director General.

22.    A book packet shall be posted without a cover, or in an unfastened envelope, or in a cover which can be easily removed for the purpose of examination without breaking any seal or tearing any paper or separating any adhering surfaces. A packet posted without a cover may not be fastened or otherwise treated so as to prevent easy examination.

 

23.    (1) If a book packet to which Sub-rule (2) does not apply is found to contain any thing not permitted by the rules or to be packed in a manner not in accordance with the rules, it shall be treated as a letter or a parcel and shall be charged on delivery with double the deficiency between the postage already paid and the postage payable for a letter or parcel. Whichever may be less provided that the conditions subject to which such postage can be charged are fulfilled. Any postage paid on it shall be taken into account in assessing the charges but the amount charged under this sub-rule shall in no case be less than one rupee. If the postage paid is equal to or more than charges calculated, no additional amount will be charged but no refund will be made.

(2) If a book packet is found to be in excess of either the prescribed size or the prescribed weight, it shall be returned to the sender. Any postage paid on it shall not be refunded.

Pattern and Sample packets

24.    (1) A pattern or sample packet may contain bona fide trade patterns or samples of merchandise not having any saleable value, together with, or without, any matter which may be sent as a book packet;

Provided that small amounts of prasad or similar materials greetings or blessings, or messages of similar nature, may also be sent in pattern or sample packets if they have no intrinsic monetary value, and the total weight of such packet does not exceed 10 grams:

Provided further that there shall be no writing upon or in a pattern or sample packet, except the name and address of the sender, the name and address of the person for whom it is intended, a trade mark, numbers, prices and indications as to the weight, size or quantity to be disposed of.

(2) Objects of natural history, dried or preserved animals and plants, geological specimens and other similar objects shall also be admitted to transmission by post at the rates of postage for pattern and sample packets provided that they are not sent for a commercial purpose, and that they are packed in the manner prescribed for pattern and sample packets generally.

25.    (1) The dimensions of a pattern or sample packet shall conform to the following maximum and minimum limits.

(a)      Maximum:-In roll form-Length 80 centimeters Sum of length& twice diameter 100 centimeters In other than roll form 60 × 30 × 30 centimeters.

(b)      Minimum

In roll form-single dimension 10 centimeters

Sum of length & twice diameter 17 centimeters

In other than roll form 10 × 7 centimeters

(2) The weight of pattern or sample packet shall not exceed 2 kilograms:

Provided that the Director General may, in special circumstances, fix a lower limit of weight for pattern and sample packets, for and from any particular post office or offices.

26.    (1) A pattern or sample packet shall be posted without a cover, or with a cover at both ends, or in an unfastened envelope or other cover which can be easily removed so as to admit of a ready examination of the contents.

(2) Samples of seeds, drugs and other articles which cannot be sent in unfastened or removable envelopes may sent enclosed in boxes or bags, provided that they are fastened in such a way that they can be easily opened, they may also be sent in airtight cases, when necessary, provided that the nature of the contents is certified on the cover under the full signature and address of the sender.

(3) Articles of glass or other fragile material shall be securely packed (in boxes of metal, wood, or strong corrugated cardboard) in such a way as to prevent all risk of injury to the mails or to the officers of the Post Office.

(4) Liquids, oils and substances which easily liquefy shall e enclosed in receptacles hermetically sealed. Each receptacle shall be placed in a special box of metal or of strong wood or of strong corrugated cardboard containing saw-dust, cotton, or spongy material in sufficient quantity to absorb the liquid in case the receptacle be broken. The lid of the box shall be fastened down in such a manner that it will not easily be detached.

(5) Fatty substances which are not easily liquefied such as ointments, soft soaps, resin, etc, shall be enclosed in an inner cover (box, bag of linen or parchment, etc), which shall itself be placed in a second box of wood, metal or strong and thick leather.

(6) Dry powders, whether dyes or not, shall be placed in cardboard boxes, which themselves shall be enclosed in a bag of linen or parchment.

(7) Live bees shall be enclosed in boxes so constructed as to prevent all danger and to allow the contents to be ascertained.

27.    (1) If a pattern or sample packet is found to contain any thing not permitted by the rules, or to be in excess of the prescribed size or weight, or to be packed in a manner not in accordance with the rules, it shall be treated as a letter or parcel and charged on delivery with double the deficiency between the postage already paid for the pattern or sample packet and the postage payable for a letter or parcel, whichever is less, subject to a minimum of one rupee.

(2) If a packet containing samples of any of the articles mentioned in clauses (3) to (7) of rule 26 is not packed in the manner prescribed therein, it shall not be forwarded.

“Blind Literature” Packets

28.    Papers of any kind, periodicals, and books impressed in “Braille” or other special type for the use of the blind, shall be transmitted by post as “blind literature” packets, provided that they are posted in accordance with the following conditions.

(a)      The packet shall consist only of articles specially impressed as described above for the use of the blind, and shall not contain any communication either in writing or printed in ordinary type, except the title and table of contents of the book or periodicals, and any key to, or instructions, for the use of the special type, or any enclosure except a label for the return of the packet.

 

(b)      The packet shall bear on the outside the inscription “Literature for the Blind”, and written or printed name and address of the sender.

 

(c)      The packet shall be posted either without a cover, or in a cover open at both ends, which can easily be removed for the purpose of examination.

 

(d)      The dimensions of the packet shall conform to the following maximum and minimum limits.

(e)      The weight of a “blind literature” packet shall not exceed 7 kilograms:

Provided that the Director General may prescribe a lower limit in respect of “Blind Literature” packets for and from a particular post office or offices.

Explanation:- Plates bearing the characters of writing sound records for the use of the blind and discs, films, tapes and wires on which spoken messages for the blind have been recorded when sent by, or addressed to, an officially recognized institution for the blind shall be treated as “Blind Literature.

29.    Should any of the conditions imposed by rule 28 be infringed, the blind literature packet will be treated as a letter, book packet or a parcel according to whichever entails lower charge (subject to the conditions prescribed for such class of articles being satisfied) and on delivery will be charged with double the difference between the postage paid and postage payable subject to a minimum of Re. 1/-. If however the postage paid is more than the postage then no amount will be payable but no refund will be made.

Registered Newspapers

30.    (1) Newspapers as defined in section 9 of the Act shall be transmitted by post as registered newspapers, provided that they comply with the following conditions.

(a)      The newspaper shall have been registered in the office of the Postmaster General or officer exercising the powers of the Postmaster General of the postal circle in which it is published, and the period for which its registration or the last renewal thereof as the case may be remains in force shall not have expired.

 

(b)      The full postage shall be prepaid unless the newspaper is exempted from prepayment of postage by a valid license.

 

(c)      The newspaper shall bear in print in any convenient place either on the first or last page the word “Registered “followed by the registration number which has been assigned to it by the Postmaster General or other officer referred to in condition (a).

 

(d)      The newspaper shall be posted at the place of publication or as the case may be at the place permitted under this sub-rule, by its proprietor manager or publisher on such days of the week or on such dates of the month which may have been specified by him in this behalf at the time of applying for registration or at any time subsequent thereto;

Provided that a clear notice of three days shall be given to the Postmaster of the place in case any change is desired in the dates or days of posting so specified;

Provided further that the requirement as to three day's notice may be waived by the Postmaster General if he is satisfied that the proprietor manager or publisher or agent could not adhere to it for reasons beyond his control:

Provided also that the number of days or dates on which an issue can be posted shall not be altered except with the prior authority of the Postmaster General.

In cases where the proprietor, manager or publisher cannot adhere to the provision of three days notice due to reasons beyond his control, the Postmaster General, may in relaxation of the said provision permit the posting of the newspaper at any time subsequent to the prescribed date provided the application for late posting is received by him before the prescribed date of posting. The interval between the dates of publication of the issue sought to be posted late and the previous one shall not in any case exceed 31 days.

Provided that in no case shall any issue be posted on more than one day or date with the exception of a weekly, fortnightly or monthly newspaper, which may be posted on two consecutive days falling within the same week from Monday to Sunday and in case the second consecutive day is a Sunday or a gazetted holiday, on the succeeding day; provided further that the facility of posting registered newspapers on Sunday shall be available in such offices only as remain open on Sunday.

(e)      Every copy or bundle of copies of the newspaper shall be posted without a wrapper or with a wrapper open at both one which can be easily removed for an inspection at the newspaper or in an unfastened envelope, provided that whatever means are employed to secure copies of the newspapers while in course of transmission by post, the registration marks referred to in clause (c) must be clearly visible without removing the wrapper or envelope.

 

(f)       There shall be no word printed in the newspaper after its publication or upon the cover ( if any) thereof, nor shall any writing or mark be made upon it or upon the cover ( if any) thereof, except the name and address of the person to whom it is sent, and, in the case of packets containing more than one copy of the newspaper the number of copies of the newspaper enclosed and if desired the subscribers number and the name and address of the newspaper or of the sender and a reference to any place in the newspaper to which the attention of the addresses is directed by means stamp or seal impression containing the words “marked copy” and, in the case of press packets addressed to railway book stalls or recognized agents on the line the direction ‘To be delivered direct from the mail van’.

 

(g)      There shall be no paper or thing enclosed in or with any such newspaper other than an extra or supplement as specified in section 9 of the Act.

NOTE: Any newspaper in which document of any of the following descriptions is enclosed as a supplement shall be treated as a book packet.

(i)       an advertisement sheet printed for an advertiser and sent to the publisher of newspaper for distribution with it,

 

(ii)      an advertisement sheet with an order form attached, a prospectus with an application form attached or a proposal or enquiry form.

 

(iii)     any document drawn up in the form of a direct personal communication to the recipient such as a printed circular in the form of a letter purporting to be addressed to a person by whom the newspaper in which it is enclosed is received.

 

(h)     The registration number or, as the case may be, registration numbers shall not be printed on the wrapper.

(i)       The date of the publication of the newspaper shall be printed on its first or last page

Vide GSR 152 dated 23.03.1994

(2). An application for the first registration of a newspaper for the purposes of clause (a) of sub-rule (1) in a Postal Circle referred to therein shall, save in the case of a newspaper printed or published under the orders of any government in India or for official purposes be made in the form prescribed for the purpose by the Director General, and be accompanied by two copies of the latest issue of the newspaper sought to be registered a list showing the names and addresses of at least fifty bona fide subscribers who have paid their subscriptions, and;

(i)       by a certificate from the District presidency or sub-Divisional Magistrate within whose local jurisdiction the newspaper is printed or published or the printer or the publisher resides that.

(a)      the declaration or declarations required by section 5 of the Press and Registration of book act, 1867 ( 25 of 1867), has or have been made, or,

(b)      no such declaration is required under the said Act as the publication is not a newspaper according to the definition given in that Act.

(ii)      Omitted.

(3) A (a) first registration shall be remain in force till 31st December of the third calendar year following that in which it was effected. Every subsequent renewal of registration shall remain in force for three calendar years.

(b) Application for renewal of registration shall be made so as to reach the officer concerned at least three months before the date of expiry of the previous registration and shall be accompanied by two copies of the latest issue of the publication of the newspaper.

(c) A late fee of fifty rupees shall be charged for each application for renewal received later than the last working day of the third calendar month preceding the last month of the period of previous registration.

(d) Renewal under this sub rule, in all cases shall be granted only when the Postmaster General or other officer referred to in sub rule (1) is satisfied that the provisions of Sub section (2) of Section 9 of the Act are fulfilled and where the previous registration expires before registration is renewed the publication shall be prepaid at book packet pending issue of the renewal.

(e) Where the application for renewal under this Sub section, is received after the date of expiry of the previous registration, a late fee of one hundred rupees shall be charged with such application.

Vide GSR 637 dated 11th September 2002

(4) Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to prevent newspapers from being transmitted by post, either singly or.

otherwise, at the rates and under the conditions prescribed for book packets, or for book packets containing periodicals and if a newspaper sought to be transmitted by post as a registered newspaper fails to comply with any of the conditions specified in sub rule (1), it shall be transmitted by post at the said rates and under the said conditions.

(5) The Postmaster General or officer exercising the powers of the Postmaster General of the Postal Circle in which the newspaper is published or, as the case may be, posted or sought to be posted may cancel or refuse the registration of a newspaper (1) when he is satisfied that the provisions of sub section (2) of section 9 of the Act do not continue to be fulfilled: or

as soon as the certificate or the recommendation mentioned in item (i) of sub rule (2) respectively is formally cancelled or withdrawn by the authorities concerned.

30-A.Packets of registered newspapers containing more than one copy of the same issue may be transmitted by post at the special rate of postage prescribed for such packets provided the following conditions in addition to those prescribed in rule 30 are complied with.

(a)      Each packet shall contain only copies of the same registered newspaper and of the same date.

(b)      The packets shall be posted in the same post office and on the same day as in the case of single copies of the same registered newspaper.

 

(c)      The packets shall be addressed to the local agents any are place of destination whose name and address shall be communicated to the office of posting by the proprietor, manager or publisher of the registered newspaper.

 

(d)      The packets shall not be delivered at the addressees, residence but shall be handed over at the window of the office of destination to the local agent or any person authorized in this behalf by the local agent.

The sender shall indicate the following on the packet: “To be delivered at window”

31.    (1) A parcel may contain a single written communication the nature of a letter or having the character of a per communication, addressed to the addressee of the.

(2) Save as provided in sub rule (1) no written communication shall be enclosed in a parcel.

(3) If a parcel is suspected to contain any written communication other than the one permitted by sub rule (1), shall be forwarded to its destination marked ‘for open delivery’. If on being opened in the office of delivery in the presence of the addressee or his authorized agent, it is found to contain any written communication other than the one permitted under sub-rule (1), each such written communication shall be charged on delivery with double the letter postage. Any postage paid on the parcel shall not be taken into account in assessing this charge. If the addressee fails to attend as required or refused to pay the charge in full, the parcel shall be returned to the sender from whom the charge shall not be recovered.

32.    Deleted.

33.    (1) The weight of an unregistered parcel shall not exceed 4 kilograms; and the weight of a registered parcel shall not exceed.

(a)      10 kilograms if it is posted at or addressed to a branch post office and (b) 20 kilograms in all other cases.

(2) The length of a parcel shall not exceed one metre and the length and girth combined shall not exceed 1.80 metres.

(3) The minimum dimensions of a parcel shall be as follows.

(a)      In roll form-single dimension 10 centimetres sum of length & twice diameter 17 centimetres

 

(b)      In other than roll form 10 × 7 centimetres

(4) No parcel shall be such that, by reason of the shape, manner of packing or any other feature, it cannot be carried by post without serious inconvenience or risk.

33-A. The Director General may authorize the Head of Postal Circle to specify, from time to time, the designated office where the postal article called as “Express Parcel Post” may be booked at subject to the following conditions, namely.

(a)      the minimum tariff rate for booking Express Parcel Post shall be for 3 kgs. And the maximum weight for which Express Parcel Post may be booked, shall be 35 kgs.;

 

(b)      The Express Parcel shall not exceed 1.50 metres of any one dimension and 3 metres for length and girth together;

 

(c)      The tariff to be charged for Express Parcel Post shall be as mentioned below.

 

Vide GSR 238(E) dated 28.3.2008

(d)      No compulsory registration and insurance shall be necessary for Express Parcel Post irrespective of weight or value thereof,

 

(e)      In addition to the rates mentioned in condition (c), a value-payable Express parcel Post may be booked on payment of an additional fee calculated according to the schedule given in sub-rule (2) of rule 96 and the maximum limit of value for which such value payable Express parcel Post may be booked shall be Rs. 50,000/-,

 

(f)       All Express Parcel Post shall be delivered in accordance with the terms and conditions as may be specified by the Director General, in this behalf, and in case of loss of the Express parcel Post or contents thereof, the compensation payable shall be restricted to Rs. 500/- or the actual value of the parcel or the contents lost, whichever is less.

Vide GSR 670(E) dated 14th October, 2004

(g)      The Express Parcel Post Service shall be available to customers who sign Business Parcel agreement with Department of Post;

 

(h)     Customers who have not signed the Business Parcel Agreement, shall book Express Parcel Post under Express Parcel Post Retail Service; (i) the tariff to be charged for Express Parcel Post Retail Service shall be as mentioned.

 

Vide GSR 282(E) dated 23rd April, 2009

33-B The Director General may authorize the Heads of Postal Circles to designate from time to time, the designated office where article called as “Overnight Parcel” may be booked, subject to the following conditions namely.

(a)      The maximum weight of the Overnight Parcel shall be 10kgs;

 

(b)      The tariff to be charged for the Overnight Parcel shall be as under, namely.

 

(c)      Additional charge for door delivery shall be fifty rupees for each Overnight Parcel;

 

(d)      The size of an ‘Overnight Parcel’ shall not exceed 1.50 meters for anyone dimension or 3 meters for the sum of the length and the greatest circumference measured in a direction other than the length;

 

(e)      The Director General may provide for insurance to the Overnight parcel service, if consider necessary.“

Vide GSR 789 dated 28th October 2009

33. C The Department of Posts will provide ‘Flat Rate Parcel Service’ under the brand ‘Parcel Post’ providing time bound delivery of parcels subject to the following conditions, namely.

(a)      Flat Rate Parcel will be booked in Flat Rate Parcel Boxes provided by the Department of Posts;

 

(b)      Flat Rate Parcels will be booked in identified Post Offices only but will be delivered through all Post Offices;

 

(c)      Flat Rate Parcel Boxes will be available in three different weight categories of 1.0kg, 2.5k.g., and 5.0 kg.,

 

(d)      The tariff to be charged for the Flat Rate Parcel (Domestic) shall be as under namely.

 

(e)      No compulsory registration and coverage of insurance shall be necessary for Flat Rate Parcel irrespective of weight or value thereof. Coin, bullion, platinum, precious stones, jewellary, currency notes and articles of gold or silver may be sent by Flat Rate Parcels only after coverage of insurance;

 

(f)       All Flat Rate Parcels shall be delivered in accordance with the terms and conditions as may be specified by the Director General, in this behalf, and in case of loss of the flat Rate Parcel or contents thereof, the compensation payable shall be restricted to Rs. 500 or the actual value of the Flat Rate Parcel or the contents lost whichever is less. Vide GSR 63(E) dated 3.2.2011

 

34.    The Director-General may, in special circumstances, prescribe a lower limit of weight than that specified in sub-rule (1) of rule 33 in respect of all or any classes or class of parcels for and from all or any post offices or post office.

