CONTENTS
CHAPTER PAGE
List of Account Rules
List of forms used in branch offices
Index
Table of concordance
Index to correctionsWHAT A BRANCH POSTMASTER SHOULD DO
1. Treat the public with courtesy, and meet their convenience in every way consistent with the rules of the Post Office.
2. Paste neatly on the notice-board all departmental notices of interest to the public. Remove all obsolete notices.
3. Keep a sufficient stock of postage stamps, postcards and embossed envelopes for sale to the public.
4.Keep in his own possession the keys of the office letter-box and other boxes in the office.
7. Examine every bag received, weigh the cash bags and compare their weight with the entry on the B.O. slip, keep the bags in his custody until they are disposed of. Personally open the bags intended to be opened in the office.
8. Keep the bags prepared for despatch in his custody till the time fixed for despatch.
9. Fasten and seal every bag despatched. Weigh the cash bags, and record their weight in the B.O. daily account. Put a small piece of paper under the knot of the cord with which a bag is tied, so as to obtain a good impression of the seal and avoid damaging the bag.
11. Turn bags inside out, and examine them to see that none of the contents remain in them.
12. Report by first mail the short receipt or excess receipt of any bag, article or documents, or the occurrence of any other serious irregularity.
13. Take particular care to obliterate postage stamps, to stamp articles clearly, and to properly tax articles with postage due.
14. Examine the signatures of the persons franking “O.I.G.S.” covers posted in the office and satisfy himself that they are genuine.
16. Write up all his books, etc., neatly, clearly and carefully. If a mistake is made, score it out and write the correct entry above it in red ink, and then attest the correction with his initials.
17. Verify his cash balance by counting the cash and postage stamps in the office every evening, and also see that the balances due from the postman, village postman or the extra departmental Delivery Agent and on articles in deposit are correct.
18. Look strictly after the work of the postman or village postman or extra departmental delivery agent and make every effort to deliver articles to the addressees.
19. On receipt of Savings Certificates, promptly send an intimation in the prescribed form to the purchaser, and take over the preliminary receipt held by him before the certificates are delivered to him.
WHAT A BRANCH POSTMASTER SHOULD NOT DO
4. Affix postage stamps to articles posted. This should always be done by the senders.
5. Take any fees from the public for filling up money order forms on rendering any similar service.
6. Return an article which has been posted to the sender without the authority of a Superintendent.
7. Allow parcels or registered or insured articles of the letter mail or money orders to lie scattered about the office, pending delivery or payment or despatch to destination.
8. Issue receipt for registered articles of the letter or parcel mail, or money orders on any but the authorised forms.
9. Allow any of his subordinates to help in packing the mail, or allow runners or GDMC’s to be present when the mail is being packed.
12.Allow his accounts with the postman, village postman or GDDA to fall into arrears.
13. Delay the despatch to the account office of applications for purchase of Post Office Certificates and omit to record the purchaser’s address.
14. Omit to obtain the payee’s signature or attested thumb impression over the words “Received payment Rs. …………P,” (in words and figures) on certificate (or acknowledgement) discharged.
15. Pay the value of Post Office Certificate without the sanction of the account office.
16. Retain warrants of payment beyond the period prescribed.
1. Do not fail to examine seal card label and condition of the B.O. Bag received before opening. (Rule 52).
3. Do not fail to examine the cash bags received, ascertain the correct weight, and compare it with the weight noted in the Branch Office slip. [Rule 167 (1)].
4.Do not fail to sign and date stamp the B.O. slips and file them in monthly bundles. [Rule 167(3)].
5. Do not fail to check the Book of B.O. Receipts as soon as it is received from the account office to see that the receipts are in order. [Rule 23(3)].
6. Do not fail to make the remarks “Re-entered” (with date) against the last previous entry in respect of accountable articles which are reissued after having been kept in deposit. (Note below Rule 169).
7. Do not fail to show the accountable articles in deposit at the close of the day noting them in red ink between two lines drawn in red ink after the last entry of the day in the journal. (Note 3 below Rule 169).
8. Do not fail to sign and stamp the registered lists or parcel lists or B.O. slips with which the registered articles are received. [Rule 86(1)].
9. Do not fail to submit the Monthly Abstract of B.O. transactions to the account office on the 1st of each month. (Rule 178).
10. Do not fail to maintain an error book and to report important irregularities immediately. (Rules 36 and 37).
11. Do not fail to sign the check slip in full. (Rule 64).
12. Do not fail to ask the delivering official to attest with his signature the thumb impression of the addressee on the receipt for the registered article. (Rule 91).
13. Do not fail to ascertain the weight of the insured article received and note it below the entry of the weight recorded by the account office in the registered list or the B.O. slip [Rule 97(1)].
14. Do not fail to note date of despatch of the delivered V.P. receipt to the account office against the entry corresponding to the article in the Registered or parcel list or in the B.O. Slip with which the V.P. article was received. [Rule 103(3)].
15. Do not fail to obtain the signature of witness in attestation of all payments of money orders paid in villages whether the payee is illiterate or not. [Rule 112(1) (g)].
16. Do not fail to record the words “Too late” on the B.O. receipts and counterfoil when a money order is booked after the despatch of the branch office bag. [Rule 104(2)].
17. Do not fail to weigh the cash bag containing remittance before despatch and note the weight in words and figures in the remarks column of the B.O. Account and on the label of the cash bag and in the B.O. daily account. [Rule 171 (3)].
18. Do not fail to keep under safe custody cash received from account office, or collected at B.O. as you alone are responsible for it in case of its loss or theft. (Rule 11).
19. Do not fail to pass receipts for accountable articles immediately. (Rules 81, 90, 104 and 129).
20. Do not fail to make immediate entries in the B.O.S.B. journal and S.B. pass book and return the later to the depositor unless it is required otherwise in which case a receipt should be given immediately. (Rule 131).
21. Do not fail to check up the visit book maintained by the village postman or GDDA and to ensure that all villages are visited on due days. (Rule 9).
RULES FOR BRANCH OFFICES
CHAPTER I
1. Functions of a branch office
2. Relations of a branch office with other offices
posted.
37-A Suggestion/Complaint Book.
51-A. Payment of PLI policy Premium
51-B. Deleted
51-C. Deleted
RULES FOR BRANCH OFFICES
CHAPTER I
1. Function of a Branch Office. – A branch office is authorised to transact the following classes of business -
Exception. – A branch office is authorised to accept, as book packets, articles containing reproductions of a manuscript or type-written original which have the appearance of an ordinary manuscript or type-written letter.
2. Relations of a branch office with other offices.- A branch office other than one from which the power to perform registration and parcel work independently of its account office has been withdrawn, may be placed in direct communication with the R.M.S. or with an office other than the account office, for the exchange of unregistered and registered articles of the letter and parcel mail, except insured and V.P. articles. Such a branch office may consign insured articles direct to the R.M.S. or any other office with which it is in direct communication. Branch offices, except those from which the authority to perform registration work independently of their account offices has been withdrawn may also exchange uninsured (except V.P.) and articles on which customs duty is due registered articles of the letter and parcel mail direct with other post offices and the R.M.S.
3. Responsibility for losses.- In accordance with rule 16 of the Postal Manual, Volume IV, every person newly appointed to a post is required to sign the following declaration before assumption of duties :-
“I do hereby declare that I have read/had explained to me amended rule 103 of the Postal Manual, Volume II, and agree to abide by its terms”.
Date 19 Signature.
