Indian Postal Manual (Post Office Guide)- Vol/Part No 1

The Postal Department is under the administrative control of the Director General of Posts, New Delhi. T he DG also functions as the Chairman of the Postal Board and Secretary of the Deptt. of Posts.

The Head of the ArmyArmy The Army of the Islamic Republic of Iran shall be an Islamic army, which is an ideological and peoples army and which shall recruit competent individuals faithful to the objectives of the Islamic Revolution and ready to make sacrifices for attaining the same. (Art-144) Postal Services is the Director, Army Postal Services, Army Headquarters, Q.M.G.’s Branch, New Delhi -11.

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 relat ing to foreign post.
Part III List of Post Offices (in two volumes).
Part IV Post Office Savings Bank and Post Office Savings Scheme.

Types of Offices – Post Offices are divided into three classes.
(a) Head Post Offices.
(b) Sub-Post Offices including E.D. Sub-Offices, and
(c) E.D. Branch Post Offices.

So for as the public is concerned, there is generally no difference in the character of the service rendered by Sub -Post Offices and Head Post Offices except in regard to a few P.O. Savings Bank transactions.

The delivery of a postal article at the house or office of the addressee or to addressee or his servant or agentAgent An agent is a person employed to do any act for another or to represent another in dealings with third persons. The person for whom such act is done, or who is so represented, is called the principal. Indian Contract Act or other person considered to be authorized to receive the article according to the usual manner of delivering postal articles to the addressee is deemed to be delivered to the addressee under the Post Office Act.

Corrected up to 1 July, 1985

POST OFFICE GUIDE

SECTION I – GENERAL

Organisation

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 fo r 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 Defense 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 pla ces 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 respons ibility 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
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 tr ansparent 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 acidAcid A chemical that gives off hydrogen ions in water and forms salts by combining with certain metals. Acids have a sour taste and turn certain dyes red. Some acids made by the body, such as gastric acid, can help organs work the way they should. An example of an acid is hydrochloric acid. Acidity is measured on a scale called the pH scale. On this scale, a value of 7 is neutral, and a pH value of less than 7 to 0 shows increasing acidity. . . . . . . . .
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 comp ly 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 Viceversa
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 anyt hing 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 . . . . . . .
Table of Concordance
Table – I
Table – II
Index