 

35.    (1) A parcel shall be packed and enclosed in a reasonably strong case, wrapper, or cover, fastened in a manner calculated to preserve the contents from loss or damage in the post, to prevent any tampering therewith and to protect other postal articles from being damaged in any way thereby.

If a parcel contains cloth or woolen material, it must be packed in a strong wrapper with an outer covering of stout cardboard or cloth. Parcels containing articles of great value like gold, bullion, jewellery and the like must be packed in a metal container or a wooden or a stout card-board case according to the nature of the article.

(2) Liquids and substances which liquify easily shall be dispatched in a double receptacle. Between the first receptacle (bottle flask not box etc.) and the second (which shall be a box of metal or of strong wood) some space shall be soft to be filled with saw dust, bran, or some other absorbing material in sufficient quantity to absorb all the liquid contents in the event of breakage.

(3) Live bees shall be enclosed in suitable cases and so packed as to prevent all risks of injury to other postal articles in course of transmission by post or to officers of the Post Office.

(4) Any article presented at the window as a parcel shall have the inscription “Registered Parcel” or “Unregistered Parcel” on the address side of the article.

36.    Human and other viscera may be transmitted by post to chemical examiners for analysis subject to the following conditions.

(a)      The suspected viscous or other material to be sent for examination shall be enclosed in a glass bottle or jar, fitted with a stopper or sound cork.

 

(b)      Great care shall be taken that the stopper or cork of the bottle fits tightly. This precaution is especially necessary when alcohol is used as a preservative; in such cases a ring of bee's wax or candle-wax shall be placed round the lip of the bottle so as to cover the shoulder of the stopper. The stopper shall be carefully fastened down with bladder or leather and sealed.

 

(c)      The glass bottle or jar shall then be placed in a strong wooden or tin box, which shall be large enough to allow of a layer of cotton, at least 18 millimeters thick, being placed between the bottle or jar and the box.

 

(d)      The box itself shall be encased in cloth, which shall be securely closed and sealed. The seals shall be at intervals not exceeding 7-1/2 centimeters along each seam. All the seals shall be of the same kind of wax and shall bear distinct impressions of the same device. The device shall not be that of a current coin or merely a series of straight curved or crossed lines.

36-A. Brains of rabid animals may be transmitted by post to authorized laboratories when sent by persons holding veterinary or medical qualifications and on the conditions prescribed in rule 36 above.

37.    Cultures or other articles known or believed to contain the living germs of plague may be transmitted by the inland post subject to the following conditions.

(a)      Such cultures or other articles aforesaid shall not be accepted for transmission unless they are sent by a commissioned medical officer, a Military Assistant Surgeon or a Medical Practitioner in possession of a qualification not lower than that of L.M.S. of the University of Calcutta, the Punjab, Madras or Bombay, or by a person specially permitted by the Central Government or a State Government to send such cultures or other articles; not unless they are consigned to a Government Laboratory or to a person specially permitted by the Central Government. or a State Government, to send such cultures or other articles: not unless they are consigned to a Government Laboratory or to a person specially permitted by the Central Government or a State Government to receive such cultures or other articles.

 

(b)      The cultures or other articles aforesaid shall be securely packed in a hermetically closed tin or adequate strength which shall be placed in a strong outer box of wood or tin with a layer of at least 18 millimetres of raw cotton wool between the inner and outer case.

 

(c)      The outer case shall be enclosed in a stout cloth, which shall be securely fastened and sealed and labeled with such distinguishing inscription as will suffice to make immediately manifest the nature of the contents.

 

(d)      The sender shall present the parcel at the post office accompanied by a declaration as to the nature of its contents, and a certificate signed by himself to the effect that he has advised the addressee of its dispatch and that such addressee, if the parcel should not be addressed to a Government Laboratory, has been specially permitted by the Central Government, or a State Government, to receive such cultures or other articles. The certificate, moreover, shall show on its face that the sender is a person authorized within the meaning of clause (a) of this rule to send such cultures or other articles.

37-A. Bottles of anthrax spore vaccine may be transmitted by post by laboratories permitted by the Central or State Governments to dispatch or receive such articles and on the conditions prescribed in clauses (b), (c) and (d) to rule 37 above.

38.    Strong smelling articles (e.g. asafoetida) shall be enclosed in a hermetically sealed case of tin or other metal.

 

39.    Inflammable films, raw or manufactured celluloid shall be packed in a double receptacle. Such articles shall first be closed, in the case of films, in a hermetically sealed box of tin and, in the case of celluloid or articles made wholly or partly of celluloid, in a box of tin, cardboard or wood, the vacant space being completely filled to prevent any movement of the contents. This box shall then be wrapped completely all round with padding material in sufficient quantity and placed inside a wooden box, made of planks not less than 10 mm (3/8 of an inch) thickness, the sides of which shall be dovetailed, the base and the lid being solidly screwed to the sides, any intervening space being completely filled with additional packing material so as to hold the innerrecetable tightly in position to prevent any rattle. A while label bearing in heavy black characters the indication “Celluloid keep away from fire and light” shall be affixed to the address side of the parcel.

 

40.    Osmic acid (Osmium tetroxide) may be transmitted by the inland post subject to the following conditions.

(a)      The acid shall be securely packed in a hermetically sealed stout glass capsule which shall be embedded in the centre of a tin case filled with fine sand in such a manner as to leave a laver of sand not less than 4 centimeters between any part of the glass capsule and the inside of the tin case.

 

(b)      The outside of the tin case shall be labeled in red letters 6 millimeters high “OSMIC ACID-DANGEROUS TO HANDLE”.

 

(c)      The tin case shall be soldered down and placed in an outer box of wood or reasonable strength with a later of at least 25 millimeters of raw cotton wool between the inner tin case and the outer wooden box.

 

(d)      The outside of the wooden box shall also be labeled in red letter “OSMIC ACID”.

 

(e)      The quantity of the acid enclosed in a capsule shall not exceed two grams and not more than one capsule shall be enclosed in a parcel.

 

41.    The postage on a parcel shall be fully prepaid. Postage stamps shall be affixed to or impressions of stamps machines be taken on the cover of parcel or an official label which can be obtained free at the post office. In cases where postage stamps are used, the sender or his messenger shall affix the stamps himself.

 

42.    (1) Every parcel intended for transmission by post shall be presented at the window of the post office. Any article super scribed as “Parcel “with or without the words “Registered” or “Unregistered and found in a letter box will be treated as registered parcel and shall be charged under sub-rule (2) of rule 66, if it is fully prepaid for postage. If the postage has not been fully prepaid, double the deficiency in addition to the fee prescribed in sub-rule (2) of rule 66 will be levied, subject to a minimum of Re. 1/.

(2) If a parcel containing any of the articles mentioned in clauses (2) and (3) of rule 35 and in rules 36, 37, 37A, 38 & 40 is not packed in the manner prescribed therein, it shall not be forwarded.

(3) If any parcel in course of transmission through post is found to consist of anything the transmission of which is in contravention if the provisions of section of the Act, it shall be detained at the post office nearest to the place at which it is detected.

(4) If any portion of the contents of the parcel consists of anything the transmission of which is in contravention of the provisions aforesaid, the said portion shall be destroyed by the post office and the remaining portion may, at the request of the sender, be either repacked by the post office and forwarded to the sender of addressee, the necessary additional forwarding charges being collected for this purpose, or sold by the post office, and in the latter case, the proceeds realized on sale shall be remitted to the sender after deducting the expenses incurred in connection with the sale and the charges required for remitting the amount due to him.

(5) Nothing contained in sub-rule (4) shall affect the liability of the sender in respect of any contravention committed by him and punishable under section 61 of the Act.

43.    Every parcel posted at or addressed to such places as the Director-General may from time to time, notify in the Post and Telegraph Guide in this behalf, shall be accompanied by a declaration in such form as may be prescribed by the Director-General, containing a statement signed by the sender, as to the nature of its contents and their value.

“Logistic Post”

43-A (1) The Director General may authorize the Heads of Postal Circles to specify, from time to time, the designated office and designated pace where the articles called as “Logistic Post Articles” may be booked at or addressed to subject to the following conditions, namely.

(a)      there shall be no maximum weight limit of logistics post articles;

 

(b)      the minimum charges on Logistics Post Articles shall be the same as charged for a consignment of such Logistics Post Articles of weight of 50 Kgs;

 

(c)      A special receipt shall be given by the designated office to the person who presents such Logistics Post Articles for booking at the designated office;’

 

(d)      The weight-volume equivalence to determine the weight for the purpose of rate to be charged on the Logistics Post Articles shall be such as the Director General may, from time to time, specify in this behalf;

 

(e)      Logistic Post Articles shall be presented for booking in such a manner that they are safe for transmission, and secure against pilferage, tampering, manipulation, damage or leakage;

 

(f)       The charges on Logistics Post Articles shall be determined as specified by the Director General after taking into consideration, inter alia, service charge, loading, unloading, brokerage, transportation etc. and charges for any other service to be provided;

 

(g)      The charges for Logistics Post Articles shall be fully prepaid except where the competent authority designated by Director General Posts permit such payment after the service has been rendered.

(2) No Logistics Post Article shall be accepted for booking if the consignment of such article contains any contents which are prohibited under the Act/or these rules.

(3) If any Logistics Post Article, in the course of transmission by post is found to contain anything the transmission of which is in contravention of the provisions of the Act or these rules, the same shall be detained at any point of transmission at which it is detected, or at any post office nearest to place at which it is detected, and shall be further disposed of as the Director General, may from to time, by order, specify.

(4) Nothing contained in the sub rules (2) and (3) shall affect the liability of the sunder in respect of any of the acts committed by him, which is punishable under section 61 of the Act.

(5) Logistics Post Articles shall be booked, transported and delivered in such manner, and on such conditions, as the Director General may, from time to time, by order, specify.

Vide GSR 514(E) dated 10th August, 2004

Prohibited articles.

44.    (1) Gold coin or bullion or gold ornaments or articles of gold or both of value exceeding “one lakh rupees” shall not be transmitted by post. The value for the purposes of this sub-rule, the second proviso to rule 72, clause (g) of the second proviso to rule 81 and rule 83A shall be the market value on the date and at the place of posting.

Vide GSR 672 dated 25th August, 2000

(2) [Omitted.]

(3) A postal article containing;

(i)       any ticket, proposal or advertisement relating to a lottery organized or authorized by the Government, or

 

(ii)      any other matter descriptive of, or otherwise relating to such a lottery which is calculated to act as an inducement to persons to participate in that lottery, shall not be transmitted by post unless there appear on the outside of the postal article.

 

(a)      a declaration by the sender of the postal article that the lottery ticket, proposal, advertisement or other matter contained in it relates to a lottery organized or authorized by the Government, mentioning the particulars (number, date etc.) of the notification by the Government notifying the lottery or authorizing the lottery, and (b) the name and the address of the sender.

(4) Omitted.

(5) Omitted.

(6) All classes of articles of the letter mail of which the whole or a part of the address-side has been marked off into several divisions intended to receive successive addresses shall not be transmitted by post.

(7) Omitted.

45.    If a postal article in course of transmission by post is actually found to contain any of the articles, the transmission of which by post is prohibited by rule 44, it shall be returned to the sender.

 

46.    (1) No articles shall be transmitted by post which has thereon, or on the cover thereof, any matter which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or which is in furtherance of the aims of a political party or organization, or which tends directly to cause loss or injury, to any community or class of persons whatsoever.

(1-A) No article shall be transmitted by post which has thereon or on the cover thereof, any pictorial representation of a person who is a proclaimed offender, or who has been convicted of an offense punishable under Chapter VI of the Indian Penal code or the Defence of India Rules or who has been directed to be detained under the provisions of rule 26 of the said Rules.

(2) If any article in course of transmission by post is found to contravene the provisions of sub-rule (1), it shall be sent to the office of the Postmaster General, and shall there be dealt with in the manner provided in section 39 and rules 210 to 214, as if it were an undelivered postal article which cannot be disposed of under section 37 or section 38 of the Act.

46-A.(1) No article shall be transmitted by post which has anything written, printed or otherwise impressed upon or attached to its address-side, which, either on account of its being likely to be mistaken for stamps used for the payment of postage or by inconvenient proximity to any such stamp or by tending to prevent the easy and quick reading of the address or in other way, is in itself or in the manner in which it is written, printed, impressed or attached, likely, in the opinion of the Director General, to embarrass the officers of the Post Office in dealing with such article.

(1a) No article shall be transmitted by post which bears any stamp that was at any time, but is not now, in use for the payment of postage, or which has printed or otherwise impressed upon or attached to it, or any part of it, a facsimile, imitation, likeness, reproduction or representation of such stamp.

(2) If any article in the course of transmission by post is found to contravene the provisions of sub-rule (1) or (1a) it shall be returned to the sender.

46-B. (1) No article sent in envelopes which are wholly transparent shall be transmitted by post. Articles in envelopes with a transparent panel may, however, be transmitted by post provided they conform to the following conditions.

(a)      The transparent panel shall be parallel to the greatest dimension so that the address of the addressee appears on the same direction and the application of the date-stamp is not interfered with.

 

(b)      The address shall be clearly legible through the panel and no other communication shall be visible through the panel so as to affect the clarity of the address.

(2) If any article in the course of transmission is found to contravene the provisions of Sub-rule (1), it shall be returned to the sender.

46-C. (1) No article shall be transmitted by post in any envelope with an open (cutout) panel which does not conform to the following conditions, namely.

(a)      the open (cut-out) panel must not exceed 10cm. in length by 3.5 cm. in breadth;

 

(b)      the panel must extend parallel to the length to the envelope.

 

(c)      a minimum space of 1.5 cm. must be left above the panel for the postage stamp and the date-stamp and the date-stamp impression;

 

(d)      no writing or printing other than the address may be visible through the panel and the address must appear through the panel in such a manner as can be read easily;

 

(e)      the enclosure must be so folded that it cannot move about in the envelope and thus cause the address to be hidden;

 

(f)       a minimum space of at least 1.5 cm must be left between the sides and base of the cut-out panel and the respective edges of the envelope.

(2) If during the transmission by post an envelope with an open (cut-out) panel is found to be not in conformity with the provision of sub-rule (1), it shall be returned to the sender.

Redirection of postal articles.

47.    (1) Save as otherwise provided in rule 49 and 56-A a postal article redirected to any place served by the Inland post by an officer of the Post Office or by an agent of the addressee after its delivery shall be transmitted by post free of charge in respect of such further transmission.

Provided that

(a)      in the case of an unregistered article redirected by an agent of the addressee the article has not been opened and has been either returned to the postman or re-posted at the place of delivery; and

 

(b)      in the case of a registered article redirected by an agent of the addressee, the article has not been opened and has been returned to the postman at the place of delivery with the receipt unsigned.

(2) Where a postal article is redirected to any place under the first paragraph of this rule, the Postmaster at such place may, if authorized by a general or special order in this behalf issued by the Postmaster-General, require the addressee of the redirected article to give, a at the time of delivery, a receipt for such article.

48.    (1) A postal article re-posted after having been opened, or reposted at any place other than the place at which it was delivered, shall be treated as a postal articles posted for the first time, and charged with postage accordingly. A registered article of which delivery has been taken can be re-posted only under the condition prescribed for the posting of registered articles for the first time, except that subject to the provisions of rule 49, no fresh charge shall be made on account of postage if the article has not been opened.

(2) If an officer to whom a postal article has been delivered in pursuance of an order made under section 26 of the Act returns the article to the post office with a view to its transmission either to the original sender or to the original addressee, the article, shall, provided it is suitably packed and addressed, be transmitted to its destination by post free of further charge on account of postage.

49.    A parcel redirected to any place served by the Inland Post shall, save where the original address and the substitute address are within the delivery area of the same post office, or are within the same post town, or where the parcel has been returned by the surface route as unclaimed or refused for delivery to the sender within the delivery of the post office of issue or the same post town, be chargeable in respect of each redirection with further postage as follows.

(i)       If the parcel is redirected by the surface route, a sum equal to half the amount of postage chargeable for the transmission of that parcel by the surface route;

 

(ii)      If the parcel is redirected, or returned to the sender by air, a sum as under clause (i) and in addition the difference between the amount of postage chargeable for transmission by air, and the amount of postage chargeable for transmission by the surface route of that parcel.

Suspension or restriction of transmission of postal articles.

49-A The Postmaster General may at any time, in respect of any particular office or offices, suspend the acceptance or dispatch of all or any of the classes of postal articles or restrict the number or description or both of all or any of the classes of postal articles to be accepted or dispatched.

II-FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES.

50.    The Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the Post Office Guide the conditions in force for the transmission of postal articles by the Foreign Post;

Provided that the rules relating to inland registered newspapers shall be deemed to apply in the case of newspapers sent to any foreign county including Ceylon Nepal and Pakistan.

50-A. (1) If the addressee of a foreign parcel fails to take delivery of it within ten days following the date of its first presentation or the date of delivery to him or to his accredited agent of an intimation of its arrival, a warehousing charge at the rate of rupee one per day, commencing from the eleventh day, shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery;

Provided that in the case of a parcel bearing an alternative address, if the parcel cannot be delivered at the original address, the warehousing charge due from the first addressee shall also be collected from the second addressee at the time of delivery;

Provided also that the charge shall in no case exceed Rupees twenty four and fifty paise.

(2) If the addressee of a foreign parcel addressed “Poste Restante” fails to take delivery of it within ten days following the date of its arrival in the office of delivery, a warehousing charge at the rate shown in sub-rule (1) shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery;

Provided that the charge shall in no case exceed Rupees forty.

50-B.(1) If the addressee of (a) an inward foreign packet (or bag) or printed papers or (b) an inward foreign small packet or (c) an inward foreign insured letter or insured box, fails to take delivery of it within seven days following the date of its first presentation or the date of delivery to him or to his accredited agent of an intimation of its arrival, and if its weighs more than 500 grams, a warehousing charge at the rate of rupees five per day commencing from the eight day, shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery.

