Business Hours and other general information of Post Office Regulations 2024

CHAPTER II

GENERAL  

3. Business hours.- (1) The business hours in a post office, during which business is transacted with the public, shall generally be as under on normal weekdays, which are not holidays for the Post Office or the Government holidays, namely: -

Sl. No.	Work	Business Hours
(i)	For references and enquiries	During the entire working hours of the office
(ii)	Counter services including booking and posting of items, premium collection of insurance premiums	Six hours
(iii)	Money remittance- Electronic Money Order, Indian Postal Order etc.	Six hours
(iv)	Savings Bank	Six hours

 

(2) Branch post offices shall be kept open for a maximum period of five hours in a day. 

4. (1)  The Circle Head, Regional Head and Divisional Head are empowered to specify the period of each of the post offices under their jurisdiction, during which business is transacted with the public or customer and the time at which items are delivered and dispatched, keeping in view, the maximum working hours, business hours, local convenience and the arrival and departure timings of the items and working of the post office counters.

(2) The Circle Head or Regional Head may, if it is necessary or expedient to meet the requirement of the public, or in any special circumstances, specify-

1. the business hours and the days other than the working days including Sundays and holidays, during which the post offices shall be opened for business;  
2. the kind of transactions available during such business hours; and  
3. the maximum number of items that may be tendered for booking during business hours to meet the rush of work in a post office and to ensure the equitable availability of facilities to the public.  

5. Payment of postage and other sums chargeable on items.- (1) Postage shall generally be paid by modes mentioned in rule 9.  

(2) The pre-payment of postage and other sums payable on an item shall be mandatory except otherwise mentioned in these regulations.  

6. Postage on unaccountable items and unpaid items.- (1) If the postage required on unaccountable items, which have embossed postage on it, is more than the value of the stamp printed on them, the difference shall be made good by affixing additional postage stamps of the requisite value.  

(2) Unpaid or insufficiently paid items are liable to be kept on hold for charging the postage due on them.  

7. Postage and chargeable sums not deemed to be prepaid.- The postage and other sums chargeable on an item shall not be deemed to be prepaid by means of a proper stamp or franking impression or point of sale receipt if- 

1. the stamp or impression of a stamp or impression which has not been provided for use as a postage stamp or franking impression or point of sale receipt under these regulations or rules;  
2. the stamp has been obliterated, defaced, torn, cut or otherwise rendered imperfect;  
3. the stamp or franking impression or point of sale receipt has upon it, any word, letter, figure or design, printed or impressed upon it, otherwise than by the Director General before posting; or
4. the stamp has been cut, or otherwise, separated from an embossed envelope, or from a postcard or wrapper:

Provided that nothing in this regulation shall prevent the perforation of postage stamps with initials, or other identifying marks, traced in minute holes:  

Provided further that nothing in this regulation shall prevent the transmission of Book Now Pay Later (BNPL) items or other items as specified by administrative instructions from time to time.

8. Supply of postage stamps.- (1) The operational guidelines for supply, custody and sale of postage stamps, shall be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.  

2. No person or entity or institution or organisation or electronic platform shall sell or distribute postage stamps or deal in any other manner in postage stamps, except with the prior permission of the Director General.
3. Whoever contravenes the provisions of sub-regulation (2) above or any term or condition of permission issued thereunder shall be punishable under the relevant provisions of the applicable law of the land for the time being in force.

9. Fraudulent usage of stamp.- (1) The act of usage of previously used postage stamp, fraudulently or with intent to cause loss to the Government, shall be punishable under the applicable law of the land for the time being in force.  

(2)  If such postage stamp is detected on an item already posted, the item shall not be delivered and dealt with in a manner as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.  

10. Illegal manufacture or usage of postage stamps.- (1) The illegal manufacturing and usage of the postage stamp such as forged, counterfeit, or fictitious postage stamps shall be punishable under the applicable law of the land for the time being in force.  

