On 16-12-2024, the Ministry of Communications notified the Post Office Rules, 2024 establishing a clear regulatory framework for the operation and management of postal services. The provisions came into force on 16-12-2024.
Key Points:
Every Post Office, Domestic or Foreign, will have to provide the following services:
mail services within or beyond the limits of the country;
value-added service;
universal postal service;
financial services including banking, Government Savings Bank, payment system and any other financial services;
money remittances services;
insurance services;
citizen-centric services;
services associated with addressing identifiers and postcodes.
Director General:
Is authorized to introduce/ modify/ discontinue any product;
Can enter into a collaboration with public/ private entities;
Issue definitive, commemorative, special issues of postage stamps or any other form of postage stamps or related material;
Will manage/ allocate and publish Postcodes/ Postal Index Number codes.
Postal Services Board will be the apex level policy making body.
Modes of payment of postage can be done in the following ways:
Cash;
Digitally;
Postage stamp;
Means of impressions of franking machines.
International postal:
Central Government will provide services in furtherance to the international postal co-operation.
International co-operation will be with other countries/ territories/ Universal Postal Union (‘UPU’)/ other postal unions/ public or private entities.
These international co-operations should be in conformity with the provisions of UPU Convention Manual and Regulations.
Post Office’s mark will be the proof of certain facts in respect of the production of items that have been refused/ rejected/ unclaimed/ cannot be delivered due to any other reason.
Interception/ detention/ Opening of items:
Any such order can be issued only by a Member of the Board who is looking after the work of operations in the Department of Posts or the Circle Head.
In emergent cases where a prior direction could not be sought, the Divisional Head will have the authority to issue such orders and the Divisional Head will have to inform the competent authority within 3 working days of such interception/ detention/ opening.
The competent authority will have to confirm such orders within the period of 7 working days.
In order to oversee the interception, the Central Government will constitute a review committee which will meet at least once in every 3 months and review the directions issued. It will consist of:
Director General, Posts- Chairman;
2 Members of the Board
The following officers will be authorized by the Central Government to intercept and detain items on the orders of the competent authority:
Officer in-charge of Post Office or any higher officer;
Officer in-charge of the Mail Office or any higher officer.
Exemption from liability:
Central Government will compensate for loss/ damage of an item.
The compensation cannot exceed the amount of the loss / damage and will not be paid on prohibited items.
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