Vide GSR 310(E) dated 12/01/2010

(2) If the addressee of (a) an inward foreign packet (or bag) of printed papers or business papers, or (b) an inward foreign insured letter or insured box, addressed “Poste Restante” fails to take delivery of it within seven days following the date of its arrival in the office of delivery, and if it weighs more than 500 grams, a warehousing charge at the rate of 35 paise per day, commencing from the eighth day shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery,

50-C International Speed Post Services:-

(1)     Documents or, as the case may be, merchandise may be booked, after obtaining receipts therefor, under the International Speed Post Documents Service or the International Speed Post Merchandise Service, respectively.

 

(2)     (a) The documents may be booked at the places and post offices specified in column (1) of Schedule-I hereto annexed, for delivery under the International Speed Post Documents Service, in the countries specified in column (2) of that Schedule subject to the maximum limits of weight and size indicated in column (3) and (4) thereof.

(b) The charges for delivery of documents under the International Speed Post Documents Service in the countries mentioned in column (5) of Schedule I shall be as specified in columns (6) and (7) of the said Schedule.

(3)     (a) The merchandise may be booked at the places and post offices specified in column (1) of Schedule II hereto annexed, for delivery under the International Speed Post Merchandise Service, in the countries specified in column (2) of that Schedule subject to the maximum limits of weight and size indicated in columns (3) and (4) thereof.

(b) The charges for delivery of Merchandise under the International Speed Post Merchandise Service in the countries mentioned in column (5) of Schedule II shall be as specified in Columns (6) and (7) of the said Schedule.

Explanation: For the purpose of this rule.

(a)      “documents” means documents of any kind containing information or data in alphabetical, numerical or technical from which are not dutiable or saleable,

 

(b)      “Merchandise” includes any article or thing (other than documents) transmissible by post, the insurance of which is not compulsory,

 

(c)      “International Speed Post Documents Service” and “International Speed Post Merchandise” mean the service, which seek to deliver documents or, as the case may be, merchandise booked under this rule within stipulated time, specified in respect of each country from time to time, by a special messenger or conveyance.

Explanation:For the purposes of this rule.

(a)      “Postal articles” shall have the meaning assigned to it in clause (i) of section 2 of the Indian Post Office Act, 1898 (6 of 1898);

Vide GSR 672(E) dated 25th August 2000

(b)      “International Speed Post Service” means the service which seeks to deliver postal articles within stipulated time, specified in respect of each country from time to time, by special messenger or conveyance.

Vide S.O 436(E) dated 24th July, 1986

(4)     The weight of a postal article for the International Speed Post Service shall not exceed 35 kilogram;

Provided that the Director General may prescribe a higher limit of weight of a postal article for International speed Post service from India to any other country or from any other country to India.

(5)     The size of a postal article for International Speed Post Service shall not exceed 1.50 meters for any one dimension and 3 meters for the sum of the length and the greatest circumference measured in a direction other than the length.

 

(6)     The Director General may provide insurance to the International Speed Post Service to such countries as he may notify.

 

(7)     Gold coins, gold ornaments, bullion, precious stones, or jewellery shall be sent by insured International Speed Post Service and the value of such insurance shall not exceed one lakh rupees provided that:

The Director General may prescribe higher value of insurance in respect of any such article.

Vide GSR 672(E) dated 25th August, 2000

51.    Every parcel handed to the Post office for transmission by the foreign post shall be presented at the post office with a declaration, in such form as may be, from time to time, prescribed by the Director General, containing a statement signed by the sender as to the nature of its contents and their value. No such parcel shall be accepted if it is so small or so covered with writing or sealing wax, or otherwise made up in such a manner, as to render it impracticable to affix to some part of it the form of declaration prescribed by the Director General in addition to the official labels to be applied to the address-side of the parcel.

Explanation: This rule shall not apply to a parcel which has an address label tied to it, provided that the label is not so small or so covered with writing as to render it impracticable to affix to one side of the label of it the form of declaration prescribed by the Director General in addition to the official labels to be applied to the address-side.

52.    Deleted.

52-A. Unpaid or insufficiently prepaid correspondence, other than letters and single post cards, and reply post cards of which the two halves are not fully prepaid, shall not be forwarded but shall be returned to the sender. If any such article is not prepaid with postage applicable to an inland article of the same category, the sender shall be required to pay double the deficiency in the internal postage.

52-B(1) Letters intended for transmission by foreign post shall not contain any letter, note or document having the character of current and personal correspondence exchanged between persons other than the sender and the addressee of the article or persons living with them in the capacity of family members or bonafide guests.

(2) Letters posted in India which infringe the condition stated in sub-rule (1) shall not be forwarded to the destination but shall be returned to the sender, each such document being treated as an unpaid letter at inland rates.

(3) In the case of inward foreign articles which infringe the condition stated in sub rule (1), double the postage at international rates shall be charged on each individual document contained in the article and the amount will be realized from the addressee before delivery.

53.    Omitted.

Treatment of Postal articles from abroad bearing fictitious or previously used stamps

54.    Where a postal article has been received by post from any place beyond the limits of India, bearing a fictitious or previously used postage stamp and the addressee of such postal article has failed to attend, by himself or his agent, at the post office of delivery within the time specified in the notice sent to him in that behalf, or, having so attended, has refused to make known the name and addressee of the sender or to re-deliver the postal article or such portion thereof as may be required under section 27 of the Act, and, in consequence of such failure or refusal, the postal article has not been delivered to the addressee or his agent, the postal article shall be disposed of in the following manner.

The officer in charge of the post office at which the postal article has been received for delivery shall record a statement, in such form as the Director General shall prescribe, setting forth action taken by him under provisions of section 27 of the Act, and the fact of such failure or refusal as aforesaid on the part of the addressee or his agent; and shall forward the statement, together with the postal article, through the usual channel to the Director General.

The Director General shall then, in due course, transmit the statement together with the postal article, to the Postal administration of the place beyond the limits of India from which the article was received.

III-AIR MAIL ARTICLES

55.    Letters, post cards Aerogramme, air letter, packets and parcel may be accepted at any post office for transmission by air, subject to such exceptions as the Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the Post and Telegraph Guide.

 

56.    Deleted

56-A. The redirection of surcharged air mail correspondence, both inland and foreign, shall be subject to the payment of air mail fees prescribed in rules 2 & 6 and such other conditions as the Director General, from time to time, notify in the Post and Telegraph guide.

56-B. In the case of a reply-paid post card received from abroad if the addressee wishes to send the reply by airmail, he should affix to the reply half of the card, postage stamps equal in value to the difference between the airmail postage rate for the country of destination and the surface postage rate for a single postcard.

57.    57. The use of the special stamps which are issued for prepaying the air mail fee or the postage, registration fee and the air mail fee combined, on an air mail article, shall be optional. Such stamps shall not be recognized by the Post office in payment of postage on articles for transmission by routes other than by air.

PART III

REGISTRATION OF POSTAL ARTICLES

I-INLAND POSTAL ARTICLES

58.    Letters, letter cards, book and pattern packets, parcels and newspapers prepaid with postage at newspaper rates of postage may be registered at any post office for transmission by post to any other post office.

 

59.    In addition to the postage, a fee of Seventeen rupees shall be charged for the registration of any postal article:

Provided that no fee shall be charged for the registration of a “Blind Literature” packet.

Provided further that a fee of Rs.2.50/- only shall be charged for the registration of a value payable book packet containing printed books, the printed or stamped value whereof does not exceed Rs. 50/-.

Provided further that the concession specified in the second proviso shall not be admissible unless the price is either printed or stamped on the printed book or books as the case may be.

60.    The prepayment of the postage and registration fees is obligatory in the case of all registered articles.

 

61.    (1) An article intended for registration shall be presented at the window of the post office. No such article shall be accepted for registration if it is so small or so covered with writing or sealing-wax on the address-side, or otherwise made up in such a manner, as to render it impracticable to affix to the article the official labels prescribed by the Director General.

No such article shall also be accepted for registration.

(a)      Where it contains words to the effect that it has been or is intended to be insured for any specific sum or that it may contain valuable contents, unless it is also to be insured, or

 

(b)      Where such words are scored out.

 

(c)      Unless it bears the name and complete address of the sender on the outside along with the pin-code, provided that the registered article which does not bear a pin-code may be accepted if according to the judgment of the person accepting the article the name of the area of the delivery post office serving the sender's address is otherwise clearly mentioned.

Explanation:- This sub-rule shall not apply to an article which has an address- label tied to it, provided that the label is not so small or so covered with writing on the address-side as to render it impracticable to affix to that side the official labels prescribed by the Director-General.

(2) No parcel shall be accepted for registration unless it bears the name and address of the sender written on the cover.

(3) If the Postmaster General is satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do to meet the rush of work in a Night Post Office or a Mobile Post Office and to ensure the equitable availability of facilities provided therein to all persons, he may, by notice displayed on the notice board of such Post Office, restrict the number of registered articles that may be tendered for booking by any person at one time at such post office during such hours as may be specified in the notice.

62.    A receipt shall be given to the person who presents an article for registration at the post office window during the hours prescribed for posting registered articles.

 

63.    No registered article shall be delivered to the addressee unless and until he or his agent has signed a receipt for it in such form as the Director General shall prescribe.

 

64.    (1) If the sender of a registered article pays at the time of positing the article a fee of rupee three in addition to the postage and registration fee, there shall be sent to him on the delivery of the article a form of acknowledgment which shall be signed in ink by the addressee or his duly authorized agent or if the addressee refuses to so sign shall be accompanied by statement to the effect that the addressee or his duly authorized agent has refused to so sign:

‘Provided that no fee shall be payable in respect of a registered “Blind Literature” packet for which an acknowledgement is required.

(2) No article for which an acknowledgment is required under sub-rule(1) shall be accepted for registration unless it bears the name and address of the sender and is accompanied by a prescribed form of acknowledgment duly filled in and securely fastened to such article, and unless the article bears the superscription Acknowledgment Due on the address side.

65.    The sender of a registered article may obtain an attested copy of the original receipt signed by the addressee to his duly authorized agent on payment of a special fee of rupee two provided that he makes his application for it within six months of the date on which the addressee or his duly authorized agent signed the original receipt.

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

Provided that no fee shall be payable in respect of a registered “Blind Literature” packet for issue of an attested copy of the original receipt signed by the addressee or his duly authorized agent. 

66.    (1) Registration shall be obligatory in the case of.

(a)      Any parcel exceeding 4 kilograms in weight or any parcel booked under Express Parcel Post.

GSR 793(E) dated 7th November 1994

(b)      Any insured article.

 

(c)      Any parcel addressed to a place for which a customs declaration is required.

 

(d)      Any article bearing the word “registered” or any word, phrase, or mark to the like effect written or impressed on the cover.

 

(e)      Any registered article which is re-posted after having been delivered.

 

(f)       Any value-payable article.

 

(g)      Any magazine or periodical printed or published abroad but posted in India and whose price per copy exceeds rupees 20/-.

Exception 1: Nothing in this rule shall be held to render registration of a packet compulsory only by reason that it contains a stamped envelope, post card or wrapper as provided by rule 19 (c).

Exception 2: Nothing in this rule shall be held to render compulsory registration of a Flat Rate Parcel only by reason that it exceeds 4 kilograms in weight”

Vide GSR 63(E) February 2011 66-A. Omitted.

66-B (1) INLAND SPEED POST SERVICE:- Inland Postal articles may be booked, after obtaining receipts therefor, at the places specified in column (1) of the Schedule below and at the post offices specified in the corresponding entries in column (2) of the said Schedule, for delivery under the Inland Speed Post Service, subject to the following conditions, namely.

(1)     Inland Speed Post Service shall be available in respect of all classes of mails, which can be sent by registered service:

 

(2)     Inland Speed Post tariff shall be as under.

 

The above tariff will be exclusive of taxes. The taxes will have to be paid extra as notified by the Central Government from time to time.

(iv) Proof of Delivery charges for speed post articles shall be rupees ten per Speed Post article in addition to Speed Post charge”.

Vide GSR 734(E) 1st October 2012

(3) articles for booking under this service shall prominently bear on, the front the superscription “INALAND SPEED POST” and shall also bear the name and address of the sender in addition to that of the addresses, including the PIN codes of the Post Offices of deliver serving the addressee and the sender and their telephone number, if any:

(4) complaints regarding any article booked under this service (including a demand for refund of fees in cases of non-delivery of articles within the stipulated time) may be preferred within three months from the date of booking of the articles and shall inter alia contain the number of the article, the date booking and the name of the office of booking:

(5) there will be no delivery of these articles on Sundays and other holidays in the post offices concerned.

Explanation: For the purposes of this rule “Inland Speed Post Service means the service which seeks to deliver postal articles within stipulated time, specified in respect of each city or town, as the case may be from time to time, by a special messenger or conveyance.

In case of delay in delivery of domestic speed post articles beyond the norms determined by the Department of Post from time to time, the compensation to be provided shall be equal to the composite speed post charges paid.

In the event of loss of domestic speed post article or loss of its contents or damage to the contents, compensation shall be double the amount of composite speed post charges paid of Rs. 1,000 whichever is less.

Vide GSR 40(E) dated 21st January, 1999

SCHEDULE

 

(6) The weight of an article for the Inland Speed Post Service shall not exceed 35 kilograms provided that:

The Director General may, prescribed a higher limit of weight of an article for Inland Speed Post Service.

(7) The size of a postal article for Inland Speed Post Service shall not exceed 1.50 metres for any one dimension or 3 metres for the sum of the length and the greatest circumference measured in a direction other than the length.

(8) Notwithstanding anything contained in clause (d) of rule 33-A, door-to-door service shall be provided irrespective of the weight of an article for Inland Speed Post Service.

Vide GSR 672(E) dated 25th August, 2000

I. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES.

67.    Letters, air letters, post cards and packets may be registered at any post office for transmission to countries and places served by the foreign post, subject to such exceptions as the Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the Post and Telegraph Guide.

 

68.    In addition to the postage, the fees specified in column 2 of the Table below shall be charged for the registration of the articles (sent by foreign post) specified on the corresponding entry in column 1 of the said Table:

Provided that no fees shall be payable for the registration of a “Blind Literature” packet to be sent by the foreign post.

TABLE

 

Vide GSR 310(E) dated 12th April 2010

69.    (1) A parcel intended to be sent foreign post shall be presented at the window of the post office and a receipt shall be given to the person who presents such parcel.

(2) No parcel received in India by foreign post shall be delivered to the addressee unless and until he or his agent has signed a receipt for it.

70.    Rules 60, 61, 62 and 63 relating to the registration of inland postal articles, shall be equally applicable to registered articles sent or received by the foreign post.

 

71.    (1) The sender of a registered article posted in India and addressed to any country belonging to the Universal Postal Union shall be entitled to apply for an advice of delivery at the time of posting by paying a fee, in addition to the postage and registration fee, at the rates indicated below:—

TABLE

 

Vide GSR 310(E) dated 12th April 2010

(2) When the sender inquires about an advice of delivery which he has not received within the normal period, neither a second advice of delivery fee nor the fee prescribed in rule 71-A for inquiries and requests for information shall be collected.

71-A (1) Inquires and Requests for information shall be entertained within a period of a year from the day after that on which the article was posted.

(2) When the sender of a registered article posted in India and addressed to any country belonging to the Universal Postal Union has not paid the fee for an acknowledgement of its delivery (rule 71) and desires to have an enquiry made by the post Office regarding the disposal of article, he shall be entitled to this service on payment of a fee as indicated below.

TABLE

Provided that if a request is made for transmission by telegraph, the cost of the telegram and where applicable of the reply shall be collected in addition to the inquiry fee.

(3) If the sender or addressee of a registered article posted in any country belonging to the Universal Postal Union other than India and addressed to a place in another country belonging to the Universal Postal Union desires that the Indian Postal Administration should forward his enquiry regarding the disposal of the articles to the administration of origin, he shall be entitled to this service on payment of the fees mentioned in sub-rule (2) above.

(4) A single enquiry fee shall be levied when the enquiry relates to several registered articles posted at the same time by the same sender to the same addressee. This will not however, apply in the case of registered articles posted in India and addressed to Bhutan, Nepal or Pakistan. However, in the case of registered articles which had, at sender's request, to be forwarded by different routes, separate fee shall be collected for each of the routes used.

(5) If the inquiry or request for information has been occasioned by service error, the fees collected for it shall be refunded.

PART IV

INSURANCE OF POSTAL ARTICLES

I-INLAND POSTAL ARTICLES

72.    (1) Registered letters, value payable registered letters, registered parcels and value payable registered parcels may be insured up to the value of Rs. 600/- at such branch post offices, and up to the value of Rs. 1,00,000/- at such other post offices, as may be authorized by the Postmaster General to accept articles for insurance and for such post offices as may be authorized by the Postmaster General to deliver insured articles:

Note:- Where currency notes are dispatched by insured post the value shall not exceed Rs. 20,000/-.

Provided that in no case shall such value exceed the real value of the contents of the article insured:

Provided also that articles containing Government currency notes or bank notes or gold coin or bullion or gold ornaments or articles of gold any combination of these shall be insured for the actual value of the contents.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the insurance of all value payable articles on which the amount specified for recovery exceeds Rs. 500/-, other than excepted articles, shall be compulsory for at least the amount specified for recovery from the addressee.

Explanation:-In this rule “excepted articles” mean.

(a)      Value-payable packets;

 

(b)      Value-payable letters containing railway goods receipts, legal documents, bonds, policies of insurance, promissory notes, bills of lading or ordinary bills for collection, which have no intrinsic value.

73.    Insurance shall cover all risks in course of transmission by post.

 

74.    In addition to the postage and the fee for registration the following further fees shall be charged for insurance.

When the value insured does not exceed Rs. 200/- Rs. 10/-For every additional Rs. 100/- or fraction thereof Rs. 6/-in excess of Rs. 200/-

Vide GSR 503-(E) dated 19th August 1998

75.    The prepayment of all charges on insured articles, namely, postage, registration fees and insurance fees, shall be compulsory Postage stamps affixed to an insured article must be placed apart from one another so that they may not serve to conceal injuries to the cover of the letter or parcel.

 

76.    (1) every letter tendered for insurance shall be enclosed either.

(i)       in a strong cover securely fastened and sealed with fine wax bearing a private mark, in such a way that it cannot be opened without breaking the seal or leaving traces of violation; or

 

(ii)      in a fastened tear and water resistant envelop made up in one piece, and allowing the seals or adhesive tape to adhere completely, having tamper evident adhesive tape with a window on flap containing logo of the Department of Posts with words ‘Void Open’ and capable of leaving indelible impressions of tampering and die cut marks on seams, With the stipulation that.