(2)  Reproduction of stamps shall only be allowed for illustration purposes in a philatelic publication, or in an item or section relating wholly to postage stamps that may appear in a publication or a general character, and such reproductions shall only be in such form as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.  

11. Philately.- (1) Philately is a study and collection of stamps, postal stationery, postmarks and other philatelic materials.  

(2)    The operational procedures related with the philately shall be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.

12.  Philatelic materials.- (1) Philatelic materials shall be issued by the Post Office as per administrative instructions specified from time to time.  

2. Philatelic materials include —  

1. philatelic stamps;
2. first day covers, brochures or information sheets, special covers, maxim cards, annual packs, postal stationeries and various Philatelic publications and ancillaries;
3. artworks, proofs, progressive sheets, printed sheets and printing plates of philatelic stamps; and  
4. postmarks, slogan dies and other artifacts used in connection with the production of philatelic stamps.  

3. The Director General shall specify by administrative instructions the philatelic material to be sold in post offices.  
4. All the activities corresponding to production and issue of philatelic materials shall be carried out as per administrative instructions issued from time to time.

 

13.  Issuance of postage stamps.- The postage stamps shall be issued in the following types, namely:-  

1. Definitive Stamps: Definitive Stamps are postage stamps, specifically issued to meet the day-to-day postage needs and are made available for sale for a period till stocks of a particular series last, which shall be printed and reprinted in different denominations as per the requirement of the post office.  
2. Commemorative Stamps:  

1. Commemorative Stamps are postage stamps issued to commemorate an event, institution, theme and personages, which shall be printed only once, in limited numbers and are sold for a limited period, as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time, through philatelic bureaus, philatelic counters, online channels or authorised offices.  
2. The Commemorative Stamps may be kept as collectible items and may be used for payment of postage.

3. Special Stamps: Special Stamps are postage stamps which are thematic like flora, fauna, architecture or art without commemorating any specific event.
4. Joint Issue Stamps: Joint Issue Stamps are postage stamps which are issued by India and any other country on mutually agreed terms and conditions.
5. My Stamps: My Stamps are such stamps which are issued on the basis of personalised or customised printing elements provided by the customer or proponent, subject to confirmation with administrative instructions specified from time to time.  

14. (1) Issuance of Commemorative Postage Stamp.- Any citizen of India may tender a proposal for issue of Commemorative Postage Stamp in accordance with the administrative instructions specified from time to time.

2. All such proposals shall be examined on the basis of the administrative instructions specified by the Central Government from time to time.  
3. Proponents for issue of a commemorative stamp relating to institutions or events or organisations are required to make a mandatory purchase of number of such stamps as specified by administrative instructions from time to time:

 Provided that in exceptional and deserving cases, Central Government may relax this condition.

4. The denominations of postage stamps shall be in consonance with domestic and international postal postage.  
5. No postage stamp shall be issued on a living personality.
6. Stamp design and denomination shall be as approved by the Central Government.
7. All philatelic stamps, brochures, first day covers and philatelic ancillaries shall be sold by the Post Office on the denoted value or on the value specified by administrative instructions from time to time.  

15. Philatelic Advisory Committee.- (1) The Philatelic Advisory Committee shall advise on the issue of Commemorative Stamps, Special Stamps, and other allied matters related thereto.  

(2) The Union Minister-in-Charge of the Ministry of Communications shall be the ex officio Chairperson of the Philatelic Advisory Committee and shall nominate the official and non-official members of the Committee as per the administrative instructions specified from time to time.  

16. Manner of affixing postage stamps.- (1) Stamps affixed to an item must be completely adherent to the item itself and not to any part of its contents or any separate label or other device tied or attached to the item.  

2. The stamps should be affixed to the right-hand top corner of the address side.  
3. The provisions of this regulation shall apply to franking of items in toto.  

17. Price of postage stamps and stationery.- (1) Postage stamps, postcards, letter card and aerogramme shall be sold for the denoted value of the stamps which they bear.  