This rule applies also to Gramin Dak Sewaks in charge of post offices and to persons in class IV service. Rule 103 referred to in the declaration is reproduced below :-
“Where owing to the negligence of a departmental employee or its agent including a G.D.S.M.D. or through the omission on his part to observe any rule as provided in the different volumes of the Postal Manual, or in the Post Office and Telegraph Guides, the Department, either by reason of the enquiry being impeded or frustrated directly or indirectly or for any other reason, is put to a loss of Government money or property he has to make good the loss of any money or property he has to make good the loss of any money or property, or where the department losses money by embezzlement or fraud of any of its employees, etc., any member of the staff or fraud of any of its employees, etc., any member of the staff or any agent who by his negligence, default or disregard of the rules, has caused the loss or has contributed to its occurrence, either by reason of the enquiry being impeded or frustrated directly or indirectly or for any other reason, may be required to make good the loss either in whole or in part as the competent authority may decide.”
4. *Work on Sundays and Post Office holidays. – No business with the public is transacted on Sundays and Post Office holidays, as the Branch Office remains closed on Sundays and P.O. holidays. Republic day, Idul-Fitr, Holi, Good Friday, Independence Day, Mahatma Gandhi’s Birthday, Dusserah, Moharrum, Christmas Day, Id-ul-Zuha, Diwali, Janam Ashtami and all Sundays are regular Post Office and also Telegraph holidays. Other Post Office holidays are separately notified every year. The regulations affecting the transaction of public business on Post Office holiday are laid down in the Post Office Guide. Express telegraphic money orders are required to be accepted for issue and paid on every day of the year except Sundays/Holidays. Postage stamps, postcards and embossed envelopes should always be sold on all days of the year except Sundays/Holidays, but otherwise no business should be done with the public on Post Office holidays.
5. Notice of hours of business. - A notice of hours of business etc., in form M-6(c) will be supplied to each branch office by the S.D.I and the B.P.M. should work to the timings shown therein. The notice should be pasted on a notice board and hung up prominently in the office so as to be visible to the public.
6.Courtesy towards the public. – B.P.M. must invariably be courteous in their dealings with the public. They must afford every facility to the persons attending the post office to purchase postage stamps, to have letters registered, parcels despatched, money orders issued, or to transact any other business, and always be ready to give every information in their power regarding parcel rates, etc.
7. Village sorting lists and route lists and beat maps. – (1) The village sorting list shows (a) the Nos. of the V.P.Ms. or G.D.S.M.D. to whom articles are made over for delivery, and (b) the names of the villages that are served by each V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. arranged in alphabetical order. The village sorting list also shows in what villages letter-boxes are placed and which of these letter-boxes are provided with changeable plates.
(2) A village sorting list will be prepared and supplied to each branch office by the S.D.I. A branch office to which V.P.Ms. are attached will also receive from the S.D.I. a copy of the route list (M-53), issued by him to each V.P.M. Showing the names of the villages to be visited by the latter. In the case of fixed or combined fixed and unfixed beats, the route list will be accompanied by a map of the beat and will also show the route to be followed by the V.P.M. the days fixed for his departure from, and return to the Post Office, the day on which each village should be visited by him and the villages in which he is allowed to halt. The village sorting list, as well as the copies of route lists and beat maps, should be hung up in the post office.
8. Due mail and sorting lists. – A due mail and sorting list will be supplied (a) to every branch office in direct communication with the R.M.S. by the Superintendent R.M.S. concerned, and (b) to every other branch office which is a transit or sorting office, by the Superintendent. The due Mail list will show the bag or bags to be received or despatched from or to each office or section with which mails are exchanged and in what cases the bags should be accompanied by mail lists. The sorting list will show the articles to be sent in each bag by the branch office.
9. Supervision of delivery staff. – (1) If a postman is attached to the office, the B.P.M. must see that his book (MS-27) is properly kept; and if a V.P.M. or a postman or G.D.S.M.D. whose beat extends beyond a single town or village is attached to the office, the B.P.M. should himself enter in the visit book (MS-86) in red ink the order in which they are to be visited all the villages which the postman or V.P.M. or a G.D.S.M.D. is not obliged to visit on every trip, but for which there are articles for delivery, and he should either himself similarly enter all the other villages in black ink (i.e. those which have to be visited regularly), or see that they are duly entered by the postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. in the proper order in the list; he should also see that the V.P.M’s. register (MS-85) is punctually and correctly written up. On the return of the postman or V.P.M. or the G.D.S.M.D. to the office, the B.P.M. must take over all the articles, cash and documents to e received from him, and initial the postman’s book (MS-27) or V.P.M’s. register (MS-85) in acknowledgement of the cash, the receipts for registered articles of the letter and parcel mails delivered, the undelivered registered articles of the letter mail and parcel mail articles and the paid and unpaid money orders returned by him. The B.P.M. should also examine the V.P.M’s. visit book (MS-86) to see, by reference to the signatures of the head man or other responsible residents of the village and days of the week noted by them whether the V.P.M. or the G.D.S.M.D. had been to every village on the due day that he was required to visit. The visit book should then be initialed by the B.P.M.
NOTE.- The weight of postal articles (including parcels to be carried by a village postman or extra departmental delivery agent should not exceed 10 kg.
(2)The B.P.M. should also satisfy himself that in every case there is a satisfactory reason for the postman’s or V.P.M’s. or the G.D.S.M.D.’s inability to deliver the articles which are brought back undelivered. Any laxity on the part of the postman or V.P.M. or the G.D.S.M.D. should be reported to the S.D.I.
(3) The accounts with the postman and the G.D.S.M.D. must be adjusted every day, and with the village postman as soon as he returns from his beat. The V.P.M. should not be allowed to leave the office until his accounts have been quite settled. The postage due on articles of the letter mail returned by each postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. should be entered opposite to his No. in the appropriate column of the postman’s postage account (Pa-21) by the B.P.M. and after deducting this sum from the amount previously debited to the postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. in the account the B.P.M. and after deducting this sum from the amount previously debited to the postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. in the account, the B.P.M. should enter the balance in the column provided for the purpose in the account against the date on which the accounts are actually adjusted with the postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D.. This balance will be the amount for which the postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. is liable, and which he should be required to pay immediately in cash to the B.P.M. who should initial the entry in the account in acknowledgement of receipt. The several columns of the postman’s postage account must be totalled each day by the B.P.M. and a line in red ink should be ruled across the page at the end of each day’s transactions.
Note. – When village letter boxes are provided with changeable plates, the B.P.M. is responsible that the correct plates are made over to the V.P.M’s or G.D.S.M.Ds when they are proceeding on their beats and that the proper plates are returned by the V.P.M’s. or G.D.S.M.D.’s. when they come back from their beats.
(4) Each postman, V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. who is required to sell stamps or money order forms will be supplied by the B.P.M. with a small stock of postage stamps of the lower denominations (including postcards, money order forms and embossed envelopes) for sale to the public, and he will give the B.P.M. a receipt for stamps in the Memo. Of stamp advance against the entry of his name. The money realised by the sale of postage stamps etc. will be made over by the postman, V.P.M. or the G.D.S.M.D. on his return to the office to the B.P.M. who will give him a fresh supply of stamps equal in value to the amount so received from him. The S.D.I. of post office concerned will fix the amount in stamps to be issued to each postman, V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D.
10. Responsibility for correct delivery of articles and payment of money orders. – (1) B.P.Ms. and their postmen and V.P.M’s. and G.D.S.M.D. are responsible for the correct delivery of all articles and the correct payment of all money orders delivered or paid by them. In all cases of doubt, the B.P.M. or postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. should satisfy himself as to the addressee’s or payee’s identity by making proper inquiries before delivering the article or paying the money order.
(2) In the case of uninsured registered articles of the letter or parcel mail, if the addressee is not known to the B.P.M. postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. delivery should be made in the presence of a respectable witness residing in the locality, whose name should be noted on the receipt. In the case of insured articles and money orders for a person unknown to the B.P.M. or postman or V.P.M. or G.D.S.M.D. the same procedure should be followed but the witness in whose presence delivery or payment is made must be able to identify the addressee or payee.
Note. – The instructions contained in this rule should be followed even in cases where a person claiming delivery of an article at the post office produces the intimation or any other document relating to the article purporting to be signed by the addressee. For detailed instructions as to the identification of the payee, see rule 109.