(a)      Not more than one non-postal stamp or label of any kind not exceeding two and a half centimeter by two and a half centimeter in size (2.5cm×2.5cm) shall be affixed by the sender to such a cover;

 

(b)      The envelope with black or coloured borders shall not to be used; and

 

(c)      Wherever, a letter in a cover securely fastened and sealed with fine wax bearing a private mark is tendered, seals shall be placed over each flap or seam of the cover, and if the cover is tied round with string or tape, a seal shall be placed on the ends where they are tied.

(1A) The specification and design of water tear resistant envelope referred to in item (ii) of sub-section (1) shall be approved by the Director General, Department of Posts and shall bear particulars of approval and details of manufacturer on the reverse of the envelop.”

Vide GSR 532(E) 3rd August 2007

(2) Every parcel tendered for insurance must be packed carefully and substantially, with due regard to the nature of the contents and the length of the journey, and must be sealed with wax or lead, bearing a private mark, in such a way that it cannot be opened without either breaking the seal or leaving obvious traces of violation. Seals must be placed over each joint or loose flap of the covering of a parcel; and, if string be used in packing, a seal must be placed on the ends of the string where they are tied. If a parcel contains gold or silver bullion or coins, it must be placed in a strong case of wood or metal with an outer covering of cloth or stout paper.

(3) All the seals affixed to an insured postal article shall be of the same kind of wax and shall bear distinct impressions of the same device. The device shall not be that of a current coin or merely a series of straight, curved, or crossed lines.

77.    No postal article shall be accepted at any post office for insurance if it is so small or so covered with writing or sealing wax on the address side, or otherwise made up in such a manner, as to render it impracticable to affix to the article the official labels prescribed by the Director General.

Explanation: This rule shall not apply to an article which has an address label tried to it provided that the label is not so small or so covered with writing on the address side as to render it impracticable to affix to that side the official labels prescribed by the Director General.

78.    An article intended of insurance shall be presented at the window of the post office with the amount for which the sender wished it to be insured, clearly written in words and figures, without erasure or correction, on the cover. The name and address of the sender shall also be written on the cover in the lower left hand corner, or on a separate slip of paper, to be presented with the article, should there be no room for his name and address on the cover.

 

79.    A receipt shall be given to the person who presented an article for insurance at the post office window during three hours prescribed for posting insured articles.

 

80.    The sender of an insured article shall be entitled to obtain free of charge an acknowledgement of its delivery signed by the addressee or his duly authorized agent.

 

81.    There shall be payable to the sender of an insured postal article compensation not exceeding the amount for which the article has been insured, for the loss of the postal article or any of its contents or for any damage caused to it in course of transmission by post:

Provided that the compensation shall in no case exceed the value of the article or any of its contents lost or the amount of the damage caused, and provided that in the case of loss the sender shall furnish full particulars of the contents of the postal article and their value:

Provided, also, that no compensation shall be payable.

(a)      where there has been misdelivery arising out of incorrectness or incompleteness of the address written by the sender;

 

(b)      where there has been fraud on the part of the sender or addressee;

 

(c)      where the insured article has been delivered to the addressee and he has signed and returned the receipt therefor;

 

(d)      where the sender has not given, intimation of the loss within three months from the date of posting;

 

(e)      where the loss or damage was due to improper or insecure packing;

 

(f)       where there is no visible damage to the cover or seals;

 

(g)      where the insured article contains government currency notes, bank notes, gold coin or bullion or any combination of these, both and has not been insured for the actual value of the contents;

 

(h)     in the case of the loss of halves of currency notes;

 

(i)       in the case of damage arising from the nature of the article insured, or

 

(j)       where the insured article contained anything the transmission of which by post is prohibited.

 

82.    Compensation shall be payable one month after the date on which intimation of loss is given by the sender to the Post Office except in cases in which the Postmaster -General may consider that the circumstances demand the withholding of payment pending inquiry.

 

83.    Coin, bullion, platinum, precious stones, jewellery, currency notes and articles of gold or silver may be sent by post only in insured letters or insured parcels. If a letter or parcel presented at the post office window is found to contain any such object of value, it shall not be accepted for transmission by post, unless the sender insures it, and if an uninsured article manifestly containing any such object of value is found in course of transmission by post it shall be either intercepted and returned to the sender or forwarded to destination and delivered to the addressee subject to the payment of a fee of two rupees. The payment of this fee shall not impose any liability on the Central Government.

Explanation: In this rule, the expression “articles of gold or silver” includes articles made wholly or partly of gold or silver, but not coins and electro or other plated goods. The expression “coin” does not include cut counterfeit coin remitted on behalf of the currency Department and Mints. The expression “Currency notes” does not include defaced note, i.e notes from which the signature has been cut off after cancellation, remitted on behalf of the Currency Department. The expression jewellery includes watches the cases of which are entirely or mainly composed of gold, silver or platinum.

83-A. In the case of articles containing Government currency notes, bank notes, gold coin, bullion or gold ornaments or articles of gold or any combination of these the sender should declare on the article the value of the contents at the time of dispatch.

II-FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES.

84.    (1) The Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the post Office Guide the countries and places for transmission to which registered letters containing jewellery or valuable, value-payable registered letters, parcels and value-payable parcels may be insured, and the limit up to which such letters or parcels may be insured in each case.

(1A) The Director General shall also, from time to time, notify in the Post Office Guide the countries and places with which value payable postal articles under value payable system and value payable postal articles under cash-on-delivery system may be charged.

Provided that in no case shall such value exceed the real value of the contents of the letter, or parcel insured.

(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1), the insurance of all foreign value payable articles or cash on delivery parcels on which the amount specified for recovery exceeds Rs. 100 or L 2, other than excepted articles, shall be compulsory for their transit in India for at least the amount specified for recovery from the addressee and the fee charged for such insurance shall be as mentioned in sub-rule (1) of rule 92.

(3) In an uninsured foreign value-payable article or cash on delivery parcel on which the amount specified for recovery exceeds Rs. 100 or L 2 other than excepted articles, is received from any foreign country, the article shall be forwarded to destination by the inward foreign office of exchange as an insured article and delivered to the addressee subject to the payment of an insurance fee calculated in the manner prescribed in sub-rule (2) of rule 92 on the amount specified for recovery.

Explanation: In this rule “exceptional articles” mean.

(a)      Value-payable packets;

 

(b)      Value-payable letters containing railway goods receipts, legal documents, bonds, policies of insurance, promissory notes, bills of lading or ordinary bills for collection, which have no intrinsic value.

 

85.    In addition to postage and, in the case of letters, apart from the registration fee, the following further fees shall be charged for insurance.

(a)      when the value insured does not exceed Rs. 500/-, Rs. 10.00

 

(b)      When the value insured exceeds Rs. 500/- for every additional Rs. 500/- or fraction thereof upto Rs. 20,000/- Rs. 10.00

 

86.    The prepayment of all charges on insured foreign registered letters, and parcels shall be compulsory. Postage stamps affixed to letters or parcels intended for insurance must be placed apart from one another, so that they may not serve to conceal injuries to the cover of the letter, insured box or parcel. No label of any kind shall be affixed by the sender to cover of a letter intended for insurance.

 

87.    (1) every letter tendered for insurance shall be enclosed either.

(i)       in a strong cover securely fastened and sealed with fine wax bearing a private mark, in such a way that it cannot be opened without breaking the seal or leaving traces of violation; or

 

(ii)      in a fastened tear and water resistant envelop made up in one piece, and allowing the seals or adhesive tape to adhere completely, having tamper evident adhesive tape with a window on flap containing logo of the Department of Posts with words ‘Void Open’ and capable of leaving indelible impressions of tampering and die cut marks on seams, With the stipulation that.

(a)      not more than one non-postal stamp or label of any kind not exceeding two and a half centimeter by two and a half centimeter in size (2.5 cm × 2.5 cm) shall be affixed by the sender to such a cover;

 

(b)      the envelope with black or coloured borders shall not be used;

 

(c)      wherever, a letter in a cover securely fastened and sealed with fine wax bearing a private mark is tendered, seals shall be placed over each flap or seam of the cover, and if the cover is tied round with string or tape, a seal shall be placed on the ends where they are tied; and

 

(d)      the envelope shall not contain any coin platinum, gold or silver, manufactured or not, precious stone, jewels and other valuable articles.

(1A) The specification and design of water tear resistant envelope referred to in time (ii) of sub-section (1) shall be approved by the Director General, Department of Posts and shall bear particulars of approval and details of manufacturer on the reverse of the envelop.

Vide GSR 532(E) 3rd August 2007

(2) Deleted.

(3) Every foreign parcel tendered for insurance must be packed carefully and substantially, with due regard to the weight and nature of the contents as well as the mode of transport and the length of the journey and must be sealed with wax or lead or by other effective seals bearing a private mark, in such a way that it cannot be opened without either breaking the seal or leaving obvious traces of violation. The wax, lead or other seals and the labels of whatever kind and any postage stamps affixed to insured parcels must be so spaced that they cannot conceal injuries to the cover. Labels and postage stamps, if any, must not be folded over the two sides of the cover so as to hide the edge. Address-labels, if any, must not be pasted on the cover itself. Seals must be placed over such joint or lose flap of the covering of a parcel; and, if string be used in packing, a seal must be placed on the ends of the string where they are tied. If a parcel contains coin, bank notes, currency notes, bearer bonds, platinum, gold or silver (manufactured or not), precious stones jewels or other precious objects, it shall be packed in a strong case of wood or metal with an outer covering of cloth or stout paper.

(4) All the seals affixed to an insured foreign letter or parcel or insured box shall be of the same kind of wax (or lead in the case of parcels) and shall bear distinct impressions of the same private device. The device shall not be that of a current coin or merely a series of straight, curved or crossed lines.

88.    No foreign letter or parcel shall be accepted at any post office for insurance if it is so small or so covered with writing or sealing wax on the address-side, or otherwise made up in such a manner, as to render it impracticable to affix to it the official labels prescribed by the Director General.

Explanation: This rule shall not apply to a letter, or parcel which has an address label tied to it, provided that the label is not so small or so covered with writing on the address side as to render it impracticable to affix to that side the official labels prescribed by the Director General.

89.    A foreign letter or parcel intended for insurance shall be presented at the window of the post office with the amount for which the sender wishes it to be insured clearly written, in words and figures without erasures or correction, on the cover and accompanied by such form or forms duly filled up as may be prescribed by the Director General, from time to time, in the Post Office Guide. The name and address of the addressee of a foreign letter, or parcel intended for insurance shall be written in ink on the actual cover of the article. Letters and boxes addressed to initials or directed in pencil or bearing at the time of posting erasures or corrections in the address shall not be forwarded.

 

90.    A receipt shall be given to the person who presents a foreign letter, or parcel for insurance at the window of the post office during the hours prescribed for posting insured foreign articles.

 

91.    (1) When a foreign letter or a foreign parcel, has been posted in and insured by an Indian Post Office within or without the limits of India and when such letter, or parcel has been lost or the contents thereof have abstracted or damaged in the course of transmission by post compensation not exceeding the amount for which such letter, or parcel has been insured shall be payable, in accordance with and subject to the provisions of sub-rule (2), (4) and (5) on account of such loss, abstraction or damage, to the sender except in the case of a parcel in respect of which the Administration of the country of destination decides to pay compensation to the addressee under the same conditions as those prescribed in respect of the Indian Post Office in sub-rule (3).

Provided that no compensation shall be paid in respect of a parcel sent by or addressed to.

(1)     a prisoner of war either directly or through a national information bureau or central information agency referred to in a Geneva convention of the 12th august, 1949, relative to the treatment of prisoners of war:

 

(2)     a belligerent received and interned in neutral country;

 

(3)     a civilian internee as defined in the Geneva Convention of the 12th August, 1949, relative to the protection of civilian persons in time of war, either directly or through a National Bureau or in Central Information Agency referred to in that Convention;

and

(4)     a National Bureau or a Central Information Agency regarding prisoners of war.

(2) Whether or not the addressee has made reservations on taking delivery of a letter the contents of which have been abstracted or damaged, or has, after taking delivery thereof, immediately made a complaint of abstraction or damage to the Administration of the office of delivery and proved that the abstraction or damage did not take place after the delivery, the compensation payable under sub-rule (1) shall be payable to the sender and no claim for the payment of compensation to the addressee shall be entertained.

(3) When an inward parcel insured by a foreign Administration is lost or the contents thereof are abstracted or damaged, compensation shall be payable by the Indian Post Office to the addressee up to an amount not exceeding that for which it has been insured if he claims such compensation after having made reservation in taking delivery of the parcel or if he furnished proof that the sender of the parcel has waived his rights to such compensation in the addressee's favour.

(4) The compensation payable under sub-rule (1) to (3) shall in no case exceed the value of the article lost or the amount of loss occasioned by the abstraction of, or damage to, the contents of the article, and loss of profits or other indirect loss shall not be taken into consideration in the assessment of such compensation.

(5) No compensation shall be payable under sub-rule (1) to (3).

(a)      where the loss or damage has been caused by the fault or negligence of the sender, or arises from the nature of the article;

 

(b)      where the insurance has fraudulently made for a sum above the real value of the contends, or there has been any other fraud on the part of the sender or the addressee;

 

(c)      where the insured article has been delivered to the addressee, or where the article is returned to the sender and the addressee or sender, as the case may be, has signed and returned the receipt therefor without protest, or in the case of an insured letter, without immediately making a complaint of abstraction of or damage to the contents of the letter to the administration of the office which delivered the article and proving that the abstraction or damage took place before the delivery of the letter;

 

(d)      where the sender has not given intimation of the loss, abstraction or damage within one year following the day of posting;

 

(e)      where the loss, abstraction or damage was due to improper or insecure packing;

 

(f)       where there is no visible damage to the cover or seals;

 

(g)      in cases beyond control (e.g, tempest, shipwreck, earthquake, war, etc.);

 

(h)     where the insured article cannot be traced in consequence of the destruction of the documents relating to it from causes beyond control unless proof of liability of the post office to pay compensation in respect of the article has been furnished otherwise;

 

(i)       where the insured article contained anything the transmission of which by the letter or the parcel post, as the case may be, is prohibited, provided that compensation shall not be inadmissible by reason only of the fact that an insured parcel contained any correspondence;

 

(j)       where the insured article is seized under any law for the time being in force in the country of destination.

(6) In the following cases, namely.

(a)      when an insured letter or box or parcel is lost or destroyed or its contents are wholly abstracted;

 

(b)      when by reason of damage attributable to the postal service the addressee refuses to take delivery of an insured parcel;

The sender of such letter, box or parcel, shall be further entitled to a refund of the charges and fees which have been paid, and when an error on the part of the Post Office gives rise to enquiry as to disposal of such letter, or parcel, to a refund of, any fee paid on account of such enquiry; but the sender of such letter, box or parcel shall in no case be entitled to a refund of the fee paid for insurance.

(7) The Central Government does not accept any liability to the sender or the addressee, other than that mentioned in sub-rules (1) to (6), in respect of loss of an insured inward or outward foreign letter, or parcel or the abstraction of, or damage to, the contents thereof.

92.    (1)(a) A letter containing currency notes or bank notes and a parcel containing coin, bullion, platinum, precious stones, jewellery or articles of gold or silver, bank notes, currency notes, securities of any kind payable to bearer shall not be accepted for transmission by foreign post unless the sender also agrees to insure it.

Provided that in the case of an Insured Letter containing currency notes or bank notes, or an Insured Box containing bullion or gold coin or an Insured Box containing bullion or gold coin or an Insured Parcel containing gold coin, bullion, currency notes or bank notes or any combination of such articles, it shall be insured for the actual value of its contents;

(2) Where a foreign parcel contains coin, bullion, bank notes, currency notes or any kind of securities payable to bearer, platinum, precious stones, jewellery or articles of gold or silver, and a letter containing currency notes or banknotes is addressed to a country or place to which insurance is not available, the parcel shall be insured for its inland transit within the limits of India, and in such cases the fee charged for insurance shall be calculated as follows,

Where the value insured does not exceed Rs. 500. Rs. 10.00/-

When the value insured exceeds Rs. 500/-

for every additional Rs. 500/- or fraction thereof upto Rs. 20,0000 Rs. 10.00/-

Provided that in the case of parcels containing gold coin, bullion, currency notes or bank notes or any combination of such articles and a letter containing currency notes or bank notes, such insurance for inland transit shall also be for the actual value of the contents.

(3) If an uninsured foreign postal article declared to contain or manifestly containing any of the objects of the value specified in sub-rule (1), is received from a foreign country, the parcel shall be forwarded to destination and delivered to the addressee subject to the payment of a fee calculated in the manner prescribed in sub-rule (1) on the declared value of the contents or on the value assessed by the Customs authorities, whichever is higher. If refused by the addressee, it shall be returned to the country of origin.

(4) Nothing in this rule shall be deemed to authorize the transmission by post of anything which is otherwise prohibited from transmission by post. Explanation.—In this rule the expression “articles of gold or silver” includes articles made wholly or partly of gold or silver, but not electro or other plated goods. The expression “jewellery” includes watches the cases of which are entirely or mainly composed of gold, silver or platinum.

93.    Where an insured foreign parcel, which has been redirected or returned as undeliverable, is received in India subject to a fresh insurance fee by reason of its having been so redirected or returned, such fee shall be recoverable on delivery as if it were postage due under the Act.

PART V

VALUE PAYABLE POST

I-INLAND POSTAL ARTICLES

94.    Registered parcels, registered letters, registered book packets and newspapers prepaid with postage at newspaper rates of postage and with registration fee may be transmitted by the inland post as value payable postal articles, provided that the amount specified for remittance to the sender in the case of any such postal article shall not exceed Rs. 5000/- and shall not include a fraction of a Rupee and provided that such parcels, letters and packets do not contain coupons, tickets, certificates or introductions designed for the sale of goods on what is known as the “Snowball system”.