2. The embossed envelopes and the registration envelopes shall be sold at the prices mentioned in Table VII of Schedule I.
3. Special Rakhi Envelopes shall be sold at the prices as the Circle Head concerned may determine. 

18. Standards for addressing on domestic items.- (1) An item shall not have more than one delivery address;

Provided that nothing in this sub-regulation shall prevent the delivery of an item to another address as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.  

(2) The address, either handwritten or machine printed, shall contain such elements and, in such order, as given below: -

Name  

C/o, D/o, S/o, W/o, H/o  

Mobile Number (optional)

House/ Building (including floor)/ Apartment (including floor)

Street /Road /Lane

Landmark  

Area / Locality/ Sector  

Village/ Town/City  

Post Office

District  

State  

PIN code/ Postcode  

 

3. The address of the addressee shall be written in the centre of the front side and address of the sender shall be written on the lower left of the front side of an envelope.  

 

4. Address of the addressee and the sender should be started from the words “To” and “From”, respectively.  
5. Blank space of minimum 15mm shall be kept from left, bottom and right side of envelope and the address block of addressee shall have minimum gap of 40 mm from top.  
6. Stamps or Frank impressions shall be affixed in maximum area of 74 mm on the upper right corner.  
7. The address of addressee and sender should be positioned parallel to the length of the envelope.  

 

8. A zone of 10mm around the address block should be free from any printing or writing.

 

9. Non-address information such as sender's code, serial or account numbers or other information are not to be generally included in the address of the addressee and if necessary, it should be printed above the first line but never below the last line of the address.
10. The spacing between the address lines shall be uniform and be more than 1mm and less than 5mm.
11. The maximum number of characters per line is 40 characters, excluding spaces between words.  
12. An accountable item tendered at a post office for transmission shall not be accepted unless they are addressed to a particular person or firm or institution.  
13. Such items addressed to a particular person or firm, care of post box and the name of the office where the post box is located shall also be accepted, provided they are addressed to persons or firms in whose names the post box stands registered;  

 Provided that in the office of delivery, if it is found that there is no post box in the name of the addressee, or the addressee has ceased to be a renter of a post box, the item shall be returned to the sender.  

19. Mails for defence services personnel.- The following particulars shall be furnished in the address in the case of items for the personnel of the defence services, which are to be delivered through the army post offices: -

No.

Rank

Name

Unit

Such items should be addressed to Care of (C/o) 56 A.P.O. or Care of (C/o) 99 A.P.O.  

20. Exemption in method of addressing of an item in certain cases.- Item(s) addressed to such authorities and with specified superscription on the envelope, tendered at a post office, shall be accepted for transmission without the name and complete address of the sender as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time. 
21. Standards for addressing on international items.- (1) An item shall not have more than one delivery address:  

Provided that nothing in this sub-regulation shall prevent the delivery of an item to another address as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.  

2. The address, either handwritten or machine printed, shall be worded in a precise, complete and legible manner to ensure the easy transmission of the item and its delivery at the country or territory of destination to the addressee.
3. The address of the sender and the addressee must be written in roman letters and in Arabic numerals, and wherever required, the address of the addressee may also be written in the language of country or territory of destination.  
4. The name of the place of destination and the country or territory of destination shall be written in capital letters together with the correct postcode number or delivery zone number, whichever applicable.  
5. The address of the sender and addressee shall contain such elements, whichever applicable, and, in such order, as given below, unless otherwise specified: -

Name  

Mobile Number (optional)

Building (door, floor, stairwell, wing, building, distinct instances)

Street         (street         name/number/type,         primary         thoroughfare,         secondary thoroughfare)  

PO Box  

Post Office  

City/town/Rural Area

Administrative Areas (region level)

Postcode

Country/Territory

 

6. The address of the addressee shall be written on right of front side and address of the sender shall be written on lower left of front side on an envelope.  

