POST OFFICE GUIDE

POST OFFICE GUIDE PART I (RULES AND REGULATIONS RELATING TO THE INLAND POST)

Corrected up to 1 July, 1985

Issued by Director-General of Posts

This Post Office Guide Part I contains information on all items of business transacted in a Post Office. The positions relating to the Savings Bank, CTD, RD, TD and Cash Certificates have been removed from this Part and will be incorporated in a separate volume to be entitled as the P.O. Guide Part IV. Two new Sections, one on PHILATELY and the other on POSTAL LIFE INSURANCE have been added to this volume.

2. The Post Office Guide will now be divided into the following four parts.

Part I Rules and regulations relating to inland post.
Part II Rules and regulations relating to foreign post.
Part III List of Post Offices (in two volumes).
Part IV Post Office Savings Bank and Post Office Savings Scheme.

3. The Postal rates are given in a separate pamphlet, attached to Part I. As these are revised from time to time, public are requested to ascertain the latest rates from the nearest Post Office.

4. All the clauses of this Guide are based on the Indian Post Office Act and Rules framed by the Government under the said Act. Nothing in this Guide, therefore, supersedes any of the provisions in the Indian Post Office Act or Rules.

5. Amendments as may be necessary will be issued from time to time by the Director General, Posts. Suggestions for additions and alterations should be addressed to the Postal Technical Section of this Directorate.

पोस्ट ऑफिस गाइड पार्ट I (नियम और नियम इनलैंड पोस्ट से संबंधित)

1 जुलाई, 1985 तक सही किया गया

डाक महानिदेशक द्वारा जारी किया गया

यह पोस्ट ऑफिस गाइड पार्ट I में पोस्ट ऑफिस में लेनदेन किए गए व्यवसाय की सभी वस्तुओं की जानकारी है। बचत बैंक, सीटीडी, आरडी, टीडी और कैश सर्टिफिकेट से संबंधित पदों को इस भाग से हटा दिया गया है और पी.ओ. गाइड भाग IV दो नए खंड, एक फिलिपींस और दूसरा पोस्ट जीवन बीमा इस खंड में जोड़ा गया है।

2. पोस्ट ऑफिस गाइड को अब निम्नलिखित चार भागों में विभाजित किया जाएगा।

भाग I नियम और अंतर्देशीय पद से संबंधित नियम
भाग II नियम और विदेशी पद से संबंधित नियम।
भाग III डाकघरों की सूची (दो खंडों में)।
भाग IV डाकघर बचत बैंक और डाकघर बचत योजना।

3. पोस्टल दरों को एक अलग पुस्तिका में दिया गया है, भाग I से जुड़ा हुआ है। समय-समय पर इन्हें संशोधित किया जाता है, सार्वजनिक रूप से निकटतम डाकघर से नवीनतम दरों का पता लगाने का अनुरोध किया जाता है।

4. इस गाइड की सभी धाराएँ भारतीय डाकघर अधिनियम और नियमों के अनुसार उक्त अधिनियम के तहत सरकार द्वारा बनाई गई हैं। इस गाइड में कुछ भी नहीं है, इसलिए भारतीय डाकघर अधिनियम या नियमों में किसी भी प्रावधान को शामिल किया गया है।

5. जैसा कि आवश्यक हो, समय-समय पर महानिदेशक, डाक द्वारा जारी किए जाएंगे। इस निदेशालय के डाक तकनीकी अनुभाग में परिवर्धन और परिवर्तन के सुझावों को संबोधित किया जाना चाहिए।

CONTENTS

INLAND POST

SECTION I – GENERAL

1. Control . . . . . . . .
2. Types of Offices . . . . . . .
3. Night Post Offices . . . . . . .
4. Mobile Post Offices . . . . . . .

Business Hours

5. Normal week days . . . . . . .
6. Deleted . . . . . . . .
7. Business on Sundays . . . . . . .
8. Post Office Holidays . . . . . . .

Payment of postage

9. Desirability of prepayment of postage . . . .
10. Postage stamps and stationery . . . . .
11. Franking Machines . . . .
12. Prepayment of postage in Cash . . . . .
13. Spoilt or defaced stamps . . . . . .
14. Fictious stamp . . . . . . . .