 

95.    No such postal article as aforesaid shall be accepted at any post office for transmission by post as a value payable postal article unless the sender declares that it is sent in execution to a bona fide order received by him. At any post office notified from time to time in this behalf by the Director General, the sender shall, in addition, be required to declare that the article is one the transmission of which by post as a value payable postal article is permitted. No postal article as aforesaid shall be accepted at these offices without such further declaration.

Explanation: An article may be sent by the value-payable post even though it possesses no intrinsic value. Thus, legal documents, bonds, policies of insurance, promissory notes, railway goods and parcel receipts, bills of lading or ordinary bills for collection may be sent as value-payable postal articles. In the case of a railway receipt or bill of lading sent as a value-payable postal article it will be sufficient for the purposes of this rule if the article to which the railway receipt or bill of lading relates has been sent in execution of a bona fide order. In the case of the other documents specified the documents must be sent in execution of a bona fide order to send the document itself.

96.    (1) Every postal article intended to be transmitted by post as a value-payable postal article shall be presented at the post office with a printed form, prescribed by the Director-General and obtainable at the post office, in which the sender shall specify the sum to be remitted to himself, fill in the required entries in ink, and sign the declaration required by rule 95. The sender of a postal article intended to be transmitted by post as value-payable shall write clearly on the face of the article itself.

(a)      in the upper left-hand corner-the letters “V.P.” followed by an entry, in figures and words, of the amount for remittance to himself, and

 

(b)      in the lower left-hand -corner- his own name and full address.

(2) In addition to postage, registration fee and insurance fee where leviable, the sender of a postal article intended to be transmitted by post as a value-payable postal article shall be required to pay an additional fee calculated according to the schedule given below on the amount specified for recovery from the addressee.

SCHEDULE OF FEES

97.    No article shall be accepted at any post office for transmission by post as a value-payable postal article if it is so small or so covered with writing or sealing-wax on the address-side, or otherwise made up in such a manner, as to render it impracticable to affix to the article the official labels prescribed by the Director-General.

Explanation: This rule shall not apply to an article which has an address-label tied to it, provided that the label is not so small or so covered with writing on the address-side as to render it impracticable to affix to that side the official labels prescribed by the Director-General.

98.    The amount to be recovered from the addressee shall be the sum specified by the sender for remittance to himself plus a commission as prescribed by rule 112 on the amount specified for remittance to the sender. When the amount due is recovered from the addressee, the sum for payment to the sender shall be remitted to him by means of a money order.

 

99.    (1) If the addressee of a value payable postal article omits to take delivery of it within the seven days, following the date of its presentation or the date of delivery of an intimation or its arrival to him or to his accredited agent, or in the case of an article sent out for delivery through a village postman, the date of return to the post office of the village postman, after its first presentation or delivery of intimation of its arrival to the addressee or to his accredited agent, the article shall be returned to the sender on the eighth day;

Provided that if in the meantime the addressee has applied in writing to the post office for the detention of the article for a further period not exceeding seven days beginning with the said eighth day and pays with the application a fee of rupees three for each day of such further period in the case of value payable parcels and rupees two for each day of such further period in the case of other value payable articles, the article shall not be returned to the sender until the expiration of the further period covered by the application. Any fee so paid shall in no circumstances be returned.

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

(2) When a value-payable postal article is returned to the sender under sub-rule (1) the sender shall be required to pay any charges that may be due to it and acknowledge receipt of the article by signing the form presented by the postman. In no circumstances shall any fee or fees prepaid by the sender be returned.

100. If a complaint is made by the addressee immediately after the receipt of value-payable postal article, that it was sent dishonestly, or fraudulently, the Postmaster General may, if satisfied that there are prima facie grounds for believing that the value-payable postal article was sent with the intention of defrauding the addressee, with hold the payment to the sender of the money recovered from the addressee. If after making such enquiries as may be necessary, he is fully satisfied that that value-payable postal article was sent with this intention, he may order the return of the article to the sender and refund to the addressee the sum of money recovered from him on delivery of the value-payable postal article.

 

101. Whenever the sender or addressee of a value-payable postal article makes a complaint regarding the delivery of or payment from the value-payable postal article, he shall be entitled to have an enquiry made by the Post Office on paying a fee of rupee one. The fee shall be paid by means of a postage stamp or stamps affixed to the letter of complaint. This fee shall be refunded in cases where the complaint is found to be well grounded.

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

Explanation:- Impressions of a stamping machine made by a competent authority shall be tantamount to affixing stamps of corresponding value.

102. The Central Government shall not incur any liability in respect of the sum specified for remittance to the sender in respect of a value-payable postal article unless and until that sum has been received from the addressee and unless a claim for that sum has been preferred within six months from the date of posting of the article.

“IA-ELECTRONIC VLAUE PAYABLE POST”

102A. Registered parcels, insured parcels, registered letters, insured letters, registered book packets, registered book packets containing periodicals, registered book packets containing printed books, newspapers prepaid with postage at newspaper rate of postage and with registration fee, express parcels, insured express parcels, may be transmitted by the inland post as electronic value payable postal articles.

Provided that the amount specified for remittance to the sender in the case of any such postal article shall not exceed five thousand rupees and shall not include a fraction of a rupee and that such articles do not contain coupons, tickets certificates or introductions designed for the sale of goods on what is known as the “Snowball System”.

102B At any post office notified from time to time in this behalf by the Director General Posts, the sender shall be required to declare that the article is the one the transmission of which by post as an electronic value payable postal article is permitted.

102C An article may be sent by the electronic value payable post even though it possesses no intrinsic value. Thus legal documents, Bonds, policies of insurance, promissory notes, railway goods, and parcel receipts, bills of lading or ordinary bills for collection may be sent as electronic Value Payable Postal articles. In the case of railway receipt or bill of lading sent as an electronic Value Payable postal article it will be sufficient for the purpose this rule if the article to which railway receipt or bill of lading relates has been sent in execution of bonafide order. In the case of other documents specified document must be sent in education of a bonafide order to send the document itself.

102D. The Post offices having the facility of e-payment may book electronic Value Payable Postal articles deliverable at any post office.

102E (1) Every postal article intended to be transmitted by post as an electronic Value Payable article shall be presented at the post office. The senders of the article intended to be transmitted by post shall write clearly on the face of the article itself.

(a)      In the upper left hand corner-the letters “e-VP” followed by an entry, in figure and words of the amount of remittance to himself, and

 

(b)      In the lower left hand corner his own name and full address.

(2) There should not be any cutting, over writing erasing in the amount of remittance written on the article.

(3) In addition to postage, registration fee, insurance fee where leviable, the sender of the postal article intended to be transmitted by post as an electronic Value Payable Postal article shall be required to pay an additional fee of rupees fifteen per article which will not be refundable in any case.

102F The amount to be recovered from the addresses shall be the sum specified by the sender for remittance to him. When the amount is recovered from addressee, the sum for payment shall be remitted to him through office of booking by means of e-payment.

102G. The provisions of rules 97, 99, 100, 101 and 102 shall so far as may, apply in relation to electronic Value Payable Postal articles as they apply to Value Payable Postal articles.

102H. Electronic Value Payable letters, electronic value payable Parcels and Express Parcels may be insured. The provisions of rules 72 to 83 shall, so far as may, apply in relation to electronic Value Payable letter, electronic Value Payable Parcels and Value Payable Express Parcels as they apply to insured postal articles to which these rules apply.”

Vide G.S.R. 37(E) dated 18th January 2011

II. FOREIGN POSTAL ARTICLES

103. Value-payable postal articles may be exchanged under the system known as “V.P.” or “C.O.D”, notified by the Director General from time to time, in the Post Office Guide. The general features of the two systems shall be as indicated in rules 104 to 108 and the individual features of the V.P and C.O.D systems shall be as in rule 109 and in rule 109-A respectively.

A. GENERAL FEATURES OF V.P AND C.O.D SYSTEM.

104. Value-payable or Cash-on-delivery postal articles may be transmitted abroad, provided that the amount specified for remittance to the sender in respect of any such postal article shall not exceed Rs. 600 or such smaller amounts as may, in the case of Value-payable or Cash-on-delivery articles to any particular country or countries, be specifically notified by the Director General from time to time, and shall not contain a fraction of paisa and provided that such articles do not contain coupons, tickets, certificates or introductions designed for the sale of goods on what is known as “Snowball system”.

 

105. No postal article shall be accepted at any post office for transmission by post as Value-payable postal article unless the sender declares that it is sent in execution of a bona fide order received by him. At any post office notified from time to time in this behalf by the Director General, the sender shall, in addition, be required to declare that the article is one the transmission of which by post as a Value-payable postal article is permitted. No value-payable article shall be accepted at these offices without such further declaration.

Explanation: An article may be sent by the value-payable post even though it possesses no intrinsic value. Thus, legal documents, bonds, policies of insurance, promissory notes, railway goods and parcel receipts, bills of lading or ordinary bills for collection may be sent as value-payable postal articles. In the case of railway receipt or bill of lading sent as value-payable postal article, it will be sufficient for the purposes of this rule, if the article to which the railway receipt or bill of lading relates has been sent in execution of a bona fide order. In the case of the other documents specified, the document must be sent in execution of a bona fide order to send the document itself.

106. Every postal article intended to be transmitted by post as value-payable postal article shall be presented at the post office with a printed form, prescribed by the Director General and obtainable at the post office, in which the sender shall specify the sum to be remitted to himself, fill in the required entries in ink and sign the declaration required by rule 105.

 

107. (1) If the addressee of a foreign value-payable parcel fails to take delivery of it within seven days following the date of its first presentation or the date of delivery to him or to his accredited agent of an intimation of its arrival, a warehousing charge at the rate of rupee one per day commencing from the eighth day shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery.

Provide that in the case of such a parcel bearing an alternative address, if the parcel cannot be delivered at the original address, the warehousing charge due from the first addressee shall be collected from the second addressee at the time of delivery.

(2) If the addressee of a foreign value-payable parcel addressed “Poste Restante: fails to take delivery of it within seven days following the date of its arrival in the office of delivery, a warehousing charge at the rate specified in sub-rule (1) shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery.

Provided that the charge shall in no case exceed rupees twenty-four and fifty paise.

107-A (1) If the addressee of an inward foreign value-payable packet (or bag) of printed papers fails to take delivery of it within seven days following the date of its first presentation or the date delivery to him or to his accredited agent of an intimation of its arrival, and if it weighs more than 500 grams, a warehousing charge at the rate of rupee one per day, commencing from the eight day, shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery.

(2) If the addressee of (a) an inward foreign value-payable packet (or bag) of printed papers or business papers, or (b) an inward foreign value-payable insured letter addressed “Poste Restante” fails to take delivery of it within seven days following the date of its arrival in the office of delivery, and if it weighs more than 500 grams, a warehousing charge at the rate of rupee one per day commencing on the eighth day shall be collected from the addressee at the time of delivery.

108. Rules 97, 101 and 102 relating to inland value-payable articles, shall be equally applicable to foreign value-payable articles.

B. INDIVIDUAL FEATURES OF V.P SYSTEM.

109. (1) The sender of a postal article intended to be transmitted by post as value-payable article shall write clearly on the face of the article itself-(a) in the upper left-hand corner, the letters “V.P.” followed by an entry, in figures and words, of the amount for remittance to himself, and (b) in the lower left-hand corner his own name and full address.

(2) In the case of an article intended for transmission to any country mentioned in sub-rule (1) above as value-payable, a posting fee of 15 paise shall be prepaid by the sender;

Provided that in the case of value-payable letters and packets intended for transmission to the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen the posting fee shall be payable at the rate applicable to inland value-payable articles.

(3) In the case of articles received under the V.P System for delivery in India, the amount to be recovered from the addressee shall be sum specified by the sender for remittance to himself plus a fee calculated in the manner indicated below.

(a)      in the case of articles received from the People's Republic of Yemen, a fee as in rule 98;

 

(b)      in the case of articles received from the countries and places with which the medium of exchange is British Pound Sterling, a fee as in Schedule II below; and

 

(c)      in the case of articles received from the countries and places with which the medium of exchange is Indian Rupee, a fee as in Schedule 1 below.

A delivery fee of 25 paise on every article transmitted from any country mentioned in sub-rule (1) other than Pakistan and the People's/democratic Republic of Yemen as value-payable shall also be recovered from the addressee. When the amount due is recovered from the addressee, the sum for payment to the sender shall be remitted to him by means of money order. If the addressee of a value payable article refuses to take delivery or omits to take delivery of it, it shall be returned to the sender.

SCHEDULE OF FEES

SCHEDULE 1

 

SCHEDULE II

On any sum not exceeding 1 25 paise

For every additional sum of 1 or fraction thereof 20 paise

Note: The conversion into Indian currency of the amount specified for remittance to the sender of a value-payable parcel posted in Iraq shall be effected at the rate of exchange for the issue of foreign sterling money orders in force on the date of receipt of the parcel in India.

(4) If a complaint is made by the addressee immediately after the receipt of the value payable postal article that it was sent dishonestly or fraudulently, the Postmaster General may, if satisfied, that there are prima facie grounds for believing that the value payable was sent dishonestly or with the intention of defrauding the addressee, with hold the payment of the sender of money recovered from the addressee. If after making such enquiries, as may be necessary, he is fully satisfied that the value payable postal article was sent dishonestly or with fraudulent intention, he may order the return of article to the sender and refund to the addressee the sum of money recovered from him on delivery of value payable postal article.

C. INDIVIDUAL FEATURES OF THE C.O.D SYSTEM.

109-A. (1) Sub-rule (1) of rule 109 shall apply to value payable parcels sent under the C.O.D system with the exception that the sender shall write on the upper left hand corner of the parcel the word “Reimbursement” instead of the letters “V.P.”

(2) In the case of a value payable postal parcel posted in India under the C.O.D system, posting fee of 15 paise and a fee on the amount specified for remittance to the sender calculated according to Schedule 1 below rule 109 (3) shall be prepaid by the sender.

(3) The amount to be recovered from the addressee of a foreign value payable parcel received under the C.O.D system in India for delivery shall be the sum specified by the sender for remittance to himself plus a delivery fee of 25 paise. When the amount due is recovered from the addressee, the sum for payment to the sender shall be remitted to him by means of money order.

(4) In the event of non-delivery of a parcel originating in India for delivery in a foreign country, the fees prepaid by the sender on the amount specified for remittance to himself under sub-rule (2) shall on application, be repaid to him subject to the following deductions.

(a)      10 per cent of the fee paid with a minimum of 25 paise; and

 

(b)      a fixed charge of 12 paise.

NOTE: Note below rule 109(3) shall apply to the conversion into Indian currency of the foreign currency amount in respect of value-payable parcels posted abroad under cash-on-delivery system.

PART VI

MONEY ORDERS

I.    INLAND MONEY ORDERS

ORDINARY INLAND MONEY ORDERS

110. The amount for which a single money order may be issued shall not exceed Rs. 5, 000 and shall not include a fraction of a rupee;

Provided that the amount for which a single money order under National Social Assistance Programme can be issued shall not exceed Rs. 10,000/-: Provided further that a money order transmitted through electronic data communication process may be issued for an amount not exceeding rupees one crore.

‘Provided also that, money order not exceeding Rs. 5000 transmitted electronically, that is to say by an ‘eMO, shall for all practical purposes be understood or treated as on ordinary money order.’

Vide GSR 864(E) dated 18th December 2008

111. Deleted.

 

112. A commission on the issue of inland money orders shall be charged at the rate of rupee one for every twenty rupees of the amount of remittance or fraction thereof. Provided that the amount of commission payable on a Family Allotment Money Order booked by an Army Record Office, shall be calculated at six per cent of the total amount of the Family Allotment Money Orders booked, and in making such calculations, the commission shall be in multiples of ten paise, any amount less than ten paise shall be regarded as ten paise.

NOTE: For remittance through Electronic Data Communication Process above Rs. 5,000, the following rates shall apply:

113. The Director General may, at any time, (a) suspend the issue of money orders upon or by any particular post office, or group of post offices, or (b) direct that money orders shall not be so issued except on payment of special rates of commission higher than those prescribed by rule 112.

 

114. The remitter of a money order or eMO shall fill in blue or black ink on the money order form or as the case may be, on the eMO Form, prescribed and supplied by the Director General, such particulars as the Director General may require. Such particulars may be written in English or Hindi or in the regional language of the area in which the money order or the eMO is remitted.’

Vide GSR 864(E) dated 18th December 2008

115. (1) The money order form duly filled in, together with the amount of the money order and the commission payable may be presented at the post office during the hours prescribed for money order business.

(2) In case of eMO booked under ‘One to Many’, filling up of individual eMO Form shall not be required and list duly prepared and authenticated by the remitter, accompanied by softcopy “(electronic form)”shall be treated as eMO Form. The remitter shall present the hardcopy”(paper form)” of the list to the Post Office in duplicate in case of Head Offices and in triplicate in case of Sub Post Offices indicating serial number, complete name and address of the payee, office of payment with PIN Code, amount of eMO and Commission.

Vide GSR 864(E) dated 18th December 2008

116. A receipt shall be given to the remitter for the amount paid by him on account of the money order and the commission.

 

117. (1) The remitter of a money order shall be entitled to obtain free of charge, an acknowledgement of the payment of the amount of the order signed by the payee or as the case may be, his authorized agent or in the event of the loss of such acknowledgement during transmission by post a certificate of payment in the form prescribed by the Director General.

(2) The acknowledgement along with the voucher shall be kept in the Head Offices of office of payment and shall be sent to the office of issue on demand. If the remitter requests for an acknowledgement, the office of issue shall send a written communication to the office of payment for the same and thereafter office of payment shall send the acknowledgment to the remitter by post:

Provided that a certificate of payment shall be issued by the office of issue on the request of the remitter.

Vide GSR 864(E) dated 18th December 2008

118. The payment of a money order shall ordinarily be made at the address of the payee.

(i)       To the payee himself, where it has been so indicated by the remitter on the money order form,

 

(ii)      in any other case, to the payee or to any person authorized in writing by the payee in this behalf.

 

119. (1) The money order and acknowledgement shall be signed by the payee named by the remitter or by some person authorized in writing by the payee in this behalf. The signature shall be written in ink in the space provided for the purpose.

(1-A). In case of eMOs payable in bulk to a single payee; the printing of individual eMOs shall not be required for getting signature of the payee on the eMO form and its Acknowledgement portion.