11.Custody of cash. – (1) It may not be necessary to supply a safe to every extra departmental branch office, but one may at the discretion of the Supdt. Post Offices be provided on the report of the S.D.I. supported by the recommendation of the S.D.I.
(2) When a safe is supplied to a branch office, the cash, postage stamps, articles in deposit, stamps and seal, and in short, all articles of value including money order forms should be locked up in it, special care being taken to lock up insured articles in deposit and the B.P.M. should keep the key or keys on his person by day and night. The greater portion of the stock of postage stamps of the office should always, even during the day time, be kept inside the safe, and only the stamps required for a day’s sales, or half a day’s sales should be taken out at a time.
Note. – All G.D.S.B.P.Ms whether their offices are provided with iron safes or not should make their own arrangements for the safe custody of cash and valuables on their own responsibility. They are at liberty to keep the cash and valuables wherever they like provided that they are available when required and that, when called for, they can be produced for inspection within the time required for going to and coming back from the place where the cash is kept for safe custody.
12. Spoiled currency notes.- Spoiled currency notes, which are believed to be counterfeit or have been mutilated or disfigured in such a manner as to render their identification doubtful, should not be accepted on account of postal transactions. Mere oiling does not justify refusal. It must disfigure or mutilate the note in the manner described above. The features necessary for the identification of a note are its serial letter number, denomination, place of issue, signature and watermark.
13. Stock of postage stamps. – (1) The branch postmaster is responsible that a sufficient stock of postage stamps of all kinds in demand (including embossed envelopes, postcards, money order forms and reply-coupons) is maintained for sale to the public. The stock should never be allowed to fall below a week’s ordinary demand, and should not be allowed to exceed the limit prescribed by the Superintendent. Any stamp, embossed envelopes, or reply-coupons for which there is ordinarily no demand, must be obtained at once, if asked for by any one.
(2) In order to save stamps and reply-coupons from damage, they should be kept in a box of wood or inside the office safe or chest when one is provided : and the supply of each denomination of stamps must be expended before the sale of a fresh supply of the same denomination begins. When stamps of any denomination have been so long in stock that there is danger of their becoming damaged, or when any of the stamps (including embossed envelopes and postcards) in stock cannot be disposed of owing their having become obsolete or otherwise useless, they should be returned to the account office.
(3) Before a reply-coupon is handed to the purchaser, it must be stamped with the date-stamp in the circular space provided for the stamp of the office of origin.
14. Postcards of Private manufacture. – (1) as laid down in the Post Office guide, single and reply postcards or private manufacture may be transmitted by the inland post as postcards, provided that the postage is prepaid in full, that their dimensions are not greater than 15 cm by 10.5 cm or less than 10cm by 7 cm and that, as regards substance, they are neither thinner nor more flexible than the inland postcards issued by the Post Office. The last condition does not, however, preclude the use as postcards of private cards which are either thicker or less flexible than the departmental inland postcards. So long as a card of private manufacture is of the thickness of a card, and not merely a piece of ordinary paper cut to the size of postcard, it should be allowed to pass unchallenged.
(2) No objection should be raised to postcards from the address-side of which inadmissible words, formerly printed, have been erased, provided that the words have been erased as to remove them altogether and not merely struck out by drawing a line through them.
*15. Exchange of reply coupons with postage stamps. – (1) Reply coupons are of two kinds : (i) International and (ii) Commonwealth : When reply-coupon is presented at a branch office for exchange with postage stamps, it should be carefully examined to see that it has not been cut, defaced or mutilated. An international coupon should further be examined with a view to see that the paper on which it is printed, is watermarked with the letters “U.P.U.” in big characters. If the coupon is found to be defective in any of these respects, it should not be accepted.
Note. – No objection should be raised to the acceptance of an international reply coupon which (a) has been marked with a distinctive perforation in such a manner as neither to destroy its text nor to interfere with the verification of its value, or (b) had the selling price printed on it altered by the issue administration either in manuscript or by means of the impression of a stamp, or (c) had serial No. printed on it or (d) has no date stamp impression on the space provided for the purpose or has the said stamp impressed on a wrong place.
(2) If the coupon is found to be in order, it should be stamped with the date-stamp in the circular space provided for the purpose, and a postage stamp, or stamps of Rs. 15 for each international coupon and the value for each Commonwealth coupon fixed from time to time (as may be desired by the presenter) should be given to the person presenting the coupon in exchange for it. Several international coupons can be exchanged for payment of an air mail letter not exceeding 50 grams in weight. The value of postage stamps given in exchange for reply-coupons should be shown in the B.O. account (Pa-6) as an unclassified payment.
(3) The total number and value of reply coupons accepted in exchange for postage stamps should be entered on the despatch side of the B.O. journal (Pa-5) and the coupons should be sent to the account office entered in the B.O. daily account. [A.C.G.-22(a)].
16. Spoilt or defaced postage stamps. – (1) Postage, stamps, whether adhesive, embossed or impressed, which have been obliterated, defaced, torn, cut or otherwise rendered imperfect, or which have any work, letter, figure, or design written, printed or impressed upon them otherwise than by the authority of the Central Government before posting, or which have been cut or otherwise separated from embossed envelopes, postcards cannot be recognised in payment of postage. Such stamps when found affixed to a postal article or document, should not be postmarked but a remark stating why they have been ignored should be written on the article or document.
(2) There is no prohibition, however, against the use for the payment of postage or postal fees, of postage stamp perforated with initials or other identifying marks traced in minute holes.
Note 1. – The prohibition against the marking of stamps should not be too strictly enforced in the case of embossed or impressed stamps borne by embossed envelopes and postcards; that is to say, where a letter of the address encroaches on the stamps and where the encroachment is obviously accidental the stamps should be recognised. Similarly, when the seal affixed by the sender to a registration envelope happens to extend over a small part of the embossed stamp, the stamp should not be considered imperfect merely on that account.
Note 2. – Embossed envelopes, whether cut open or not, may be used as wrappers for newspapers, etc. but registration envelopes may not be used for the transmission of unregistered articles.
17. Previously used, forged or counterfeit stamps and misused service stamps. – (1) If a previously used postage stamp, from which, however, no attempt has been made to remove the marks of obliteration, is detected on an article already posted, or if a service stamp, from which no attempt has been made to remove the letter denoting service, is detected on a private article posted, the stamp should be ignored. In either case, the article should be charged with the postage to which it thus becomes liable and should then be forwarded to destination with a remark on it stating the reason for the charge. If an article, document or telegraph message, bearing such stamps which have to be ignored, is handed in at the window, it should be returned to the person who presented it, with the remark that a previously used postage or a service stamp affixed on a private article, cannot be recognized in payment of postage of any other charge.
Note . – See rule 62.
(2) If, however (a) a stamp showing signs of an attempt to wash out erase, or otherwise remove a previous obliteration, or (b) a forged or counterfeit stamp, or (c) a service stamp from which the letter denoting service appears to have been removed, is detected on an article passing through the post, or an article, document or telegraph message, presented at the window of the Post Office, the article, document or telegram should be sent to the account office, accompanied by a report of the circumstances of the case and enclosed in an envelope, entered in the reverse of the B.O. daily account. A copy of the report would at the same time be forwarded to the Superintendent. In cases in which the article, document of telegraph message, bearing the suspicious stamps has been handed in at the window, the following additional action should be taken (a) the name and address of the person who presented it should be ascertained and he should be informed that it will be detained for enquiry; (b) information of the occurrence should be given at once to the police in order that they may, if they consider it necessary, take action under Section 54 of the Criminal Procedure Code; and (c) if the article is one for which a receipt would ordinarily be granted e.g., a registered letter or telegraph message instead of the usual receipt, a manuscript receipt should be given bearing the date-stamp of the office and stating that the articles has been detained for enquiry as it bears a suspicious stamp.