 

7. The address of the addressee and the sender should be started from the words “To” and “From”, respectively.  
8. Blank space of minimum 15mm shall be kept from left, bottom and right side of envelope and the address block of addressee shall have minimum gap of 40 mm from top. Stamps or Frank impressions shall be affixed in maximum area of 74 mm on the upper right corner.  
9. A zone of 10mm around the address block should be free from any printing or writing.
10. Non-address information such as sender's code, serial or account numbers or other information are not to be generally included in the address of the addressee and if necessary, it should be printed above the first line but never below the last line of the address.
11. The spacing between the address lines shall be uniform and be more than 1mm and less than 5mm.  
12. The maximum number of characters per line is 40 characters, excluding spaces between words.    
13. An accountable item tendered at a post office for transmission shall not be accepted unless they are addressed as per regulations 18, 19 and sub-regulation (5).  22. Posting of items.-  The following modes may be used for posting of items: -  

1. Letter Boxes – Letters, letter cards, aerogramme, postcards, airmail postcards, book post, small packets, printed papers and literature for the blind, shall be posted in the letter boxes, provided the postage chargeable is fully prepaid.  

Note 1: Registered newspaper items, periodical post items and franked items shall not be posted in these letter boxes and, if posted, these shall be treated as unpaid and shall be dealt as per regulation 71.   

Note 2: Accountable items shall also not be posted in the letter boxes.

Note 3: Large items, which owing to their size cannot be posted in the letter-boxes, may be received by hand at the window of the post office. However, such items shall not be deemed to be accountable items.

2. Post office counter - All the accountable items shall be presented at the counter of   post office for transmission by post.    
3. Franchisee Outlet- Items as specified by administrative instructions from time to time, may be presented through the franchisee outlet of the Post Office.  
4. Self-Booking Kiosk- Self-booking kiosk available at the designated post offices may be used for posting of items as may be specified by administrative instructions.  

Note: The Regional Head is authorised to designate the post offices, where the service of self-booking kiosk is available.  

5. Web or Mobile Application- The authorised web portal or mobile application may be used for posting of items as may be specified by administrative instructions from time to time.

23. Receipt for transmission by post.- A receipt shall be given to the person who presents an accountable item for transmission by post.  
24. Ownership of items.-  (1) For domestic items, an item shall remain the property of the sender until it is delivered to the rightful addressee, except in the case of seizure of the item under the applicable law of the land for the time being in force.  

(2) For international items, an item shall remain the property of the sender until it is delivered to the rightful addressee, except in the case of seizure of the item under any law of the land of the country or territory of origin or transit or destination.  

25. Prohibition of domestic items. - (1) Subject to the provisions of these regulations, no person shall send by post, -  

1. any explosive, dangerous, filthy, noxious or deleterious substance, any sharp instrument not properly protected, or any living creature which is either noxious or likely to injure items in course of transmission by post or any officer of the Post Office; or
2. anything likely to injure, any item during transmission by post, or any officer of the Post Office; or
3. any ticket, proposal, advertisement or any other matter relating to a lottery, except the case where the lottery is organised or authorised by the Central

Government or State Government; or

4. any indecent, immoral or obscene printing, painting, photograph, lithograph, engraving, book or card, or any other digital media, or any other indecent, immoral, or obscene item; or
5. any item having thereon, or on the cover thereof, any words, marks or designs of an indecent, obscene, seditious, scurrilous, threatening or grossly offensive character; or
6. any item having thereon, or on the cover thereof, any matter which is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order; or
7. any item having thereon, or on the cover thereof, any pictorial representation of a person who is a proclaimed offender, or who has been convicted of an offence punishable under any applicable law of the land for the time being in force; or
8. any item having thereon, or on the cover thereof, 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
9. narcotics and psychotropic substances, as defined by the International Narcotics Control Board, or other illicit drugs which are prohibited in the country or territory of destination, the country or territory of origin, the Central Government, State Governments, or any authorised agency; or 
10. counterfeit and pirated items; or
11. anything which, by their nature or their packing, may expose officials or the general public to danger, or soil or damage other items, postal equipment, or thirdparty property; or
12. dangerous goods, narcotics and psychotropic substances, prohibited drugs and cosmetics items, items prohibited by or under International Air Transport Association (IATA), International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO), Department of Wildlife and the Drug and Cosmetics Act, 1940 (23 of 1940) or items prohibited by any law of the land; or