Vide GSR 864(E) dated 18th December 2008

(2) In no case, either the payee or any other person authorized by him shall write any message or remarks on the acknowledgment part of the money order.

120. If the remitter or payee of a money order is illiterate, his mark shall be obtained and shall be verified in such manner as the Director-General may direct.

 

121. A money order shall be redirected to the payee on his written request free of charge.

 

122. The remitter of a money order which has not been paid, may require that the address of the payee shall be altered or that the name of the post office, at which the order was originally made payable, shall be changed. The required change shall be made without additional charge on the remitter's applying in writing to the post office at which the order was issued and producing the receipt and giving full particulars of the payee's address as entered in the money order.

 

123. (1) The remitter of a money order which has not been paid, may require that the amount be paid to some person other than the payee named in the order. The required change shall be made, on payment of a second commission calculated in accordance with rule 112 on the remitter's applying in writing to the post office at which the order was issued and producing the receipt and giving full particulars of the payee's address as entered in the money order.

(2) The alteration of payee's name shall not be permitted in the eMO.

Vide GSR 864(E) dated 18th December 2008

124. The remitter of a money order which has not been paid, may stop payment and requires that the money be repaid to himself. This shall be done without additional charge on the remitter's applying in writing to the post office at which the money order was issued, and producing the receipt and giving full particulars of the payee's address as entered in the money order. In no case, however, shall the Post Office be responsible for inability or failure to stop payment of a money order in compliance with the remitter's request.

 

125. If the payee of a money order refuses to take payment on presentation of the money order to him, the amount of the money order shall be returned at once to the remitter, free of charge;

Provided that if the payee while refusing to take payment on presentation of the money order to him, makes an application in writing to the post office of delivery for the detention of the money order or if the payee is not found at the address given on the money order the money order shall be detained in the post office for a period not exceeding seven days from the date of its presentation to the payee or from the date it is sent out for payment, as the case may be, if the payee fails to take payment of the money order from the post office within the said period of seven days, the money order shall be returned to the remitter on the first working day immediately following the expiry of the said period of seven days.

Provided further that the commission shall in no case be refunded.

126. If payment of a money order to the payee cannot be effected and the amount cannot be repaid to the remitter owing to the latter not being found, the order shall be void and its value credited to the Central Government. But, if the payee or remitter subsequently applies for payment, the amount of the order shall be paid to him on the authority of the Audit Officer, provided that application is made before the expiration of one year from the date of issue of the original order.

Provided that the amount of a money order other than a V.P. money order the payee, is dead, the amount of the money order or money orders up to one hundred rupees shall be paid to the claimant on his executing a personal indemnity bond; and for amounts exceeding one hundred rupees, an indemnity bond with one surety be obtained from the claimant.

Exception. In the case of money orders issued from field post offices, and family allotment money orders remitted on behalf of seamen working on Indian merchant ships the limit of time for making application shall be two years.

126- A. Omitted.

Telegraphic Inland Money Orders.

127. The amount for which a single telegraphic money order may be issued shall not exceed R. 2,000 and shall not include a fraction of a rupee.

 

128. A fee for the issue of a telegraphic money order shall be charged at the rate of commission on an ordinary inland money order for the same amount added to a telegraph charge calculated at the rates for inland telegrams for the number of chargeable words used in the telegram advising the remittance, according as the telegram is to be sent as an “Express” or as an “Ordinary” message. In addition to these charges, a supplementary fee at the rate of rupees three for each telegraph money order issued up to Rs. 50 and at the rate of rupees five for each telegraph money order issued exceeding Rs. 50 but not exceeding Rs. 200 and at the rate of rupees eight for each telegraphic money order issued exceeding Rs. 200 shall be charged. The remitter of a telegraphic money order may have a private communication added to the telegram advising the remittance on paying for the additional words in excess of ten at the rate in force for the time being for inland telegrams of the class to which the advice belongs.

GSR 59(E) dated 11th February, 1982Vide GSR23(E) dated 11th January 2002

Provided that a telegraphic money order, Express or Ordinary, for a sum no exceeding two hundred and fifty rupees shall not be accepted for payment on Sundays through a post office kept open on such days for delivery of “Express Delivery Articles” unless an additional supplementary fee of one rupee is paid on such money order.

129. The Director General may, at any time, (a) suspend the issue of telegraphic money orders upon any post office, or group of post offices, or (b) direct that telegraphic money orders shall not be so issued except on payment of special fees higher than those prescribed by rule 128.

 

130. The remitter of a telegraphic money order shall fill in ink on the money order form prescribed and supplied by the Director General, such particulars as the Director General may require.

 

131. The money order form duly filled in, together with the amount to be remitted and the fees for the telegraphic money order and private communication (if any), may be presented at the post office during the hours prescribed for telegraphic money order business.

 

132. A receipt shall be given to the remitter, showing the total amount paid by him, the payee's name and the hour at which the telegraphic money order was presented.

 

133. The remitter of a telegraphic money order shall be entitled to obtain free of charge, by post, an acknowledgement of the payment of the amount of the order signed by the payee.

 

134. The payment of a telegraphic money order shall ordinarily be made as soon as practicable after the receipt of the telegraphic advice by the office of payment, at the residence of the payee on his signing a receipt for the amount paid and the acknowledgement.

Provided that telegraphic money orders amounting to more than Rs. 600 in one day shall not be paid to any person who is not either permanently resident within the jurisdiction of the office of payment or personally known to the postmaster-in-charge of such office until confirmation of the telegraphic advice has been received by post, unless in the meantime the payee can get a respectable local resident to stand surety for him by executing an indemnity bond for the amount of such orders in the form prescribed by the director General.

135. The receipt and acknowledgement shall be signed by the payee named by the remitter, or by some person authorized in writing by the payee in this behalf. The signature shall be written in ink in the space provided for the purpose.

 

136. If the remitter or payee of telegraphic money order is illiterate, his mark shall be obtained and shall be verified in such manner as the Director General may direct.

 

137. A telegraphic money order shall be re-directed to the payee by post free of charge on his written request.

 

138. The remitter of a telegraphic money order which has not been paid may require that the address of the payee shall be altered or that the name of the office at which the order was originally made payable, shall be changed. The required alteration shall be made in the ordinary course of post, without additional charge, on the remitter's applying in writing to the post office at which the money order was issued.

 

139. The remitter of a telegraphic money order which has not been paid may require that the amount be paid to some person other than the payee named in the order. The required change shall be made in the ordinary course of post, on payment of the commission chargeable in accordance with rule 112 on an ordinary money order for the same amount, on the remitter's applying in writing to the post office at which the order was issued, and presenting the receipt granted for the original order.

 

140. The remitter of a telegraphic money order which has not been paid, may stop payment and require that the money be repaid to himself. This shall be done on the remitter's applying in writing to the post office at which the money order was issued, producing the receipt and giving full particulars of the payee's address as entered in the money order. Payment may be stopped by telegram, the remitter paying necessary charges at the ordinary rates for it. In no case, however, shall the Post Office be responsible for inability or failure to stop payment of a money order in compliance with the remitter's request.

 

141. If the payee of a telegraphic money order refuses to take payment or cannot be found, the telegraphic advice shall be returned by post free of any further charge and the amount of the money order shall be repaid to the remitter. The fees shall not be refunded.

 

142. If payment of a telegraphic money order to the payee cannot be effected and the amount cannot be repaid to the remitter owing to the latter not being found, the order shall be void and its value credited to the Central Government. But, if the payee or remitter subsequently applies for payment, the amount of the void order shall be paid to him on the authority of the Audit Officer, provided that application is made before the expiration of one year from the date of issue of the original order.

 

143. Cancelled.

 

144. Deleted.

Instant Money Order

144-A. Money can be transferred through the service of Instant Money Order here-in-after referred to as ‘IMO’, for an amount not less than Rupees one thousand and not more than Rupees fifty thousand.

Explanation: For the purpose of this part, ‘IMO’ service means a computerized web-based instant money transfer service between two resident individuals in the territory of India through the Post Office.

144B. The Central Government may specify, by order issued from time to time, the Post offices from where the ‘IMO’ may be remitted or paid or wherever necessary, suspend the ‘IMO’ services from the those post offices.

144C. The central Government may, by order issued from time to time, prescribe the rates of commission and charges for specialized message, if any, applicable for remittance of money through ‘IMO’.

144D. The remittance of money may be made in such manner and in such form as may be prescribed by the Director General of Posts, from time to time.

144E. (1) The form duly filled together with the amount of ‘IMO’, the commission and the charges, if any, payable for personalized message, may be presented at the specified post office during the hours prescribed for ‘IMO’ transactions.

(2) A receipt thereof shall be given to the remitter along with a confidential ‘IMO’ number in a scaled condition in the space provided in the receipt.

(3) The remitter shall inform the payee at his own means and risk, the confidential ‘IMO’ number.

(4) The payee may present his request for payment of ‘IMO’ along with the confidential ‘IMO’ number in the prescribed form in any specified post office other than the post office of its booking.

(5) The Counter Postal Assistant/Supervisor shall arrange for payment of ‘IMO’ to the payee after verifying the confidential ‘IMO” number, identity of the payee and the correctness of its actual booking.

144F. On a request by the remitter in the prescribed form for repayment of ‘IMO’ to him, the same may be paid, if not already paid to the payee, on production of receipt issued to him along with the confidential ‘IMO’ number, proof of his identify and full particulars of the payee.

144G. If the remitter or payee of the ‘IMO’ is illiterate, his thumb mark shall be obtained and verified in such a manner as the Director General may direct.

Vide GSR 30(E) dated 20th January, 2006

II.   FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS

ORDINARY FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS

145. (1) Foreign money orders shall be of two kinds, namely.

(a)      Money orders expressed in rupee currency; and

 

(b)      Money orders expressed in sterling.

(2) The Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the Post Office guide the countries and places with which money orders of each kind may be exchanged.

146. (1) The amount for which single foreign rupee money order may be issued or the total amount for which a single remitter may obtain such money orders in one day, shall not exceed Rs. 1,000. or such smaller sum as may in the case of remittances to any particular country or countries be specially notified by the Director General. [Sentence in draft may be put up here.] In the event of foreign rupee money orders exceeding the prescribed limit in the aggregate being accepted by any post office or offices in India, from a single remitter in one day only such money order or money orders as do not exceed that limit shall be advised to destination and the value of the remaining money order or money orders shall be repaid to the remitter, who shall not, however be granted a refund of the commission paid by him in respect of such money orders. No foreign rupee money order shall include any fraction of a paisa.

(2) The amount for which a single foreign sterling money order may be issued or the total amount for which a single remitter may obtain such money order in one day shall be limited to 40 or such smaller sum as may in the case of remittances to any particular country or countries be especially notified by the Director General. The total amount for which a single remitter may obtain such money orders in one day for any country other than Great Britain and Northern Ireland shall not exceed the prescribed limit. In the event of foreign sterling money orders exceeding the prescribed limit in aggregate bring accepted by a post office or offices in India from a single remitter in one day (for countries other than Great Britain and Northern Ireland) only such money order or money orders shall as do not exceed that limit shall be advised to destination and the value of the remaining money order or money orders shall be repaid to the remitter who shall not however be granted a refund of the commission paid by him in respect of such money orders. No foreign sterling money orders shall include any fraction of a penny.

(2A) Where a single foreign rupee money order or a single foreign currency money order exceeding the limit specified in sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2) as the case may be is accepted, the said money order shall be advised to destination only for the limit so specified and the balance, together with the excess charged commission shall be refunded to the remitter.

(3) The amount of a foreign sterling money order shall be paid to the post office in rupee currency at such rates of exchange as the Director General shall, from time to time, direct.

146-A. The remitter of a foreign money order shall declare the purpose of making the remittance in such form as may be prescribed by the Director General.

147. (1) In the case of foreign rupee money orders, the rates of commission shall be following, namely.

On any sum not exceeding Rs. 10 20 paise.

On any sum exceeding Rs. 10 but not exceeding Rs. 25 40 paise

On any sum exceeding Rs. 25 40 paise on each complete sum of Rs. 25 and 40 paise for the remainder provided that If the remainder does not exceed rupees 10 the charge for it shall be 20 paise only.

(2) In the case of foreign sterling Money Order the rates of commission shall be the following; namely.

On an sum not exceeding L1 25 paise.

For each additional L1/- or fraction thereof in excess of L1/- 20 paise

Provided that in the case of such money orders to Aden and Pakistan, the rates of commission shall be the same as those prescribed by Rule 112(1) for Inland Money Orders.

148. Omitted.

 

149. (1) The remitter of a foreign rupee money order shall, unless the money order is one for which an advice of payment as provided for in sub-rule (2) can be had, be entitled to receive free of charge an acknowledgement of the payment of the order signed by the payee.

(2) The remitter of a foreign money order to any of the countries or places specially notified in that behalf by the Director general from time to time in the Post Office Guide shall be entitled to receive an advice of its payment from the foreign post office of payment by paying a fee of 20 Paise in addition to the commission chargeable on the money order.

(3) When the remitter of a foreign money order has not paid the fee for an advice of payment and desires to have an enquiry made by the Post Office regarding the disposal of the money order, he shall be entitled to this service on payment of the same fee as that chargeable for an advice of payment.

150. (1) Rules 122, 123 and 124 relating to inland money orders shall apply mutatis mutandis to foreign sterling money orders and foreign rupee money orders.

(2) The Post Office of issue, on receipt of an application from the remitter, shall forward it for disposal to the Indian Post Office of Exchange to which the money order was originally sent.

151. Rules 113(a), 114, 115, 116 and 120, relating to inland money orders, shall be applicable to the issue of foreign money orders.

 

152. Foreign sterling money orders received for payment in India shall be paid as if they were inland money orders, the amount in sterling of the original money order being converted into rupee currency by the Indian Post office of exchange (at Bombay or Madras, as the case may be) at such rate of exchange as the Director General may, from time to time, direct.

152. A. The payee of a foreign money order received for payment in India shall, on payment a fee of 20 paise at the time of taking payment of the order or of a fee of 50 paise thereafter, be entitled to obtain a certificate of payment of the money order in such form as may be prescribed by the Director General.

153. The payment of foreign money order shall ordinarily be made at the address of the payee. It shall be made on his signing the order and acknowledgement (except when otherwise provided by the Director General) in the case of a foreign rupee money order and on his signing order in the case of a foreign sterling money order.

 

154. Under no circumstances can a foreign money order, whether rupee money order or a sterling money order, be aid after it has been treated as void or returned to the country of issue.

 

155. Rules 119, 120,121 and 125, relating to inland money orders, shall be applicable to the payment of foreign money orders.

AIR MAIL MONEY ORDERS

156. Air mail money orders may be issued from any post office in India for any country or place as the Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the Post Office Guide. The limits of value and other conditions laid down in the foregoing rules relating to ordinary foreign money orders shall apply in the case of air mail money order;

Provided that the fees for air mail money orders shall be made up of (i) the money order commission at the rates prescribed by rule 147 and (ii) an air mail charge at the rate of

10 paise for each money order drawn on Sri Lanka or Pakistan.

40 Paise for each money order drawn on other countries.

TELEGRAPHIC FOREIGN MONEY ORDERS

157. Rupee and Sterling orders.-Telegraphic foreign money orders shall be of two kinds, namely.

(a)      Telegraphic money orders expressed in rupees, and

 

(b)      Telegraphic money orders expressed in sterling.

 

158. Countries of exchange for telegraphic foreign money orders. The Director General shall, from time to time, notify in the Post Office Guide the countries and place with which telegraphic money orders of each kind as specified in rule 157 may be exchanged.

 

159. Omitted.

 

160. Offices of Issue. Telegraphic money order may be issued from any post office in India which is authorized to issue such orders for the countries and places notified in the Post Office Guide under rule 158.

 

161. Maximum amount. The limit or value and other conditions laid down in rules 146 and 146-A shall apply to telegraphic foreign money orders except that a telegraphic foreign rupee money order shall not include any sum less than a rupee.

 

162. Fees.-The fee of a telegraphic foreign money order issued in India shall be made up of.

(1)     The commission applicable to an ordinary money order for the same amount drawn on the country or place concerned,

 

(2)     A telegraphic charge calculated on the number of words used in the telegram advising the remittance at the rate in force for the time being for an ordinary or letter telegram, as the case may be, for the country or place concerned (or in the case of payment in Burma, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for an express or ordinary telegram), and

 

(3)     A supplementary charge of 15 paise.

 

163. Applicablity of rules regarding issue of order. Rules 129(a), 130, 131, 132 and 136 shall apply to telegraphic foreign money orders in the same manner in which they apply to telegraphic inland money order:

 

164. Private communication. The remitter of a telegraphic foreign money order may have a private communication to the payee added to the telegram advising the remittance on paying for the additional words at the rate in force for the time being for an ordinary or deferred telegram, as the case may be, for the country or place concerned;

Provided that in the case of telegraphic money orders for Burma, Pakistan and Sri Lanka the remitter may have a private communication to the payee added to the telegram advising the remittance, on paying for the additional words in excess of the prescribed minimum number of words admissible for the country concerned at the rate in force for the time being for the class of telegram to which the advice belongs.

165. Prepayment of reply:- The remitter of a telegraphic money order for any foreign country or place notified in the Post Office Guide under rule 158 except Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the people's Democratic Republic of Yemen and Burma may prepay the telegraph charge for a reply.

 

166. Advice of payment.

 

(1)     The remitter of a telegraphic money order for any foreign country or place notified in the Post Office Guide under rule 158 except the People's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Pakistan and Sri Lanka may obtain an advice of payment on paying the fee charged for such advice in the case of an ordinary money order; provided that, if he desires that the request for the advice should be communicated to the post office of payment by telegraph, a further charge at the rate for the time being in force for an ordinary or letter telegram, as the case may be, shall be made for the additional words “advice payment” which shall be added to the telegraphic message.

 

(2)     Rule 133 relating to telegraphic inland money orders shall apply to telegraphic money orders for the people's Democratic Republic of Yemen, Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

 

167. Alteration of instructions.

 

(1)     The remitter in India of a telegraphic foreign money order may, on receipt of information from the office of issue in India that the order has not been paid, require that the name or address of the payee or both shall be altered or that the amount shall be repaid to him.