Note. – When a branch office receives for delivery an article of the foreign mail accompanied by an advice in form K, the branch postmaster should place the article in deposit and obtain the instructions of the account office as to its disposal.
18. Foreign postage stamps not recognised in payment of postage on correspondence posted. – Postage stamps of foreign countries are not recognised in payment of postage or other postal charges on correspondence posted in Indian post office or letter boxes; and if any article bearing only such stamps is posted in an Indian post office or letter box, it should be treated as wholly unpaid, the stamps being ignored. The stamps, however, should not be defaced but a remark drawing attention to the fact that they are those of a foreign country should be written on the face of the article by the office of posting.
Exception.- This rule does not apply to the reply-halves of double postcards originally posted in a foreign country which should be given free transit to destination when re-posted in an Indian post office or letter box provided the reply half of the postcard bears the stamp impression of the office of delivery.
19. Stamps and Seals.- Every branch office is supplied with a seal and the following stamps :-
Note 1. – Branch offices which despatch mails in one direction more than once a day, will be supplied with date-stamps provided with hour type.
Note 2. – The date stamp should be impressed on every communication addressed by the branch postmaster to the Superintendent or the S.D.I. in addition to any other stamps that may be required on the form used.
20. Book of Postmarks. – A book in form MS-18 must be kept in every branch office, in which impressions of all the stamps holding date or other movable type, and of the seal (if it has movable type), should be taken daily before they are brought into use. The branch postmaster must be careful to see that the impressions are distinct and clear, and he should initial the book every day after all the impressions for the day have been taken.
21. Books and forms and their preservation. – (1) The books and forms used in branch offices are shown in the list at the end of these rules.
(2) Forms must be kept neatly and properly arranges, and the branch postmaster must take special care to see that none of them is damaged or wasted.
(3) The branch office account (Pa-6) and the branch office journal (Pa-5) should be preserved for three-years after they are used up. The following records should be preserved for two years. The Book of Receipts (MS-87) (a) registered and parcel lists, mail lists and branch office slips. At the end of the prescribed period they should be torn up and sold as waste paper. Invoices of postal publications and of articles received from the stock depot should be preserved for three years. The order book (Ms-8) or stock book (SK-1) may not be destroyed without the special permission of the Superintendent. All the other records of a branch office [including the registered journal (R.P.-51)] should be preserved for 2 years. After the expiration of that period, the village postman’s book of receipts (Ms-87), books of postmarks and registered journal (R.P.-51) should be destroyed, in the branch postmaster’s presence, by fire or otherwise, in such manner that they may not be used again, and the other records should be torn up and sold as waste paper by the branch postmaster the sale proceeds being credited to “Unclassified receipts”. The registered journal should never be sold as waste paper. The circulars issued by the Head of the Circle containing convictions of departmental officials should be preserved as a permanent record. The office copies of the enumeration returns and the yearly village returns should be preserved for a period of five years.
22. Book of receipts. – (1) The book of receipts (MS-87)(a) comprises –
(a) the form of receipt to be given to the sender of an insured or V.P. article of the letter or parcel mail or to the remitter of a money order; premia paid by P.L.I. Policy holder; Telegraph charges realised in Cash by non-combined Branch office; and
(b) the counterfoil on which an office copy of the receipt is kept. Each part bears a printed serial No. which is the No. to be assigned by the Branch Office to the insured or V.P. article of the letter or parcel mail or money order for which the receipt is granted. On the counterfoil, space is provided for the entry of the names and address of the senders of certain classes of articles and the remitters of money orders. The branch postmaster must examine the book of receipts [M.S. 87(a)], immediately on its receipt from his account office and see that the back is complete and properly numbered. When there is a change of incumbent of a branch office, the relieving branch postmaster must satisfy himself that the unused receipts in the back of receipts are complete and in serial order.
(2) The issue of a receipt upon any but the authorised form will be punished by removal. If a receipt is spoiled, the word “Spoiled” should be written under the branch postmaster’s signature across the receipt and its counterfoil. The receipt should then be torn out of the book and sent to the account office entered on the reverse of the B.O. daily account [A.C.G. 22(a)]. The following are examples of the usual cases in which a receipt should be treated as spoiled :-
(3) If a money order is issued on service, by the branch postmaster (as remitter), the receipt for the remitter should be left on record in the book of receipts.
Note. – Separate receipts are issued in respect of Telegraph charges recovered in Cash (in combined Br. Office).
23. Stock .- (1) Ordinarily, a table is the only furniture besides a stool, necessary for a branch office.
(2) A branch postmaster should not ordinarily prepare indents for articles of stock required for his office. When a branch office is inspected, the inspecting officer will prepare an indent for any articles of stock that may be really wanted. In any sudden emergency, however, such as the loss of a stamp or seal, the branch postmaster may prepare the indent. When it is necessary for a branch postmaster to prepare an indent for articles of stock, he should obtain two forms for the purpose from the account office and after filing them up submit both the copies to the S.D.I.(P) for countersignature.
(3) When articles of stock are supplied to a branch office by the stock depot, they should be checked with the two copies of invoice in form SK-3 which accompanies them. The branch postmaster should then sign both the invoices and file the triplicate copy in the order of its serial No. in a bundle with the other invoices received during the year and return the duplicate to the stock depot after signing and date stamping it. Particulars of all articles of stock received in the branch office should be entered in the stock book (SK-1) in accordance with the instructions printed on the inside of the front cover.
(4) A branch postmaster should not prepare invoices of articles of stock to be returned to the stock depot as unserviceable. When a branch office is inspected, the inspecting officer will prepare the invoice for any articles of stock that are to be returned as unserviceable to the stock depot. Invoices of articles returned to the stock depot will be numbered in a consecutive annual series beginning with No.1. On the 31st March of each year, the branch postmaster should intimate the closing number of the series of invoices for the year to the account office by means of a service postcard, bearing the entry “Closing No. (No.) of invoices for (year)” over his signature and an impression of the name-stamp of his office, ( a form of service, postcard being obtained for this purpose from the account office). The closing No. should be noted on the reverse of the office copy of the last invoice sent to the stock depot. When articles of stock are returned to the stock depot, the No. and date of the invoice, with which they are returned, should be noted in the stock book.
24. Supply of guides and books of blank forms of Inland Money Orders etc. for sale. – (1) When an application is received from the public for a copy of –
(h) the Report on the work of the Department of Posts the branch postmaster should obtain a copy from his account office and sell it to the applicant. The value of the copy sold should be remitted in cash to the account office, the remittance being entered on the reverse of the daily account, but not incorporated in the accounts.
(2) In the event of an application being received from the public for a copy of any other publications or forms for sale, application should be forwarded by the branch postmaster to the account office for instruction as to its disposal.
25. Supply of the P.O. Pocket Guide in regional languages. – Every branch postmaster and every postman and village attached to a branch post office will be supplied with a copy of the Pocket Guide in the regional languages. This publication contains in a clear and concise form all essential information on departmental matters. If a branch postmaster requires any further information, he can obtain it from the account office.
Note. – The Head of the Circle may supply the more important branch offices especially those which are empowered to receive foreign parcels for despatch with a copy of the Post Office Guide, Volume I and II. All branch postmasters who can read English will be supplied with a copy of the Classified List of Indian Post Offices and R.M.S. Offices and Sections (with Appendices).
26. Information not to be made public. – No person not belonging to the Department may be permitted to examine the records of any post office or any article not addressed to him, even though the article may have been posted by him, and no information may be given to any one not belonging to the Department, respecting any article passing through the post or any transaction connected with any department of the post office. Officers of the Department render themselves liable to removable if they make public any information which they receive officially or in the discharge of their duties. A branch postmaster may not even give the address of any person unless he has sufficient reason to believe that the person, whose address is required would not object to the information being furnished. When information regarding any postal transaction is requested by any Government officer the branch postmaster should refer the matter to the Superintendent for orders.
