POSTAL RULES

1.6.1

Important Rule Books

• Indian Post Office Act 1898• Post Office Rules , 1933• Postal Manual Volumes 1 to 8 • Savings Bank Manual 1 to 3• Financial Hand Book 1 and 2• FRSR

1.6.2

Introduction

• Postal manuals consist of information about the Rules and procedures to be followed for the transactions done in PO

• Every official of the organisation has to meticulously follow them

• Rules and procedures in the manuals contain the tasks to be performed and exceptions

• In case of doubt officials may refer manual for clarification

1.6.3

4

Postal Manuals

Postal Manuals

• Postal manuals are for the guidance of staff in Post Office. • They lay down the operational procedures. • Postal Manual Volume 1 – This is a compilation of legislative

enactments related to Post office. It contains the following acts and rules– The Indian Post office Act 1898– The Indian Post office Rules, 1933– The Government Savings Banks Act 1873– The Post office Cash Certificates Act 1917– The Post office Savings Banks (Nomination) Rules, 1960– The Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959– The Government Savings Certificates Rules, 1960

1.6.5

Postal ManualsPostal Manual Volume II – Contains general guidelines, rules relating to

organisation matters, appeals, petitions, stock, budget and buildingsPostal Manual Volume III – Rules relating to disciplinePostal Manual Volume IV – Rules relating to appointments, promotions, leave

and establishmentPostal Manual Volume V – Rules relating to mails and investigationPostal Manual Volume VI – This is in three parts and contains rules relating to

Postal operations except Savings bank and certificatesPart I – Rules relating to collection and delivery of ordinary and accountable

mailPart II – Rules relating to booking, transmission, payment and accounting of

Money ordersPart III – Rules relating to functioning of sub accounts branch, accounting in

POs, Duties of postmen and letter box attendants

1.6.6

Postal Manuals

Postal Manual Volume VII – Rules relating to operations in Railway mail service

Postal Manual Volume VIII – Rules relating to functioning of various administrative units like Circle office, Divisional office, stock depot., etc.,

Branch office rules – Rules relating to the working of branch offices

Post office Savings Bank Manual Volume I – Contains rules relating to various types of savings accounts

Post office Savings Bank Manual Volume II – Contains rules relating to transactions in various types of Savings Certificates

1.6.7

Postal Manuals

19.Foreign Post Manual20.Post Office Savings Bank Manual Volume –

I – Procedural rules for all types of accounts21.Post Office Savings Bank Manual Volume – II

- Procedural rules for Savings Certificates 22.Post Office Life Insurance Fund23.Postal Manual of SB Control Pairing &

Internal Check Organisation24.All India PIN Code Directory

1.6.8

Practice

• Exercise 1.6.1

1.6.9

Post Office Guide

Post office Guides are for the guidance of customers• Post office Guide – Part I

– Contains guidelines to customers transacting in various Postal products in inland mail and other financial services and details the conditions

Post office Guide – Part II– This guide deals with conditions for posting of international mail

• Post office Guide – Part III– Contains the list of Post offices

• Post office Guide – Part IV– This guide relates to Post office Savings bank and certificates

1.6.10

FHB Volume 1

• General principles and rules about accounting• Relation with audit • Supply of funds and other remittance

transactions• Revenue and miscellaneous receipts• General Rules on pay and allowances• Contingent charges• Loans and advances to government servants

1.6.11

FHB Volume 2

• Supply of stamps from stamp depot• Supply of stamps to Post offices• Revenue receipts under postage revenue, postage

collection, prepayment of postage in cash,unpaid postage• Commission on Mos,IPOs sold fees from Post box and

postbags• Receipt from other departments• PO accounts-Consolidation of accounts,HO Summary,SO/BO

summary,Supplementary accounts for March ,HO Cash Book ,Postmaster’s balance sheet

• Submission of Cash account and Cash balance report to PAO1.6.12

FRSR

• Fundamental and supplementary rules• Leave rules • TA rules • Pension rules

1.6.13

Acts relating to Post office

Introduction

1.6.14

Indian Post Office Act, 1898

• Act of 1866 amended and came into force from 1.7.1898

• Lays down the privileges in carrying mail, prohibitions and protections

• Specifies the requirement for prepayment of postage and the right to recover the same

• Lists the conditions for transmission of Postal articles and reserves power to intercept articles and treatment of undeliverable articles

1.6.15

Indian Post Office Act cont’d

• Discusses the rules relating to money orders• Specifies the exemption from liability for

articles and money orders• Lists out the penalties and procedure for

penalty

1.6.16

Exemption from liabilities

• Exemption is provided for acts done in good faith; Following are the relevant sections of the act– Section 6 (loss, misdelivery, delay or damage)– Section 48 (money orders)

1.6.17

Offences and penalties

• Chapter X of the Act specifies the offences and penalties; They are– Penalty for misconduct of person carrying or

delivery mail bags or Postal articles (punishable with fine)

– Penalty for voluntary withdrawal from duty without permission or notice of personal carrying or delivering mail bags or articles (imprisonment upto one month or with fine or both)

1.6.18

Offences and penalties cont’d

• False entry in register kept by person carrying or delivering postal articles (imprisonment upto six months or with fine or both)

• theft, dishonest misappropriation, secretion, destruction or throwing away of postal articles (imprisonment upto seven years and with fine)

• Opening, detaining or delaying postal articles (imprisonment upto two years or with fine or both)

1.6.19

Offences and penalties cont’d

• Fraud in connection with official marks and for receipt of excess postage (imprisonment upto two years and with fine)

• Fraudulently preparing, altering, secreting or destroying post office documents (imprisonment upto two years and with fine)

• Fraudulently sending unpaid postal articles (imprisonment upto two years and fine)

1.6.20

Offences and penalties cont’d

• Contravention of section 4 & 5 (exclusive privilege) – punishable with fine

• Contravention of Section 19 & 20 (sending prohibited or indecent material by post) – imprisonment upto one year or with fine or both

• Defiling or injuring post office letter boxes – Imprisonment upto one year or with fine or both

1.6.21

Offences and penalties cont’d

• False declarations in respect of postal articles – punishable with fine

• Detaining mails or opening mail bag – Punishable with fine; If committed by an official of post office, becomes cognizable offence under CRPC

• Unlawful diverting of letters – Imprisonment upto six months or with fine or both

1.6.22

Offences and penalties cont’d

• Penalty for defiling or injuring post office letter boxes is punishable with imprisonment for a term up-to one year or with fine or with both

• Penalty for affixing without authority thing to, or painting, tarring or disfiguring post office or post office letter-boxes.- fine upto Rs.50

1.6.23

First Schedule of PO Rules

• Power to fix rates of inland postage– GOI may, by Gazette Notification, fix the rates of

Postage and other sums to be charged in respect of Postal articles, and make rules as to the scale of weights, terms and conditions

– Provided that the highest rate of postage, when prepaid shall not exceed the rate set forth for each class of postal article in the First Schedule i.e., for Letters, Letter-cards, Postcards, Book, Pattern and Sample Packets, Registered Newspapers, Parcels

2.1.24

Government Savings Bank Act, 1873

• Introduced on 28th January 1873• Codifies the laws relating to Government Savings

bank• Specifies how payment can be made in special

circumstances (deceased claims, minors, lunatics)• Provides protection against prosecution to the

officials for acts done in good faith

1.6.25

Government Savings Certificates Act, 1959

• Introduced on 18th September 1959• Lays down the general provisions relating to holdings by

minors and transfers relating to certificates• Provides protection for acts done in good faith• Reserves the right to make rules as to various

transactions in certificates

1.6.26