 

(2)     Any such instructions in the case of an order payable in Burma, Pakistan and Sri Lanka shall be communicated by telegraph to the office of destination in Burma, Pakistan or Sri Lanka, if the remitter pays the cost of the telegram, and shall otherwise be sent by post.

 

(3)     In the case of orders payable elsewhere than in Burma, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the instructions of the remitter shall be communicated by telegraph to the office of destination on the remitter's paying the cost, at the ordinary rate of twelve words for a private message to the country or place concerned, otherwise by post.

 

168. Payment in India. The payment in India of a telegraphic foreign money order shall ordinarily be made at the address of the payee on his signing a receipt for the amount paid and as soon as practicable after the receipt of the telegraphic advice.

 

169. Redirection:- A telegraphic foreign money order received for payment in India shall be redirected to the payee by post free of charge to this revised address in India on his written request or when there is sufficient trustworthy information upon which to redirect the order.

 

170. Non-delivery.

 

(1)     If the payee of a telegraphic foreign money order, received for payment in India cannot be found, or if the payee refuses to take payment, a telegraphic reference shall be made to the office of issue in order to obtain instructions from the remitter regarding the disposal of the money order.

 

(2)     If a telegraphic money order is ultimately undeliverable or if the remitter desires repayment, the money order shall be reissued by post to the remitter without further charge.

 

171. Applicability of rules regarding payment.

 

(1)     Rules 135 and 136 shall apply to the payment in India of telegraphic foreign money orders in the same manner in which they apply to the payment of telegraphic inland money orders,

 

(2)     Rule 152 shall also apply to the payment of telegraphic foreign currency money orders received from countries mentioned in the Post Office Guide under rule 158.

 

172. Telegraphing of foreign money order to Indian Office of exchange.

 

(1)     The remitter of a foreign money order drawn on any country to which money orders can be sent other than those to which telegraphic money orders can be sent, may have the particulars of the money order, telegraphed to the Indian office of exchange concerned, and that office shall, on receipt of the telegraphic advice, issue by post a money order on the country of payment under the rules relating to foreign money order.

 

(2)     Rule 161 shall apply to money orders so telegraphed.

 

173. Fee for issue of order under rule 172.The fee for the issue of a foreign money order telegraphed under rule 172 shall be made up of.

(1)     the rate of commission on a foreign money order for the same amount,

 

(2)     a telegraph charge calculated at the ordinary or express rate, as the case may be, for inland telegrams for the actual number of words used in the telegram advising the remittance.

 

(3)     a supplementary charge of rupee two.

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

174. Applicability of rules to orders under rule 172, Rules 129(a), 130, 131, 132,136. 138, 139 and 140 shall apply in the case of foreign money orders telegraphed under rule 172 except that the remitter shall not be entitled to have a private communication added to the telegram advising the remittance.

 

175. Deleted.

 

176. Deleted.

 

177. Deleted.

 

178. Deleted.

 

179. Deleted.

 

180. Deleted.

III. INDIAN POSTAL ORDERS

180-A. The amount for which a single Indian Postal Order may be issued shall be Rs. 1., Rs. 2, Rs. 5, Rs. 7, Rs. 10, Rs. 20, Rs. 50, and Rs. 100. Commission charged shall be as follows.

Provided that the amount for which a single Indian Postal Order (for this purpose hereinafter called as Field Postal Order) may be issued shall be Rs. 2,000, Rs. 3,000, Rs. 5,000, Rs. 10,000, Rs. 15,000 and Rs. 20,000. Commission charged on a Field Postal Order shall be as follows.

Such Field Postal Order shall be sold to Armed Forces Personnel only at Field Post Offices under Indian Army Postal Service.

180-B. Broken amounts may be made up by affixing unused Indian Postal Stamps, not exceeding four in number on the face of the Indian Postal Orders or where the space on that side is not adequate on the reverse thereof; provided that the total of stamps affixed on each order shall not exceed three rupees and the total amount payable on the order shall not exceed one hundred rupees.

180-C. The Director-General may prescribe the offices authorized to hold a stock of Indian Postal orders and the manner in which they shall be solo and paid to the public.

180-D. (1) Indian Postal Orders presented within 24 months from the last day of the month of issue are encashable without second commission. If an Indian Postal Order is not presented for payment within 24 months from the last day of the month of issue, the 2nd commission @ prescribed in Rule 180-A above, shall be charged, which shall be paid in postage stamp affixed to the back of the order. The Indian Postal Orders presented more than 36 months after the last day of the month of issue shall be time barred and shall not be paid.

(2)(i) Field Postal Order presented within four months from the last day of the month of issue are encashable without second commission. If a field Postal Order is not presented for payment within four months from the last day of the month of issue, a second commission equal to the first commission shall be charged, which shall be paid in postage stamps affixed to the back of the order.

(ii) field Postal Orders presented for payment more than six months after the last day of the month of issue will not be paid but will be forfeited.

Vide GSR 408(E). Dated 17th May, 2010

180-E. (1) The purchaser of an Indian Postal order shall be entitled to obtain repayment of its value, but not the commission, on presenting the order and the counterfoil at the post office from which the order was purchased within two years from the last day of the month of issue. He shall also be entitled to repayment of its value after two years but not after three years from the last day of the month of issue provided a second commission at the rates prescribed in rule 180-A above is paid.

(2) Should the order have been crossed for payment through a bank, the purchaser shall first cancel the crossing by writing across the face of the order the words “please pay cash” and adding his initials.

(3) No payment shall be claimable in respect of any stamp used for the purpose of making up a broken amount unless it is a proper stamp within the meaning of rule 191.

180-F After an Indian Postal order has once been paid to whomsoever it is paid, the Post Office shall not be liable for any further claim.

PART VII

OFFICIAL POSTAL ARTICLES

I. INLAND OFFICIAL POSTAL ARTICLES

181. (1) Official postal articles shall be transmitted post under the following conditions.

(a)      The rates of postage and conditions of transmission by post hereinbefore prescribed for the different classes of unofficial postal articles and the rules under which such articles may be registered, insured, or sent value-payable shall be applicable also to official postal articles of the same classes.

Exception 1. The condition that postage shall be prepaid in full on post card does not apply “Service Unpaid” post cards in the cases mentioned in rules 182 and 186 (2).

Exception 2. The Conditions that unpaid letters must be securely closed by the senders shall not apply to letters sent unpaid under the provisions of rules 182 and 186.

Exception 3. The condition that a parcel shall not contain more than one written communication of the nature of a letter, or having the character of a personal communication, shall not apply to official parcels which contain office files provided that no one file shall contain more than one communication of such nature or having such character which was not contained therein when the file was received in the office from which it is being dispatched.

Exception 4. Postal articles of any class sent on the service of the Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department by officers of the Department, Posts and Telegraphs Audit Officers and such other officers as may be authorized by the Director General in this behalf, shall be transmitted free of postage and all other postal fees or charges.

(b)      Official postal articles, whether the postage is prepaid or not, shall be the superscription “On India Government Service” when posted by Government officials authorized to use service postage stamps or ‘On Service’ when posted by all others authorized to use service postage stamps. This superscription shall be supported by the signature and official designation to be entered in the lower left hand corner of the article of the officer who sends the article or of the Head Clerk or Superintendent of his office or other responsible officer to whom the duty of dispatching is assigned.

Explanation 1. Service post cards bear the inscription “On service” printed immediately above the impressed stamp. In their case, therefore no further superscription shall be required.

Explanation 2. Postmasters may recognize abbreviated designations provided they are generally known, but no official can claim the recognition of an abbreviation, the rule being that the designation shall be entered in full.

Explanation 3. Postmasters may recognize facsimile impressions of signatures made by means of stamps, but not such impressions when lithographed or otherwise produced. Public officers who use such stamps shall make arrangements for their proper custody and use; and where there is any reason to suspect the misuse of any such stamp or the absence of proper precaution against its misuse, postmaster may decline to recognize the stamp impression and require strict adherence to the rule. Printed names shall not be recognized in lieu of signatures except in the case of official Gazettes in open covers posted in large numbers by the office of publication.

(c)      Service stamps affixed to, or impressions of stamping machines taken on, an article which does not bear the prescribed superscriptions supported by the signature and official designation of the sender shall not be recognized by the Post Office in payment of Postage.

 

(d)      The delivery and redirection of articles super scribed “On India Government Service” or “On Service “shall be governed by the official designation (when given) of the addressee.

(2) Envelopes bearing the inscription “Official Paid” printed at the top right hand corner of postal articles in lieu of postage stamps shall also be considered as official postal articles and shall, subject to the provisions of the Note (2) to Rule 190 be eligible for transmission by post under the conditions prescribed in sub-rule (1) of this rule. These envelopes shall, for the present, be used by Military Headquarters. Formations and Units only. The use of such envelopes shall be confined exclusively to ordinary official letters of the inland post. These shall not be valid for use for registered or insured letters or for parcels or for postal articles of any other category. These envelopes also shall not be sold at any post office.

182. (1) The postage chargeable on the delivery of official postal articles when the postage is not prepaid or is insufficiently prepaid, shall be the same as payable on unofficial postal articles of the same category.

Exception:- the above clause shall not be applicable in respect of postal articles posted by or received by the Election Commission containing ballot paper. For such mail single deficiency will be collected.

NOTE. The prepayment of postage on parcels is compulsory.

183. The following persons shall be entitled to use service postage stamps on officials postal articles sent by them subject to the conditions noted against each.

(a)      All Government officials, except those who are on leave or have retired from the service, provided that the articles posted by them are bona fide and exclusively on service of the Government of India.

 

(b)      The Vice Chancellors and Registrars of the Universities of Agra, Andhra, Allahabad, Bombay, Calcutta, Delhi, Gauhati, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, Lucknow, Madras, Mysore, Nagpur, North Bengal, Punjab, Patna, Poona, Rajasthan, Roorkee, Saugar, Travancore and of the Annamalai University at Annamalainagar, Banaras Hindu University, the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda. Muslim University Aligarh, Osmania University, Visva Bharati, Shri Venkateshwara Universtity at Tirupati, Shrimati Nathibai Damodardas Thackersey Women's University at Bombay, Gujarat University, Utkal University at Cuttack, Bihar University and Sardar Vallabh bhai Vidyapeeth, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the public business of the said Universities.

 

(c)      The Presidents of the Districts Educational Councils in the State of Madras and their Secretaries, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the public business of the Council.

 

(d)      The Astronomer in-charge of the G.V. Juggarao observatory. Vizagapatam, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to business of the Observatory.

 

(e)      The Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Hospital for Mental Diseases at Ranchi and the Superintendent of the said Hospital, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Hospital.

 

(f)       The Secretary of the Indian Central Cotton Committee and Officer-in-charge of the various research and other schemes conducted from funds placed at their disposal by the Indian Central Cotton Committee, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Committee.

 

(g)      The Commissioner of Waqfs in the Muzaffarnagar District of the Uttar Pradesh and Commissioner of Waqfs, West Bengal, provided that the articles posted by them relate to matter connected with their official duties.

 

(h)     The President-Secretary of the Assam Sanskrit Board, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the Board.

 

(i)       The Secretaries of Bombay and Bengal Boards of Film Censors, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Boards.

 

(j)       The Director of Agriculture in the State of Bombay and Officer-in-charge of the various research and other schemes conducted under the supervision of the Director of Agriculture from funds placed at his disposal by the Trustees of the Sir Sasoon David Trust Fund, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the public business of the schemes, and also the Chairman of the Board of the Sir Sasoon David Trust Fund, Bombay, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the Board.

 

(k)      The Chairman, Bar Council, Madras, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the public business of the Council.

 

(l)       The Executive Officer, Port Haj Committee, Calcutta, and the Secretary, Port Haj Committee, Bombay, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Committee.

 

(m)    The Secretary, Indian Council of Agricultural Research, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the Council.

 

(n)     The Deputy Collector of Salt Revenue, Bombay, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Landing and Wharfage Fees Fund.

 

(o)      The Controller of Emigrant Labour, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business as Controller.

 

(p)      The Backward Class Officer, Bombay State, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Criminal Tribes Industrial Societies.

 

(q)      The Secretary of the Indian Central Jute Committee provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the Committee.

 

(r)      The Secretary, Medical Council of India, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the Council.

 

(s)      The Chairman and the Secretary of the Coal Board, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Board.

 

(t)       The Director and the Secretary of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Council.

 

(u)     The Secretaries of India State and District Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen's Boards in India provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Boards.

 

(v)      The Chairman and the Secretary of the Coffee Board, the Chief Coffee Marketing Officer and Director of Propaganda, the Deputy Chief Coffee Marketing Officer, Officers-in-charge of the various Sub-officers of the Board, the Director of Research, Superintendent, Coffee Research Sub-Station, the Senior Liason Officers and Junior Liaison Officers of the Research Department provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Board.

 

(w)     Omitted.

(w1) The Chairman and Secretary of the Saurashtra, West Bengal, Madras, Kerala, Punjab, Haryana, Bombay, Bihar, Assam, Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Uttar Pradesh State Electricity Boards and Officers-in-charge of Power Houses and other Administrative offices under the control of the said Boards, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the respective Boards.

(x)      The Secretary, Damooar Valley Corporation, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the office of corporation.

 

(y)      Secretary, Dental Council of India, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of Council.

 

(z)      The Secretary, Indian Central Arecanut committee, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the Committee.

(aa) Coal Mines Provident Fund Commissioner, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Fund.

(bb) The Secretary, the Cotton Textiles Fund Committee, Bombay, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Committee.

(cc) The Secretary, Indian Central Coconut Committee, Ernakulam, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Committee.

(dd) The Secretary, Indian Central Tobacco Committee and Officers-in-Charge of various research and other schemes conducted from funds placed at their disposal by the said Committee provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Committee.

(ee) Persons who are entitled by Rules made under Section 60 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (XLIII of 1951) or public servant who are entitled by Rules made under clause (d) of sub-section (2) of section 169 of the said Act, to give their votes by Postal Ballot, provided that the article posted relates solely to the giving of such Vote.

Explanation. Every such postal ballot shall be deemed to be an official postal article for the purpose of this rule.

(ff) The Director, Central Coconut Research Station, Kasarood and Joint Director, Central Coconut Research Station, Kayangulam, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Research Stations.

(gg) The Secretary, Indian Central Oilseeds Committee provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Committee.

(hh) The Secretary, Central Council of Gosamvardhana provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Council.

(ii) The President, Board of Education, West Bengal, provided the articles posted by them relate solely to the public business of the Board.

(jj) The Secretary, Board of High School and Intermediate Education, Ajmer, Bhopal, and Vindhya Pradesh and the Secy, Board of Secondary Education, Orissa, provided that the articles posted by such secretary relate solely to the public business of the said Board.

(kk) The Secretary, The State Primary Education Board, Assam, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the public business of the said Board.

(ll) Arbitrators appointed under the specific orders of the Registrar of Cooperative societies in Madras State to attend to arbitration work connected therewith provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to such arbitration.

(mm) The Central Provident Fund Commissioner and all Regional Provident Fund Commissioner in India and the Provident Fund Inspector at Kutch appointed under the Employees' Provident Fund Scheme, 1952, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of Employees' Provident Fund.

(nn) University Grants Commission provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Commission.

(oo) District councils of the autonomous districts of Assam constituted by the Sixth Schedule to the Constitution of India, including the Pawi-Lakher Regional Council in the Mizo autonomous district of Assam, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Councils.

(pp) The Secretary, the Indian Council of Medical Research, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Council.

(qq) The Chairman, Secretary, Rubber Production Commissioner, Junior Field Officers and Rubber Instructors of the Rubber Board, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Board.

(rr) The Chief Administrator and the Chairman of the Rehabilitation Finance Administration and the Officers-in-Charge of the branches of the said administration at Calcutta, Gauhati, Lucknow and Bombay, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Administration.

(ss) Officers of the Neyyeli Lignite Corporation (Private) Limited at Madras and its Field Offices at Neyyeli in the South Arcot District of Madras, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Corporation.

(tt) The General Manager, Bihar State Road Corporation, Bombay State Road Corporation or Saurashtra State Road Corporation, provided that the articles posted by any such General Manager relate solely to the business of the Corporation of which he is the General Manager.

(uu) The Director and the Registrar of the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, Bombay, and Madras, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Institute.

(vv) The Chairman and Secretary of the Central Silk Board, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Board.

(ww) The Chairman and Administrative Officer of the West Bengal Development Corporation provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Corporation.

(xx) The Secretary, National Book Trust of India (Bhartiya Granth Prakashan) provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Trust.

(yy) The Chairman and Secretary of the Bombay Housing Board, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Board.

(zz) The Administrator and the Chairman of the Territorial Council in the Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh, Manipur and Tripura and Officers-in-charge of other Administrative offices under the control of the said council, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the Council.

(aaa) Secretary, Central Board for Workers' Education, Nagpur and Administrative Officers of Regional Offices of the said Board, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Board.

(bbb) Secretary, Oil and Natural Gas Commission, Dehra Dun, provided that the articles posted by him relate solely to the business of the said Commission.

(ccc) State Khadi and Village Industries Board, Madras, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said Board.

(ddd) The Director of the Indian School of Mines, Dhanbad, provided that the articles posted by them relate solely to the business of the said School.

184. Correspondence sent by an officer of a local authority, or by any officer of the Government acting in a capacity connected with a local authority, such as the President or Secretary of a Local Fund Committee, shall not be deemed official correspondence within the meaning of these rules and may not be super-scribed as “On Indian Government Service”. But nothing in this rule shall be held to prevent the transmission “On India Government Service” of correspondence sent by an officer of the Government acting as such although the correspondence may relate to the affairs of a local authority.

Illustration. The Commissioner of a Division, writing in that capacity to the Secretary of a Local Fund Committee concerning its affairs, may superscribe the letter “On Indian Government Service”.

185. The postage and other charges (if any) on an official postal article can be properly prepaid only by a proper service stamp or stamps or by a proper impression or impressions of stamping machines. Where, however, an ordinary postage stamp instead of a service stamp is used on an official postal article, the article shall be recognized as an official postal article by the Post Office; but the irregularity shall be brought by the Officer-in-charge of the post office at which the article was so posted, to the notice of the officer concerned and, if of frequent occurrence, to that of the Postmaster General. Service stamps cannot be used for prepayment of postage on private correspondence.

 

186. (1) Omitted.