General Rules as to posting

15. Packing . . . . . . . .
16. Sealing . . . . . . . .
17. Posting of coins etc. . . . . . . .
18. Train and steamer letter boxes . . . . .
19. Posting in special letter boxes. . . . . .
20. Presentation of official & other letters in bulk . . .
21. Articles requiring special treatment . . . . .
22. Desirability of posting early . . . . . .
23. Manner of affixing postage stamps . . . . .
24. Non-Postal stamps, charity stamps, lezels, seals etc. . . .
25. Use of the minimum number of postage stamps

Method of Address

26. Particulars to be furnished . . . . . .
27. Mails for Defense Services Personnel . . . .
28. Mails for Navy personnel serving in INS ships . . .
29. Articles bearing indefinite address . . . . .
30. Addition of sender’s address . . . . . .
31. Intimation of address to correspondents abroad

Certificate of Posting

32. Object in issuing certificates . . . . . .
33. Manner of obtaining . . . . . . .

Recall of Articles Posted

34. Conditions . . . . . . . .

Delivery

35. Definition . . . . . . . .
36. Delivery of registered articles. . . . . .
37. Refusal of registered articles presented for delivery . . .
38. Special procedure for delivering registered articles to firms – etc .
39. Delivery of registered articles addressed to Pardhanashin women .
40. Delivery of damaged registered articles of the letter and parcel mail
41. Delivery of Parcels weighing above 10 Kg. . . . .
42. Delivery of parcels and period of their detention at the office of delivery
43. Delivery of insured articles . . . . . .
44. Delivery of V.P. articles . . . . . .
45. Delivery of articles on which customs duty and fee is due . .
46. Arrangements for delivery of overvalue articles at no-delivery town post offices . . . . . . . . .
47. Payment of money orders . . . . . .
48. Duties of postmen and other delivery agents . . . .
49. Delivery of articles at Post Offices without a delivery agent . .
50. Refusal of articles .
51. Obligation to pay charges . . . . . .
52. Remedy of Post Office for recovery of charges due . . .
53. Articles maliciously sent unpaid . . . . .
54. Correspondence for Defence Services Personnel . . .
55. Post Boxes . . . . . . . .
56. Post Bags . . . . . . . .
57. Window delivery . . . . . . .
58. Delivery of articles to messengers sent from places not served daily by Postmen . . . . . . .
59. Payment of money orders to messengers from places not served daily by postmen . . . . . . . .
60. Delivery of registered articles etc. to messengers or to care party .
61. Delivery of registered articles etc. and payment of money orders addressed or payable to students of educations institutions . . .
62. Accounts with planters . . . . . .
63. Identification cards .

Poste Restante

64. Definition . . . . . . . .
65. Disposal of Poste Restante articles . . . . .
66. Responsibility of the Post Office . . . . .

Redirection

67. Redirection . . . . . . . .
68. Interception and place of redirection . . . . .
69. Conditions of free redirection. . . . . .
70. Penalty for breach of conditions . . . . .
71. Redirection fee on parcels . . . . . .
72. Instructions regarding change of residence .
73. Period for which instructions valid . . . . .

Treatment of Undelivered Articles

74. Period of detentions of undeliverable articles in post offices
75. Disposal of articles sent to the Returned Letter Office . .
76. Obligation of sender to pay postal charges . . . .

Enquiries and Complaints

77. Suggestions and complaints book . . . . .
78. Authority to whom complaints should be addressed . . .
79. Transmission of public complaints . . . . .
80. Circle Complaints Officers . . . . . .
81. Period within which complaints should be preferred . . .
82. Particulars to be given in complaints . . . . . Notes for Public Information
83. Post Office monopoly in the conveyance of letters . . .
84. Legal responsibility of the Post Office . . . .
85. Secrecy . . . . . . . .
86. Licences for sale of Postage Stamps . . . . .
87. Non-exchange of postage stamps and stationery . . .
88. Acceptance of small coins . . . . . .
89. Articles addressed to deceased persons . . . .
90. Liability to detention of certain mails . . . .
91. Facilities provided by village postmen in rural areas . . .
92. Issue of Post Office forms . . . . . .
93. Services which cannot be claimed . . . . .
94. Acceptance of cheques . . . . . .
95. Latest date for payment of dues . . . . .