Explanation.- For the purpose of this clause, “dangerous goods" means items or substances that are capable of posing a risk to health, safety, property or environment,  which  include explosives, gases, flammable liquids, toxic and infectious substances, corrosives and other miscellaneous items which may cause health and safety hazards :  

  Provided that battery and other items, the transmission of which, by air, is prohibited, shall be sent to the addressee through surface mode only; or  

13. live animals except otherwise permitted in these regulations; or
14. coins, banknotes and other valuable items, except permitted through a special process:

Provided that the order shall be in consonance with Reserve Bank of India guidelines, Foreign Exchange Management (Export and Import of Currency) Regulations, 2015 made under the Foreign Exchange Management Act, 1999 (42 of 1999), or any other applicable law of the land for the time being in force on the subject:

Provided further that currency notes, coins, or bank notes, shall invariably be transmitted as insured items; or

15. other items, the importation or circulation of which is prohibited in the country or territory of origin or destination; or
16. documents having the character of current and personal correspondence, with the exception of archived materials, exchanged between persons other than the sender and the addressee or persons living with them; or
17. anything prohibited in International Postal Services by the Universal Postal

Union (UPU) or any other organisation; or  

18. any other thing, prohibited by Central Government from time to time.

26. Prohibition of international items. - International items not fulfilling the conditions laid down in these regulations shall not be admitted and items sent in furtherance of a fraudulent act or with the intention of avoiding payment of the postage or other postal fee, shall not be admitted.  
27. Application of regulation 25 on international items. - Regulation 25 shall apply to International items to be transmitted by post to or from any foreign country or territory, except in the following cases, namely: -  

1. such dangerous goods which may be transmitted by post between the country or territory of origin and destination that have declared their willingness to admit them either reciprocally or in one direction, provided that they comply with national and international relevant laws;  
2. live animals which shall be admitted in-

1. letter post items other than insured items: bees, leeches and silk-worms; parasites and destroyers of noxious insects intended for the control of those insects and exchanged between officially recognised institutions; flies of the family drosophilidae for biomedical research exchanged between officially recognised institutions;
2. parcels: live animals whose conveyance by post is authorised by the postal regulations or applicable laws of the countries or territories concerned.

28. Transmission of precious metals and precious stones.- (1) Precious metals (including gold, silver, platinum or other precious metals), precious stones (including diamond or other precious stones), jewellery or any combination of these, whether manufactured or not, coins, bank notes, currency notes, securities of any kind payable to bearer, travellers’ cheques, except as otherwise specified, shall, in no case, be transmitted by post in an uninsured letter-post item.  

(2) Without prejudice to the provisions of sub-rule (1), any country or territory may prohibit the enclosure of gold bullion in insured or uninsured parcels originating from or addressed to its territory or sent in transit à découvert (open transit) across its territory; to the actual value of the items so transmitted.

29. Items for blind prohibited in certain cases.- The items shall be prohibited from being transmitted as printed papers and literature for the blind under the following conditions, namely:-

1. shall not bear any inscription or contain any item of correspondence;  
2. shall not contain any postage stamp or form of prepayment, whether cancelled or not, or any paper representing a monetary value, except in cases where the item contains as an enclosure, a card, envelope or wrapper, bearing the printed address of the sender of the item or his authorised person in the country or territory of posting or destination of the original item, which is prepaid for return.  

30. Items transmitted in contravention of regulation 27.- (1) An item in contravention of regulation 27 shall, in no circumstances, be forwarded to their destination, delivered to the addressees, or returned to origin whichever is applicable.  