(2) Letters, post cards and packets sent by private persons to officers of the Government containing, communications which the sender is required by law or rule to make, if superscribed “Service Unpaid” shall, if not refused and returned un-opened by the addressee, be charged, on delivery, with postage at the same rates as for ordinary unpaid articles.

187. The amount of postage marked as due on postal articles delivered under the superscriptions of “Service Unpaid” or “on India Government Service” or “On Service” shall be initialed by the postmaster, or other officer authorized in this behalf by the Postmaster General, of the office of delivery, and whenever any alteration is necessary in the amount as entered in figures, the amount due shall be written in words and attested by the signature, in full, of the postmaster or other officer aforesaid. Officers of the Government shall be bound to receive and to pay any postage which may be due on articles addressed to them under the superscription “On India Government Service” or “On Service” and bearing the signature in full of the sender. Service stamps shall not be accepted in payment of postage due on such articles.

II. FOREIGN OFFICIAL CORRESPONDENCE

188. Official correspondence transmitted by the foreign post shall be subject to the same rates and be governed by the same rules as private correspondence. Service Stamps shall not however be used on official Correspondence addressed to Foreign Countries.

 

189. The amount of postage marked as due of postal articles received by the foreign post for delivery to officers of the Government shall be initialed by the postmaster, or other officer authorized in this behalf by the Postmaster General, of the office of delivery.

PART VII

GENERAL RULES

I.     MANAGER OF PREPAYMENT OF POSTAGE AND OTHER CHARGES OF POSTAL ARTICLES.

190. Whether the postage or other fees of sums chargeable on a postal article is prepaid or are prepaid, the prepayment shall be made either by means of a proper stamp or stamps provided for the purpose by the orders of the Central Government under Section 16 of the Act or by means of a proper impression or impressions of stamping machines or in cash, subject to such terms and conditions as the Director General may from time to time prescribe.

Provided that in the case of postal articles posted on the high seas on board a ship and included in a mail bag made over by the master of that ship to any Post Office at any port of call of the ship for further disposal, prepayment by means of postage stamps valid in the country where the ship stands registered may be considered as valid payment under this rule.

NOTE 1. Postage stamps bearing the effigy of Her Late Majesty Queen Victoria and His Late Majesty King Edward VII shall, with effect from the 1st September, 1938, not be accepted in payment of postage or other sums.

NOTE 2. For the purpose of this Rule and Rule 181 and notwithstanding anything contained in Rule 185 “OFFICIAL PAID” envelopes referred to in Rule 181(2) shall be considered as having been fully prepaid with postage, even though such articles do not bear any service postage stamps or impression of a stamping machine. The postage realized on these envelopes shall be at the rate of 16 paise each, for the present which shall be collected from the war Department under Separate arrangements.

NOTE 3.—For the purpose of Rules 190, 192, 193, and 194, the postage stamp or stamps, Postcards (single or reply), Inland Cards. Embossed Envelopes, Air Letter forms and Registration Envelopes, on which value is denoted in terms of rupees, annas and pies shall, with effect on from the 1st April, 1957, be sold and accepted in each case in payment of postage or other sums for the values denoted in terms of the decimal coinage as shown in the following Schedule:

SCHEDULE

191. The postage and other charges shall not be deemed to be prepaid by means of a proper stamp.

(a)      if the stamp is a stamp which has not been provided for use as a postage stamp under section 16 of the Act, or

 

(b)      if the stamp has been obliterated, defaced, torn, cut or otherwise rendered imperfect, or

 

(c)      if the stamp has upon it any word, letter, figure, or design or printed or impressed upon it, otherwise than by the authority or the Central Government before posting, or

 

(d)      If the stamp has been cut or otherwise separated from an embossed envelope or from a postcard or wrapper.

Provided that nothing in this rule shall prevent the perforation of postage stamps with initials, or other identifying marks, traced in minute holes.

NOTE, The special registration envelopes provided by the Post Office, bearing embossed stamps denoting the registration fee and the initial rate of letter postage, cannot be used for the transmission of unregistered postal articles.

II.-PRICE OF STAMPS

192. Adhesive postage stamps shall be sold in each case for the denoted value of the stamp or stamps.

 

193. Plain postcards and letter (single and reply) shall be sold for the denoted value of the stamp or stamps which they bear.

 

194. The embossed envelopes (square, commercial and airmail), letter cards and the registration envelopes specified below shall be sold at the following prices, namely.

Embossed Envelopes

For each (Inland) envelope. Rs. 5/-

For each Inland ( letter card) … Rs 2.50

For each (Foreign) envelope (Airmail). Rs. 6.50

Registration Envelopes

(i)       For each small envelope. Rs. 22/-+ 50 paise stationery charges

(ii)      For each large envelope. Rs. 22/-+ Re. 1/- stationery charges

194-A Deleted.

194-B.(1) No person shall sell or distribute postage stamps or deal in any other manner in postage stamps except under and in accordance with the terms and conditions of a license issued by the Central Government or by such officer or authority as the Central Government may authorize in this behalf.

(2) whoever contravenes the provisions of sub-rule (1) or any term or condition of a license issued there under shall be punishable with fine which may extend to fifty rupees.

(3) Nothing in this Rule shall apply in respect of the sale of postage stamps by.

(a)      any post office;

 

(b)      any official of the post office while on duty;

 

(c)      any philatelic agency;

 

(d)      any hospital, sanatorium or similar other institution;

 

(e)      any institute for the recreation of sailors, soldiers or airmen;

 

(f)       such other person or at such other places as the Central Government may be notification in the Official Gazette, specify.

 

195. Omitted (Vide GSR 58(E) dated 31st January 2011)

IV. LATE LETTERS, POSTCARDS OR PACKETS

196. During such hours as the Postmaster General may prescribe, letters, letter cards, postcards of packets intended for dispatch by any mail may be presented at the window of the Post Office, Railway Mail Service Office or Section except on Sundays when unregistered letters, letter cards, postcards or packets may be posted in special letter boxes provided for the purpose in Departmental Telegraph Office, selected combined offices and Railway Mail Service Officers or in letter boxes or provided in Railway Mail Service. Sections, and registered newspapers or packets of registered newspapers may be accepted in offices specially authorized by the Postmaster General in this behalf.

The articles so presented or posted shall be accepted for dispatch by inland or foreign post if the postage and fee required by or under Rule 197 have been prepaid.

Provided that no late fee shall be chargeable on registered news-papers or packets of registered newspapers accepted for posting on Sundays by offices, specially authorized by the Postmaster-General.

197. (1) The late fee shall ordinarily be chargeable at the following rates:—

Inland Postal Articles.

For each unregistered letter, letter card, postcard or packet. Rupees two

For each registered letter, letter card postcard or packet. Rupees three

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

Foreign Postal Articles-

For each letter, air letter, (aerogramme), postcard or packet, whether registered unregistered… Rs. 2.00

(2) The Director General may direct that a higher fee than that prescribed by sub-rule (1), but not exceeding rupees three, shall be charged on late letters, letter cards, postcards or packets posted in certain Post offices. RMS offices or sections or on board the steamers or in other special circumstances. All such fees and the circumstances in which they are chargeable shall be notified in the Gazette of India.

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

198. Deleted.

 

199. Deleted.

 

200. Deleted.

V.    RE-DELIVERY TO THE SENDER OR ALTERATION OR CORRECTIONS OF

ADDRESS OF POSTAL ARTICLES IN THE COURSE OF TRANSMISSION BY POST.

201. (1) Subject to the provisions of this rule. The sender of a postal article (hereinafter in this rule referred to as the sender) posted in India may have it withdrawn from the post, or have its address altered, so long as the article.

(a)      has not been delivered to the addresses;

 

(b)      has not been confiscated or destroyed by the competent authorities of the country in which the article may be for the time being;

 

(c)      has not been seized by virtue of any law of the country of destination.

(2) No postal article shall be recalled nor shall the address thereon be altered under this rule except under and in accordance with the orders of the Central Government, the Director-General, Postmaster-General or such other authority as may be authorized in this behalf.

(3) An application for the recall or alteration of address of a Postal article under this rule may be made by the sender or by any other person authorized by him in writing in this behalf to any of the authorities referred to in sub-rule (2) either directly or through any officer-in-charge of a post office:

Provided that no application shall be entertained under this sub-rule in respect of a postal article addressed to a foreign country unless such article is addressed to a country notified in this behalf by the Director-General in the Post Office Guide:

Provided further that every such application shall be accompanied by a statement (which may be enclosed in a sealed cover) indicating the reasons why redelivery is sought. The sealed cover shall be opened only by the authority authorized to issue the order of redelivery or where such authority is the Central Government, by a Secretary to the Central Government.

(4) An application made under Sub-rule (3) shall be accompanied by a fee calculated at the rate of rupees Six for each postal article to which it relates:

Vide GSR 23(E) dated 11th January 2002

Provided that where the application is in respect of several postal articles, posted at the same time, at the same office, by the same sender, to the same addressee, the articles so posted shall be treated as a single article for calculating the fee:

Provided also that the fees paid under this sub-rule shall in no circumstances be refunded.

(5) Where the application is in respect of an insured or registered article, it shall also be accompanied by a copy of the original receipt granted by the post office and fresh postage necessary.

(6) An application made under sub-rule (3) may contain a request that any communication that may have to be addressed to offices in India or foreign countries for recalling the postal article or altering the address thereon may be transmitted by air mail or by telegraph and in such a case, the sender shall be liable to pay the amount of air mail or telegraph charges payable on such communications.

(7) The Central Government shall not incur liability be reason of misdelivery of any postal article contrary to an application made under this rule.

(8) Nothing in this rule shall preclude a sender of a postal article from making a request for a simple correction of the address (not involving alteration of the name or status of the addressee) direct to the office of destination of the article.

VI.   DETENTIION IN THE POST OFFICE OF BOOK AND PATTERN PACKETS AND PARCLES.

202. (1) For the purpose of preferential treatment in sorting transmission and delivery, postal articles are divided into the following four group in the following order namely.

(a)      Postcards, Letter cards, Money orders and standard envelopes as defined in sub-rule (4) of rule 8.

 

(b)      Letters (other than standard envelopes as defined in sub rule 4 of rule 8) and surcharge air-mail articles.

 

(c)      Standard articles as defined in sub-rule (5) of rule 8;

 

(d)      all other postal articles.

(2) Postal articles of any of the groups above may be detained in sorting, transmission or delivery if it is necessary to do so to expedite the sorting, transmission or delivery of postal articles in the group or groups higher in the preferential order mentioned in sub rule (1)

Vide GSR 965 dated 12/12/1989

203. Deleted

 

204. Deleted

 

205. Deleted

 

206. Deleted

 

207. Deleted

Vide GSR 965 dated 12/12/1989

VII. DETENTION AND DISPOSAL OF UNDELIVERED POSTAL ARTICLES.

At the Post Office of address.

208. (1) An undelivered postal article, the addressee of which Is not known or has left the station of address without intimating his fresh address at the post office, shall ordinarily be kept in deposit in the head, sub. or branch post office to which it is addressed for a period of seven days after all enquiries to find the addressee have proved unsuccessful.

(2) An undelivered postal article, on which the words “Poste Restante”. “To await arrival”, or similar instructions have been written, shall remain in the post office to which it s addressed for a period not exceeding one month.

(a)      has refused or after due notice omitted to take delivery within the period specified in the notice, or

 

(b)      for a period of one month in all other cases.

(3) Notwithstanding anything contained in sub-rule (1) or sub-rule (2), an undelivered value, payable post article, whether or not the words ‘Poste Restante’, “To await arrival,” or similar instructions have been written thereon shall subject to the proviso to sub-rule (1) of rule 99 remain in the post office to which it is addressed for a period of seven days only.

(4) An undelivered postal article shall ordinarily not remain in a post office to which it has been redirected, after it has been ascertained that the addressee cannot be found.

(5) An undelivered telegram, which is in course of transmission by post shall remain in the post office to which it is addressed, for a period of three days from the date on which it reached that office.

209. An undelivered postal article, of which the addressee.

(a)      has refused or after due notice omitted to take delivery, or

 

(b)      is known to have gone away from India without leaving instructions at the post office as to the redirection of his correspondence, or

 

(c)      is dead and there is no person to whom the article could properly be delivered, shall not be detained in the post office to which it is addressed.

In the office of the Postmaster General.

210. Subject to the provision of clause (b) of the proviso to section 39 of the Act, letters (except postcards and letter cards) which cannot be disposed of under section 38 of the Act, shall be detained for a period of.

(a)      one month, when they are unregistered, and

 

(b)      three months, when they are registered.

On the expiration of the prescribed period, the letters shall be destroyed.

211. (1) Unregistered postcards and letter cards which cannot be disposed of under section 38 of the Act shall be detained for a period of 72 hours, on the expiration of which they may be destroyed.

Provided that postcards and letter cards, other than those sent “Service Unpaid” under the provisions of rule 186 on which the postage has not been prepaid shall be destroyed forthwith.

(2) Registered postcards and letter cards shall be detained for a period of three months and then destroyed.

212. Subject to the provisions of section 39, proviso (b), of the Act, packets and newspapers which cannot be disposed of under section 38 of the Act, shall be dealt with as follows.

(a)      Packets containing printed papers, obviously without value, such as trade circulars and price lists, shall be disposed of forthwith by being sold as waste paper or destroyed.

 

(b)      Other packets and newspapers shall be detained for a period of (i) one month, if they are unregistered and (ii) three months, If they are registered. On the expiration of which the packets and newspapers may be disposed of by being sold or destroyed. Magazines, periodicals and newspapers may, at the option of the Postmaster-General, be used for any public purpose.

 

213. Subject to the provisions of section 39, proviso (b) of the Act, parcels which cannot be disposed of under section 38, shall be detained for a period of three months, on the expiration of which they may be destroyed.

 

214. Nothing in these rules shall prevent the immediate destruction of any postal article in exercise of the powers conferred by section 23, sub-section (3), of the Act.

VIII. GRATUITIES TO BE PAID TO MASTERS OF SHIPS.

215. (1) Gratuities shall be payable to the masters of the ships, not being mail ships, in respect of postal articles and mail bags or other containers received by them for conveyance on behalf of the Post Office at the following rates, namely:

(a)      Letter mails and empty bags shall be payable at the gross general cargo rates as prevailing from time to time, subject to a reduction of 25%. In case of shipments to U.S.A., the payment shall be made at the non-contract rates, as prevailing from time to time subject to a reduction of 25%. On the lines where only net general cargo rates are quoted, payments shall be made on such net rates as prevailing from time to time subject to a reduction of 15%.

 

(b)      Parcel mail shall be paid for at two thirds the rates applicable to the letter mail.

(2) 18 bags of letter mail or empties or 12 bags of parcel mail shall be equivalent to one shipping ton of 40 cubic feet.

(3) In calculating gratuities payable under sub-rule (1) fractions of a Paise not exceeding one-half shall be ignored and fractions of a Paise exceeding one-half shall be counted as one Paisa.

216. The gratuities shall be payable at the time when the mail bags are made over to the masters of the ships by which they are to be conveyed and on the granting of a receipt for the bags in the form below.

Received from the Postmaster- -the following mail bags:—

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From To No. Remarks

- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Total (In figures and words)

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

A.M.

Dated -----------------------------

P.M.

Master

S.S. “________________”

N.B.—When one from is not sufficient for all the entries, the forms which are used must be numbered in consecutive order, and the word “Last” must be written at the top of the last form.

IX.   AUTHORISING POSTAL OFFICIALS TO SEARCH FOR AND TO INTERCEPT CERTAIN PROHIBITED ARTICLES

217. Postal articles found in course of transmission by post to bear words, marks or design of a seditious character shall be made over to the State Criminal Intelligence Department for disposal. All other postal articles which are sent by post in contravention of section 20 of the Act, shall be destroyed or otherwise dealt with in such manner as the Postmaster General may direct.

 

218. Omitted.

 

219. Omitted.

 

220. Deleted.

 

221. The officers noted below are empowered to search, or cause search to be made, for any copy of seditious publications, the bringing of which by sea or by land into (Provinces of) India is prohibited in course of transmission by post to any place in India. The said officers shall deliver all postal articles reasonably believed or found to contain such copies of publications to the Director, Intelligence Bureau or any officer acting in his behalf.

The Director, Foreign Post, Deputy Director Foreign Post and Assistant Directors Foreign Post at Bombay and all officers-in-charge of head or sub post offices including

Deputy and Assistant Postmasters, and all Superintendents Inspectors and Head Sorters of the Railway Mail Service.

222. Omitted.

 

223. Omitted.

 

224. The officers specified below are hereby empowered to search or cause search to be made, while articles are in the course of transmission by post, for goods the bringing or taking of which by land, sea or air, into or out of India or the State of Pondicherry or any part thereof, has been prohibited by general or special order under Sec. 19 of the Sea Customs Act, 1878 (7 of 1878) or any law or regulation for the time being in force having the same authority as the said section and to deliver any postal article found or reasonably believed to contain any of the prohibited goods to the nearest Customs collector or any other authority empowered to enforce the prohibitions imposed under the same Law or Regulation.

Lists of Officers.

(1)     Officers-in-charge of Post Offices, RMS Offices and Sections functioning as Offices of Exchange for letter mails and Parcels (including air mails).

 

(2)     Presidency-Postmasters, Deputy Presidency-Postmasters and Assistant Presidency-Postmasters at Bombay, Calcutta and Madras.

 

(3)     Director, Deputy Director and Assistant Director Foreign Post, Bombay.

 

(4)     All Head Postmasters.

 

225. (1) The following articles shall in no circumstances, be forwarded to their destination, delivered to the addresses or returned to the country of origin but shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of the Act and the rules made there under.

(i)       Opium, morohine, cocaine and other narcotics, provided that this prohibition shall not apply to consignments sent in insured boxes or in parcels for a medical or scientific purpose to countries which admit them on this condition:

 

(ii)      Explosives or inflammable substances;

 

(iii)     Dangerous substances; and

 

(iv)    Obscene or immoral articles.

(2) Articles other than those mentioned in sub-rule (1) and which are prohibited from import into India under any enactments for the time being in force shall be made over to the nearest Customs Officers for such action as may be provided in the existing laws, rules or regulations.

 

 

(c)    Any charge, surcharge, cess, tax etc. notified by the Government of India, from time to time, shall apply.