Exception 1.- The branch postmaster may be required to allow the inspection of savings bank, cash certificate and money order books by the order of a Court under Act XVIII of 1891. When he receives an order of this kind, he should refer the matter, without delay, to the Superintendent who will obtain the orders of the Head of the Circle whether the order should be complied with or whether cause should be shown against the order, or an offer made to produce the books in Court.
Exception 2. – Any District Magistrate, Chief Presidency Magistrate, High Court, or Court of Sessions may require the post office to deliver a letter, postcard, newspaper book, or pattern packet parcel, telegrams or money order in its custody to such a person as such Magistrate or Courts direct.
Exception 3. – Any Magistrate, Commissioner of Police or District Superintendent of Police may require the post office to search for and detain a letter, postcard, newspaper book or pattern packet parcel, telegram or money order in its custody, pending the orders of the District Magistrate, Chief Presidency Magistrate, High court or Court of Sessions.
Exception 4. – Information of a purely statistical character e.g., figures showing the business of the post office in any department may be furnished to the District Magistrate on his application.
Exception 5. – Nothing in the foregoing rule applies to the production of the register’s journals and other business records of a post office, before a Court of Justice or Police or an Excise Officer.
Exception 6. – All postal articles in course of transmission by post are liable to attachment by a Civil Court. Any such order received should, therefore, be complied with. Each case under this rule should however be reported to the Superintendent, who in his turn will report only important cases to the Head of the Circle concerned for his information.
27. Production of records before courts. – (1) A summons from a Court of Civil or Criminal Jurisdiction to produce any of the records of a Post Office or a certified extract from or copy of , any such records will usually be received through the Superintendent and, unless otherwise ordered, should be complied with. When any journal or other record of a post office is produced in Court and admitted in evidence, the officer producing it should ask the Court to direct that only such portions of the records, as may be required by the court, shall be disclosed.
(2) The summons relates to savings bank, cash certificate, or National Savings Certificate or Money Order Books, the production of which is governed by the provisions of Act XVIII of 1891 and Act I of 1893 the branch postmaster should at once prepare a certified copy of the entry or entries giving information called for, and forward this to the Court. The certificate to be written at the foot of the copy should be in the form below, and should be signed and dated by the branch postmaster:
an entry
I hereby certify that this is a true copy of ___________ contained in (name of
entries
record) one of the ordinary books of this post office which is still in my custody, and that this entry was made in the usual and ordinary course of business.
A.B.,
Branch Postmaster of
___________ Post Office
Date__________
(3) Should the branch postmaster, however, receive an express order from a Court, under Act XVIII of 1891; requiring him to produce any savings bank, cash certificate, Defence Savings Certificate, National Savings Certificate, or money order book, he should refer the matter, without delay, to the Superintendent stating the date on which the book is to be produced, and should at the same time inform the court that this has been done. That officer will obtain the Head of the Circle’s decision whether the book should be produced, or whether notice should be given to the Court of his intention to show cause against the order.
Note. – All summons received direct by branch offices should be referred to the Superintendent for orders, and such particulars as are known to the branch postmaster regarding the case should be reported at the same time.
28. Production of records before the police or an excise officer. – Records of a post office should be produced and information available in them should be given, on the written order of any police officer who is making an investigation in a cognisable case under the Criminal Procedure Code, or of any Excise Officer empowered by a State Government to investigate offences punishable under any Excise Act, but only those entries in the records should be disclosed which relate to the person or persons charges with the offence under investigation, or which are relevant to that offence. In any other case, the branch postmaster should, without delay; submit the case to the Superintendent for orders.
Note 1. – This rule does not authorise the Post Office to hand over the records to Police Officer unless an order under Section 95 of C.P.C. is obtained by the Police Officer from the District Magistrate, Chief Presidency Magistrate, High Court or Court of Sessions.
Note 2. – When the information asked for by a Police or an Excise Officer is not available in the records of the Post Office the Police or the Excise Officer should be informed accordingly irrespective of the question whether information, if available might or might not be given under the foregoing rule.
29. Treatment of articles the importation of which is prohibited and of articles liable to customs duty. – When an article of the letter mail is received in a cover marked “Doubtful” or is suspected to contain something, the importation of which is prohibited or on which import customs duty is chargeable, the branch postmaster should at once make a reference to his account office, which will instruct him how to deal with the articles. Sums realised on account of customs duty with the relative postal fee from the addressees of such articles must be credited to unclassified receipts, and the assessment memos., will be submitted to the account office attached to the daily account, on the reverse of which particulars of the articles together with the amount realised in respect of each should be noted. Separate entry should be made in the branch office journal of the amounts realised as customs duty on articles of the letter mail.
Exception. – Payment of customs duty and other charges due on articles intended for delivery to a Government official in his official capacity may be made by means of service stamps. If so paid, the stamps should be affixed to the relative assessment, memos., which should be submitted to the account office in the manner prescribed above.
30. Treatment of articles found to contain coin etc. – If an uninsured article is found in the course of transmission by post to contain any article, the insurance of which is compulsory e.g., coin, bullion, platinum, precious stones, jewelry, currency notes and articles of gold of silver, it should be endorsed “Contains (Coin, etc.)”, and sent to the account office enclosed in a protecting cover or bag, as the case may require. If the article is not a registered article, the protecting cover or bag should be registered on service before it is despatched to the account office.
31. Treatment of articles containing goods, the export of which is specially prohibited. – If an article posted at any place in India and addressed to a foreign country is actually found, while in course of transmission by post, to contain anything, the export of which either generally or to that particular destination, is prohibited, it should be endorsed “contains Prohibited (name of prohibited article)” and sent to the account office for disposal.
32. Distribution of advertisements etc., on behalf of the public prohibited.- Trade circulars and advertisements are sometimes sent by packet post addressed to branch postmasters or postmen in the hope that they may be delivered by the Branch postmasters or postmen to the local residents. It should be clearly understood that branch postmasters or postmen cannot be allowed to distribute advertisements, hand bills or notices of any kind on behalf of the public in connection with their delivery duties and all such circulars and advertisements that may be received should be refused.
33. Facsimile impression of signature to be accepted as signature in certain cases. – In all cases, where, under the rules of the Post Office, a person is required to sign a receipt or an acknowledgement for a postal article delivered or to affix, his signature to any other document with the posting or delivery of a postal article, or to a postal article itself, the facsimile impression of his signature to any other document or article, made by means of a stamp, should be accepted as a sufficient compliance with the rule; provided, of course that there is no reason to suspect that the stamp has been misused.
Note 1. – This rule does not apply to the signing of documents by the branch postmaster in his official capacity. Facsimile stamps for such a purpose are not allowed.
Note 2. – This rule does not apply to the signing of money order vouchers and receipts and acknowledgements for insured articles. Facsimile stamp should not be accepted on such vouchers receipts and acknowledgement.
34. Thumb-impressions of illiterate person. – (1) In all cases in which registered or insured articles are delivered to illiterate persons or in which money is paid to such persons on account of money orders; savings bank withdrawals, pay, wages, contingent charges or for any other purpose the addressee’s or payee’s thumb-impression, seal or other mark should whenever practicable, be taken on the proper document (receipt, acknowledgement, money order, application for withdrawal, warrant of payment, acquittance roll, etc.).
Note 1. – In the case of a registered article, the addressee’s thumb impression, seal or other mark should be attested by the postman or village postman, who delivers the article, while in the case of an insured article or a money order, the addressee’s or payee’s thumb-impression, seal or other mark should be attested by the signature of a resident witness other than the official by whom the article or order is delivered or paid. But when the amount of a money order is less than five rupees and there is no literate witness in the village, the payee’s thumb-impression may be attested by the thumb-impression of an illiterate witness whose name should be written on the money order by the postman or village postman by whom payment is made.