2. Where, any item referred to in sub-regulation (1) is discovered during transit, it shall be handled under the applicable law of the country or territory of transit.  
3. Where, any item referred to in sub-regulation (1) is discovered during transmission, it shall be liable to be removed and disposed of in the manner as may be specified by administrative instructions and the remainder of the items shall be forwarded to its destination, together with information about the disposal of such inadmissible item.    

31. Customs control.-  (1) All international outbound items tendered at the post office shall be subject to customs control and the applicable laws of the country or territory of origin and the country or territory of destination.

2. All international inward items shall be subject to customs’ control and the applicable law of the land for the time being in force.  
3. Any custom duty imposed by the customs department, along with an additional postal fee as mentioned in Table XII of Schedule III, shall be charged from the addressee at the time of delivery.

32. Post Office authorised to collect customs duty, etc.-  The Post Office shall be authorised to collect from the sender or addressee of items, as the case may be, the customs duty and all other fees which may be due.  
33. Items sent in contravention of any law.- Any item sent by post in contravention of any Act, rules, regulations, or any other law of the land for the time being in force, may be detained and disposed of in the manner as directed by the enforcement agency or authority or officer, as the case may be.
34. Disposal of intercepted items.- (1) If an official or officer of the Post Office suspects on reasonable grounds that an item in the course of its transmission —

1. contains anything in respect of which an offence is being committed or an attempt to commit an offence is being made; or
2. contains anything that will afford evidence of the commission of an offence; or
3. is being sent to further the commission of an offence; or
4. needs to be obtained and examined in the interests of defence, public safety or           public order,  

Such official or officer shall inform the competent authority for directions to detain the item for the purpose of examination by the concerned law enforcement authority in accordance with the provisions of the rules.  

(2) If, on examination of an item under sub- regulation (1), the suspicion that gave rise to its examination—

1. is substantiated, the item may be detained for the purposes of evidence in a criminal prosecution or destroyed or dealt with in such other manner as may be authorised in the orders of the law enforcement authorities;
2. is not substantiated, the item shall be delivered to the person to whom it is addressed or to the authorised person.

35. Items suspected to contain dangerous substances.- (1) Where an item is suspected to contain any explosive, dangerous, obnoxious, deleterious or filthy substance, or anything likely to injure the mails or any officer of the Post Office, it shall be intercepted and detained at the point of transmission, where it is so detected and the officer-in-charge of the post office shall immediately inform the matter to the police authorities, post office authorities and other designated authorities, as may be applicable.  

(2) Further necessary action in respect of the item, shall be taken in accordance with the directions of the authorities as referred in sub-regulation (1).  

36. Restriction on disclosure.- No person may disclose any communication or information, which is obtained in the exercise of his powers or the performance of his duties in terms of these regulations, except—

1. to any other person, who of necessity requires it for the like exercise or performance of their functions in terms of these regulations;
2. information which is required to be disclosed in terms of any law or as evidence in any court of law.  

37. Disposal of items opened.- (1) If any item opened or examined by designated postal officer under the rules is found to be an unlawful item or prohibited item, the items shall be disposed of in accordance with the directions of the designated authorities.

(2) If the item referred to in sub-regulation (1) is found not to be an unlawful or prohibited one, it shall be forwarded to its destination as if it had not been so opened or examined.  

38. Notice of opening of an item. - Where an item that is found to be unlawful, is opened by a postal officer or official under section 9 of the Act, a notice shall be sent to the sender, and if not found, to the addressee.  
39. No relief from liability. - The detention, opening, examination, destruction or disposal of an item under the Act or rules or these regulations shall not relieve any person from the liability for any offence against these regulations.
40. No right to compensation. - No person shall have any right to compensation, nor shall any liability be incurred by the Department of Posts in the Ministry of Communications or any of its officers or officials, by the reason of the detention, opening, examination, forfeiture, destruction or disposal of an item or its enclosure, under the powers conferred by the Act or rules or regulations or the applicable law of the land for the time being in force.