SECTION II – LETTER AND PARCEL POST Introductory

96. Inland Post . . . . . . . .
97. Postal article . . . . . . . .
98. First class and second class mails . . . . . Letters
99. Payment of postage . . . . . . .
100. Limits of weight and size . . . . . .
101. Unpaid and insufficiently paid letters. . . . . Special Packing Instructions
102. Cinematograph film . . . . . . .
103. Biological Specimens . . . . . . .
104. Articles enclosed in transparent envelopes . . . .
105. Articles enclosed in open panel envelopes . . . . Letter Cards
106. Description . . . . . . . .
107. Letter cards of private manufacture . . . . .
108. Conditions for the transmission of letter cards . . . Post Cards
109. Description . . . . . . . .
110. Postcards of private manufacture . . . . .
111. Special rules . . . . . . . .
112. Penalty for breach of conditions . . . . .
113. Recorded Delivery . . . . . . . .

Quick Mail Service

114. Description . . . . . . . .
115. Conditions of posting . . . . . . .

Business Reply Service

116. Description . . . . . . . .
117. Conditions of posting . . . . . . .
118. Penalty for the infringement of the conditions . . .

Book Packets

119. Unpaid and insufficiently paid book packets . . . .
120. Contents . . . . . . . .
121. Special facility for Greetings cards and invitation cards . .
122. Special provisions . . . . . . .
123. Prohibitions . . . . . . . .
124. Size . . . . . . . . .
125. Weight. . . . . . . . .
126. Packing . . . . . . . .
127. Penalty for breach of conditions . . . . .

Book packets containing printed books

128. Conditions . . . . . . . .

Book packets containing periodicals

129. Conditions for charging special rates for book packets containing periodicals . . . . . . . .

Pattern and Sample Packets

130. Unpaid and insufficiently paid pattern and sample packets . .
131. Contents . . . . . . . .
132. Size and weight . . . . . . .
133. Packing . . . . . . . .
134. Penalty for breach of conditions . . . . .
135. Prepayment of postage in cash . . . . .

Blind literature packets

136. Exemption from postal fees . . . . . .
137. Contents and conditions of posting . . . . .
138. Penalty for breach of conditions . . . . .

Registered Newspapers

139. Definition . . . . . . . .
140. Conditions . . . . . . . .
141. Procedure for registration . . . . . .
142. Renewal and termination of registration . . . .
143. Packets of newspapers . . . . . .
144. Posting of newspapers without prepayment of postage . .

Parcels

145. Contents . . . . . . . .
146. Weight and size . . . . . . .
147. Packing . . . . . . . .
148. Human and other viscera . . . . . .
149. Plague cultures and anthrax Spore Vaccine . . . .
150. Tuberculosis Sputum . . . . . . .
151. Strong smelling articles . . . . . .
152. Celluloid . . . . . . . .
153. Osmic acid . . . . . . . .
154. Perfumes . . . . . . . .
155. Manner of prepaying postage . . . . . .
156. Manner of posting . . . . . . .

Air Mail Services

157. Articles given airlift . . . . . . .
158. Conditions . . . . . . . .
159. Redirection of air mail correspondence . . . .
160. Limited airlift . . . . . . . .
161. Air parcels . . . . . . . .

Registration

162. Object . . . . . . . . .
163. Articles which can be registered . . . . .
164. Payment of postage and fee . . . . . .
165. Manner of registering . . . . . . .
166. Senders receipt . . . . . . .
167. Booking of registered articles in bulk. . . . .
168. Special acknowledgements . . . . . .
169. Attested copies of receipts . . . . . .
170. Compensation . . . . . . . .
171. Cases in which registrations is compulsory . . . .

Insurance

172. Articles which can be insured . . . . . .
173. Insurance . . . . . . . .
174. Offices which can insure . . . . . .
175. Prepayment compulsory . . . . . .
176. Packing . . . . . . . .
177. Size and other conditions . . . . . .
178. Manner of insuring . . . . . . .
179. Failure to comply with conditions . . . . .
180. Receipt given to sender . . . . . .
181. Special acknowledgement . . . . . .
182. Responsibility of the Post Office . . . . .
183. Compensation . . . . . . . .
184. Cases in which insurance is compulsory . . . .
185. Declaration of value of Gold coin or bullion . . . .