Note 2. – When the amount of a money order payable to an illiterate villager is five rupees or more, and no literate witness is available in the village, payment should be duly attested by securing the left thumb impression of the headman of the village on the money order, and his name should be written thereon by the postman by whom the money order is paid.
Note 3. – If he payee of a money order is a blind person, the procedure to be followed in respect of an illiterate payee, as laid down above, should be observed in his case.
(2) In taking thumb-impressions, printer’s ink (which is supplied for use with metal stamps) should be used with the special pad provided for the purpose, and the following instructions should be observed :-
All grease and dirt should first be carefully removed from the ball of the left thumb, which should then be wiped, dry, laid on the inked pad and very lightly rolled from left to right until it is sufficiently inked. The thumb should then be very lightly rolled on the document on which an impression is required. The thumb should be fairly laid on the paper and a complete impression obtained by rolling it once from left to right. It should be recollected that if the thumb is rubbed or allowed to slip, either on the pad or paper, a good impression cannot be secured. It is always advisable to take one or two experimental impressions of waste paper before finally impressing the thumb on any document.
(3) The special pads for taking thumb impressions supplied to postmen, village postmen and extra departmental delivery agents should be replenished with printer’s ink from the post office whenever necessary. Before a village postmen or extra departmental delivery agent proceeds on his beat, the branch postmaster should see that sufficient ink has been applied to his pad to last during the whole period of his absence from the post office.
*35. Postage stamps, coins and other articles of value found in a letter-box or on a post office counter. – (1) When postage stamps are found loose in a letter-box, endeavour should be made to identify the articles from which it is probable they were detached; and failing identification, the postage stamps should be defaced after affixing them (defaced) in the error book maintained under rule 36. If any empty unused envelope or an unused post card of private manufacture with postage stamps affixed to it, it is found in a letter-box or on a post office counter, the portion of the envelope or such card bearing the stamp or stamps should be cut off and pasted in the error book and the stamps or stamps defaced. If any unused postcard other than of private manufacture, empty unused embossed envelope, currency note, or current coin is found in a letter-box or on a post office counter, its value should be credited to “Unclassified receipts”. Other coins and articles of value so found, which cannot be brought to credit at once should be kept in the personal custody of the branch postmaster and orders regarding their disposal obtained from the Superintendent through the account office.
(2) All applications from the public for the return of articles of the kind mentioned above or for a refund of their value, should be submitted to the account office with a brief report of the facts of the case.
36. Error book. – (1) The error book (MS-2) is a record of all irregularities noticed and should be maintained in all branch offices. Every irregularity, serious or petty, committed by any member of the office establishment or noticed to have been committed by any other office or section, when mails are received or opened, should be entered in the error book, special care being taken to notice by this means cases of missending and misdirection of articles.
(2) Entries in the error book should be as brief as possible and initialled by the branch postmaster.
(3) In cases in which a report is required to be made to the Superintendent, or ASPOs/SDI, the No. and the date of the report should be noted in the column for remarks in the error book. In other cases, no report need be made; the entry in the error book will be sufficient evidence that the irregularity was noticed by the postmaster.
Note. – Reports against the R.M.S. should contain, in addition to the name of the section or mail office, the No. of the set concerned. The No. of the set can be ascertained from the name stamp of the section or mail office impressed on the registered list received.
(4) A record must also be kept in the error book of all complaints made by the public, the complaints themselves being disposed of under rule 37(3).
37. Important irregularities to be reported at once. – (1) If a due bag is not received, or a bag is received missent, or stolen, lost or destroyed by first etc., a report should be sent at once to the Superintendent and the dispatching office. If the despatching office is a R.M.S. section or mail office, the report should be sent to its Record Office. In the case of offices which perform registration work independently of the account office the same action should be taken if a registered list (R.P. – 32) is not received or is received missent or, if a registered list is received with any correction made in it but not attested; or if any such list is received without a total or with the total corrected, whether the correction be attested or not or with wrong totals or without entry of totals. A report should also be made, if any of the following irregularities occur :-
(2) In the case of branch offices situated at telegraph stations, the occurrence, should, if the branch postmaster knows English, be reported by telegram to the despatching office or Record office of the despatching section or office concerned. A copy of the telegram should be sent by post to the Superintendent.
(3) All complaints from the public received by the branch postmaster must be acknowledged by him and submitted to the officer to whom he is directly subordinate, with any remarks that may be considered necessary.
Note 1. – In cases in which complaints on postal, telegraph and telephone matters are posted in closed covers they must be fully prepaid. When such a complaint does not bear postage stamps in full prepayment of postage, it should be treated as “Unpaid” or “insufficiently paid”, as the case may be, and forwarded to the account office for disposal. But if a bona fide complaint against the Postal Service (except complaints relating to value-payable articles) addressed to any officer of the Department and without stamps in payment of postage is presented in writing at a post office or telegraph office, open or in an open cover, irrespective of whether the complaint relates to the same office or any other office in the same Circle or not, it will be accepted and forwarded to the account office for disposal. No communication which is not a bona fide complaint, will be exempted from payment of postage.
Note 2. – In cases when the non-receipt of an article of document has been reported by telegraph, its subsequent receipt or discovery should also be communicated to the officers concerned by telegraph, as soon as it is received or traced.
(4) On receipt of information of a highway robbery of mails, the branch postmaster should communicate it at once, by telegraph if available, to the local police, the sub-divisional inspector and the Divisional Superintendent.
37-A. Suggestion/Complaint Book. – (1) Complaint/Suggestion Book (MS-94) should be kept by all Branch Post Offices and a member of the Public can record in it any complaint or suggestion regarding any service matter in duplicate by carbonic process. This book should be kept at a conspicuous place easily accessible to the members of the public without their having to ask for it.
(2) The Branch Postmaster should examine the book at the end of each day, detach and, forward one copy of the complaint or suggestion to the Sub-Divisional Inspector with his remarks for necessary action under registered cover and made a remark in the register as follows :-
“copy forwarded to . . . . . under R.L. No. . . . . . . . dated . . . . . . .”. The Branch Postmaster should also intimate to the complainant accordingly and see that the final disposal of the complaint or suggestion is intimated to him and made a remark to this effect in the book.
(3) Supervising officers visiting the office must sign below the last entry of the complaint book and add their designation. They should also verify whether the Branch Postmaster has been examining the book properly, in case they find that proper and prompt action on the spot regarding the complaint or failing this; make a note of the complaint and have necessary orders issued at the earliest opportunity. They should also take due notice of the lapses on the part of the Branch Postmaster.
38. Correspondence. – The branch postmaster’s official correspondence should be brief, concise, and to the point. When a communication is received by a branch postmaster direct from his account office or from the superintendent, he should send his reply direct and not through the AsPOs/SDI and except in cases of special importance in respect of which direct reports are required to be made, the branch postmaster should address the AsPOs/SDI and not the Superintendent.
39. Ink for correspondence. – Except where it is specially prescribed, ink, other than black, should not be used in official correspondence or in official records.
40. Mobilisation notices and notices to reservists. – Mobilisation notices to the Indian soldiers on leave or furlough, and notices to reservists issued by Officers Commanding Indian regiments, will be presented at the post office enclosed in the special large light-yellow and orange covers, respectively conspicuously marked “MOBILISATION” or “RESERVISTS” and duly franked by the commanding officers. Such covers will bear service stamps in full payment of postage, plus the usual registration fee, and should be registered for despatch under the ordinary rules.
Note. – Telegrams enclosed in mobilisation covers with the word “Telegram” written in red ink below entry “On India Government Service” or in “ordinary telegram” covers with the word “Mobilisation” endorsed thereon, when presented at the post office for delivery for onward transmission should be registered “On India Government Service” in the ordinary way except that the words “Mobilisation cover” should be written across the receipt.
41. Payment of subsistence advance to army reservists. – (1) In the event only of a General Mobilisation, post offices should advance under the following procedure a sum of Rs. 20 to each reservist called up to the colours.