Value-Payable Articles

186. Value-payable post . . . . . . .
187. Value-payable articles . . . . . .
188. Declaration . . . . . . . .
189. Post Offices from and to which V.P. articles may be sent . .
190. Manner of posting and receipt . . . . .
191. Booking of value-payable articles in bulk . . . .
192. Conditions . . . . . . . .
193. Payment to sender . . . . . . .
194. Detention in office of delivery and levy of demurrage . .
195. Insurance of V.P. articles . . . . . .
196. Complaints regarding value-payable articles . . . .
197. Responsibility of the Post Office . . . . .

SECTION – III – OFFICIAL POSTAL ARTICLES

198. Conditions . . . . . . . .
199. Unpaid and insufficiently paid articles . . . .
200. Officials entitled to use service stamps . . . .
201. Local fund officials . . . . . . .
202. Procedure if ordinary stamps are used for service stamps . .
203. Letters etc. from Government officers to private persons and Vice-versa
204. Postage due articles . . . . . . .

Correspondence for the President, Vice-President, Ministers of the Central Government and certain high Government Officers when on move

205. Camp articles and special bags . . . . .
206. Tour programmes of High Officers entitled to special bags .
207. Articles for persons accompanying high officers on tour . .
208. Deleted . . . . . . . .

SECTION IV – PROHIBITED ARTICLES

209. General prohibitions . . . . . . .
210. Local prohibitions . . . . . . .
211. Treatment of injurious articles . . . . .
212. Treatment of prohibited or dutiable articles . . . .
213. Articles bearing thereon any matter which is prejudice to the maintenance of law and order .
214. Articles which have anything written, printed, impressed or attached to the address side . . .

SECTION V – MONEY ORDERS

215. Definitions . . . . . . . .
216. Money order offices . . . . . . .
217. Limit of value . . . . . . . .
218. Money order – how obtained . . . . .
219. Payee’s name and address . . . . . .
220. Non-responsibility of Post Office . . . . .
221. Remitter’s receipt . . . . . . .
222. Signature of payee . . . . . . .
223. Payee’s acknowledgement . . . . . .
224. Illiterate Payees . . . . . . .
225. Redirection . . . . . . . .
226. Alteration in address or place of payment . . . .
227. Alteration of payee’s name . . . . . .
228. Stoppage of payment . . . . . . .
229. Disposal of detained or refused money orders . . .
230. Void money orders . . . . . . .
231. Special money order forms . . . . . .
232. Option of Post Office . . . . . . .
233. Transmission of money order . . . . . .

Telegraphic money orders

234. Authorised offices . . . . . . .
235. Limit of value . . . . . . .
236. Fees . . . . . . . . .
237. Telegraphic money order – how obtained . . . .
238. Remitter’s receipt . . . . . . .
239. Date and hour of payment not guaranteed . . . .
240. Payment and signature of payee . . . . .
241. Procedure if payee cannot be found . . . . .
242. Redirection . . . . . . . .

Indian Postal Orders

243. Description . . . . . . . .
244. Denomination of orders . . . . . .
245. Broken amounts . . . . . . .
246. Offices authorized to sell and cash . . . . .
247. Entries by purchaser . . . . . . .
248. Payment of Indian Postal Orders . . . . .
249. Counterfoils . . . . . . . .
250. Applications regarding miscarriage, loss or destruction of orders .
251. Altered, mutilated or incomplete orders . . . .
252. Period during which orders are payable . . . .
253. Repayment to purchaser . . . . . .
254. Responsibility of the Post Office . . . . .

SECTION VI Philately

255. Definition . . . . . . . .
256. Obtaining of stamps . . . . . . .
257. Deposit Account system (Domestic) . . . . .
258. Application . . . . . . . .
259. Deposit Account system (Foreign) . . . . .

SECTION VII Postal Life Insurance

260. Definition of . . . . . . . . .
261. Eligibility for admission to . . . . . .
262. Types of policies issued by . . . . . .
263. Amount of insurance . . . . . . .
264. facilities provided in . . . . .
265. Postal forms for admission to . . . . .
266. Rates of premia . . . . . . .
267. Manner of realizing premia . . . . . .
268. Conversion of policies . . . . . .
269. Revival of policies . . . . . . .
270. Loans on policies . . . . . . .
271. Surrender of policies . . . . . . .
272. Settlement of claims . . . . . . .
273. Bonus

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