(2) A reservist will present all the post office a parchment certificate a specimen of which is printed at the end of this Rule. The postmaster after examining the entire certificate and satisfying himself about the identity of the person presenting the certificate by reference to the Discharge certificate, should complete portion II by writing the name of the post office in the blank space below. The ‘Postmaster’ should have it receipted on the margin and detach the portions II and III from the certificate. He should then hand back the certificate to the reservist support of the charge and send the Advance Notification (portion III) by post to the Controller of Military Accounts of the particular district mentioned therein after signing and stamping it with the date-stamp of the office. The amount thus paid should be charged to unclassified payments. The Director of Accounts (Postal) of each circle of audit will raise debits for the amount paid plus commission at the rate of 2 per cent against the appropriate Controller, Military Accounts.
(3) The officers Commanding Reservists will inform the Heads of Circles annually of the number of reservists resident in the various areas for whom cash provision for subsistence advance will be necessary on General Mobilisation particularising where practicable the post offices at which men are likely to attend. When General Mobilisation is declared, Heads of Circles should instruct the head postmasters to make arrangements for keeping small offices supplied with sufficient funds for the purpose.
MILITARY CETIFICATE FORM 17
Military certificate for Army Reservists/Territorial Army Personnel on being called for service.
[See Rule 4(1)(iv)(a)]
ARMY RESERVE I.A.F. Y1953
TO BE USED WHEN CALLED UP FOR SERVICES
Sl.No. Office Stamp
Railway order
Note. – In cases where the name of the station at which this Form is presented by the Reservist and the station to which the ticket is issued have been left blank, they will be filled in by the Station Master in the space provided when issuing the ticket.
The Railway authorities will detach and retain this order and after completing it with the amount due will send it to the CDA (Fys) CALCUTTA for settlement.
To,
The Station Master at
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
On presentation of this Order, please issue to Reservist No. . . . . . . . . .Rank and Name . . . . . . . . . . .First class ticket.
“by Ordinary train by
Second class ticket { Mail/Express trains, if the
Journey exceeds 1,250 km.
to . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
By steamer without diet.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . via . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Cost chargeable to the Govt. of India, Ministry of Defence
Rs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 .
Commanding . . . . . . . . . . .
Class ticket No. . . . . . . . . . . issued on . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 .
N.B.- (i) Any alterations to this portion of the form render it null and void.
Exception:- ‘Terminal’ taxes are leviable in the Uttar Pradesh.
II
TO BE USED WHEN CALLED UP FOR SERVICE
Serial No. 194352
To
The Postmaster,
____________
On presentation of this order please issue to Reservist No. . . . . . Rank, Name and Unit .. . . . . . . . . . the sum of rupees Twenty only (Rs. 20/- on account of advance of pay) and charge the same to the CDA . . . . . . . . . . .
Station . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Date . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Commanding . . . . . . . . . . .
Serial No. 194352
To be used when called up for service Advance Notification
Rupees twenty only (Rs. 20/-) has been disbursed by me to Reservist No. . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . Rank, Name and Unit . . . . . . . on this . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .day of . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .19 .
To
The Controller of Defence Accounts
*. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
*Audit circle in which the Reserve Centre is situated to be completed by the officer completing reservist’s documents.
Note. – This notification will be sent by the postmaster direct to the C D A as soon as possible after payment.
42. Post office order book. – (1) Every branch office must keep an order book in form MS-8 in which inspecting officers will record their remarks and orders. The branch postmaster is personally responsible that any action required on the part of his office establishment by the remarks or orders of inspecting officers is promptly taken, and he should, without delay, take any action that may be required on his own part.
(2) The order book must be kept in the personal custody of the branch postmaster, who must see that it does not get damaged. Each order book has 200 serially numbered pages and the willful removal of a page will be regarded as a serious offence and render the offender liable to removal. The order book is a permanent record and may not be destroyed without the special permission of the Superintendent.
43. Correction Slips. – (1) When the rules for branch offices are modified or cancelled or when additional rules are prescribed a list of corrections embodying the changes or additions will be supplied to each branch postmaster. The branch postmaster should, as soon as he receives the list of corrections, cut out the slips and paste them in the copy of the Rules of the Branch Offices supplied to him.
(2) Each slip should be cut off immediately below its printed No. and pasted along the inner margin of the page against the rule concerned, and as close as possible near the particular part of the rule affected. The index should be pasted at the end of the book.
(3) As soon as all the correction slips have been pasted in the copy of the Rules for the Branch Offices, the branch postmaster should sign the certificate at the end of the list of corrections and forward it to the account office.
44. Branch office circulars.- (1) Circulars issued by the Director General or the Head of the Circle need not be supplied to branch office but arrangements should be made for only such matters as concern branch offices to be incorporated in Branch Office Circulars in the Regional languages to be issued by Heads of Circles. These Circulars should be supplied to all branch offices.
(2) Branch Office Circulars issued by Heads of Circles will be destroyed after 3 years from the month of April following the close of the official year in which they were issued. If it is found necessary to preserve or reprint the instructions contained in any particular Circular or Circulars, the Head of the Circle will either incorporate such instructions in the Circle Orders or reproduce them in a new circular before the old circular is due to be destroyed.
45. Half-yearly enumeration returns. – The time fixed for making the half-yearly enumeration is the second week of the months of February and August each year, i.e. from the 8th to the 14th, both days inclusive. On each day that the enumeration is to be taken, the branch postmaster must himself count and enter in form M.S.-6 the number of ordinary unregistered articles of the letter mail and of unregistered parcels given out for delivery to the postmen, village postmen and extra-departmental delivery agent and from the window. The different classes of service articles of the unregistered letter mail should also be counted separately and the total number of articles of each class should be shown in the enumeration return against the appropriate head. Full instructions for the preparation of this return will be found on the form of enumeration return. A copy of the return should be forwarded by the mail of the 15th to the account office. It is very important that the enumeration should be accurate and branch postmasters are, therefore required to give special attention to this work.
46. Yearly village returns. – During the first fourteen days of the month of March each year i.e., from the 1st to the 14th, both days inclusive, a return should be kept by the branch postmaster, in form MS – 88, showing the number of articles of all description (including money orders) received daily for delivery in each village within the delivery jurisdiction of the office. The names of the villages in the first column of the return should be grouped according to each beat, the No. or name of the postman or village postman or extra-departmental delivery agent being written above each group, and a total should be made for each group. Villages in unfixed beat should be entered in red ink and for villages having letter boxes the letter “LB” should be noted against their names adding the letter ‘P’ if they are provided with moveable plates. On the 15th of the month for which the return is kept, it should be totalled and signed by the branch postmaster and forwarded to the AsPos/SDI, a copy being kept for record in the office.
47. Deleted.
48. Employment of extra departmental delivery agents. – (1) Persons to be appointed as extra departmental delivery agents should posses some independent means of subsistence or should have spare time to earn sufficient income in addition to the allowance they obtain from the Department, to give them a total sum which is a living wage.
(2) They will return to the office the same day and render an account of the articles given to them for delivery.
49. Security furnished in the form of a personal bond. – When a Gramin Dak agent or delivery agent has given security in the form of a personal bond, he is bound to give prompt information, if a surety dies, or becomes insolvent, or changes his residence. Failure to report the death or insolvency of a surety, when it is known to the principal, will render the latter liable to removal.
50. Leave applications from extra-departmental branch postmasters and delivery agents. – (a) The applications for leave from an extra-departmental branch postmaster must be prepared in form App.- 45 and submitted to the AsPos/SDI of Post Office concerned. It should be preserved for three years after the connection of the extra-departmental branch postmaster ceases with the Department.
(b) When the charge of an office is transferred from an extra-departmental branch postmaster to his agent, servant or his nominee, or to a departmental official, his reliever must before signing the charge report, check the several books, registers and accounts of the office including stores and all valuables, and verify the balances in hand. Cash, stamps and other valuables of the office should then be taken charge of, and a formal charge report should be signed by relieving and relieved officials and submitted to the officer sanctioning the leave and disbursing officers, anything irregular or objectionable in the conduct of business of the office that may come to the notice of the relieving officer being reported at the same time.
(c) When a gramin dak sevak mail deliverer or a gramin dak sevak mail carrier proceeds on leave, the substitute offered by him may be accepted provided that the official concerned furnishes a declaration taking responsibility for the work and conduct of the substitute during his absence.
51. Contagious infectious and repulsive diseases and ailments to be reported.- (1) Any official-postman, village postman, branch postmaster, etc., in whose house sickness of a contagious or infectious nature e.g., small pox occurs, must at once give notice of the fact to his immediate superior, who will then put him off duty and make arrangements for the performance of his work.
Note. – Cholera, Small pox, Plague, Diptheria, Typhoid, Measles, Mumps, etc.
(2) Any official suffering from a repulsive disease (e.g., leprosy) must report the fact to his immediate superior who will then take steps to obtain competent medical opinion on the case.
51-A. Payment of PLI Policy Premium. – A Postal Life Insurance policy holder may with the previous sanction of the Head of the Postal Circle concerned pay the P.L.I. premia at any branch post office specified in this behalf by the Head of the Postal Circle. While issuing the sanction, the Head of the Postal Circle will specifically draw the attention of the S.P.Os. concerned to have these credits checked into the Account Office records at the time of inspection of the accounts office.
51-B. Deleted.
51-C. Deleted.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER II
MAILS
RULE PAGE
52. Examination and opening of bags
53. Bags received with signs of tampering
54. Preservation of seals and bags
55. Disposal of mail lists received.
56. Deleted
57. Entries in mail lists despatched
58. Mails for offices with which the branch office is in communication
CHAPTER II
MAILS
52. Examination and opening of bags. – The immediate examination of the mails received is a most important duty and if a branch postmaster takes delivery of mails as correct and in good condition, and permits the carrier to leave the office unquestioned, the latter will be freed from all responsibility, which will then rest entirely with the branch postmaster, in case a bag should be subsequently found to be missing or to have been tampered with. Each bag received should be carefully examined by the branch postmaster to see that it is in good order, and that the cord and seal are intact. He should keep the bag, in his personal custody until they are disposed of, and he should personally opne those intended to be opened in the office. When a bag is received at night, it should be securely locked up in the box supplied to the branch office the key of which should be kept by the branch postmaster on his person.
Note. – If the branch office is in direct communication with the R.M.S., the branch postmaster should see that the mail peon keeps a book (Form MS-28) and notes therein case of late arrival of trains, instances in which mails the train and all other irregularities in connection with the receipt and despatch of mails.
53. Bags received with signs of tampering. – (1) If a bag addressed to the branch office is received bearing signs of having been tampered with, the branch postmaster should immediately open it in the presence of witnesses (whether by day or night) and examine the contents.
(2) If it is the B.O. bag from the account office, the articles contained in it should be compared with the entries in the b.o. slip, and the articles, specially the insured articles, should be carefully examined to see whether they have been tampered with and weighed to see that the ascertained weight tallies with the weight noted in the b.o. slip and on the article. If the B.O. bag contains a cash bag, the cash bag should be examined, weighed and opened in accordance with the procedure laid down in rule 167 and the amount enclosed in it should be compared with the entry in the b.o. slip.
(3) If it is a mail bag from an office or section with which registered articles are exchanged the articles should be carefully examined and compared with the entries in the registered list (R.P.-32).
(4) If any cash or article is found, missing, or if any article has been tampered with, a report should be made at once to the Superintendent and to the office or section by which the bag was enclosed, the bag and the label (without detaching it from the cord and seal) should be marked clearly with the initials and date stamped and carefully preserved by the branch postmaster. A record of the irregularity should be made in the error book.
(5) The bags (if any to be sent onwards should also be examined as to their condition, seals, and fastenings, and should any such bag bear signs of tampering, the branch postmaster should enclose it in another bag, if this can be conveniently done, and then forward it to destination with an explanatory remark on the label. In every such case, a report should be made at once to the Superintendent after recording the irregularity in the error book.
54. Preservation of seals and bags. – When a loss occurs or is suspected or a bag is received damaged, all seals, etc. should be carefully preserved in a tin case, which can be obtained or made locally, and the articles should always be forwarded enclosed in the case when sent through the post, so as to prevent their being damaged in transit. The bags too should always be preserved after being initialled and date-stamped by the branch postmaster for the purpose of future identification.
55. Disposal of mail lists received. – As soon as the mails, received have been compared with the entries in the mail lists which accompany them these documents must be signed by the branch postmaster who may then put them aside and at his leisure stamp them and place them on record at any time before the close of the working hours of the same day.
(2) B.O. bags received by the branch office performing independent registration work, from offices with which it is in communication will contain paid unregistered and registered articles of the letter or parcel mail.
56. Deleted.
57. Entries in mail lists despatched. – (1) Mail lists (M-1) when prescribed, should be prepared by the branch postmaster in duplicate by means of carbonic paper. The upper (pencil) copy should remain on record in the office, and the lower (carbonic) copy should be despatched. The mail lists prepared will show the number of due and unusual mails actually despatched, and whenever the number of the due mails entered in a mail list differs from the number due to be despatched, an explanation of the cause of the difference should be written by the branch postmaster on both copies of the mail list and initialled by him. Unusual mails despatched with each mail list must be detailed in the list, in the place provided for the purpose, and a total should be made below the last entry.
(2) Whether a mail list is prescribed or not for the particular despatch if a bag containing the tour correspondence of the Head of the Circle or Superintendent, it should be entered as a special bag in a mail list, or in a manuscript memorandum when mail lists are not prescribed for use by the office, and not supplied to it. The special bags should be forwarded loose to destination, the mail list or manuscript memorandum being also sent outside with the bag.
(3) Where no mail list is prescribed, the receipt of the carrier for the mails should be taken in the B.O. Journal and acquittance of the receiving office should be taken in a Receipt book, which should, on arrival of the carrier back to the B.O., be scrutinised and kept in the custody of the Branch Postmaster.
58. Mails for offices with which the branch office is in communication. – The unregistered articles (paid and unpaid) of the letter mail intended for despatch to offices with which the branch office is in communication, should be sorted according to the sorting list, put up in labelled bundles of suitable sizes, tied lightly with thin twine and then placed in the appropriate B.O. bags. Each bag should be labelled with a plain manilla tag label bearing an impression of the label name stamp of the office or section for which it is intended. The words “B.O. bag” should be written in manuscript on the address-side of the label, and the date-stamp should be impressed on the back of the label. The bag should then be closed as described in the last paragraph of rule 129.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER III
SORTING
RULE PAGE
59. Clearance of letter boxes
60. Certificate of Posting
61. Articles found open, damaged or without content
62. Unpaid, open and insecurely closed articles
63. Transcription of address
64. Check slip
65. Labelled bundles
CHAPTER III
SORTING
59. Clearance of letter-boxes. – (1) The branch postmaster should clear the office letter-box at the hours fixed by the AsPos/SDI. The articles taken from the office letter-box as well as those collected by the postmen, village postmen and runners, should be stamped with the date stamp, (a) in the case of unpaid articles, on the back of each article and (b) in the case of other articles, over the postage stamps affixed to or embossed on them, care being taken to deface each stamp separately by means of a clear and distinct impression. Reply postcards should not be stamped on the reply portion when the two halves are posted together. The postage due on the unpaid or insufficiently paid articles should be marked on the face with the postage-due stamp. Packets taken from the letter-box or collected by the postmen, village postmen or runners, should be examined in order to ascertain whether any of them contains a letter or the communication of the nature of a letter or having the character of a personal communication. If so, the packet should be charged with postage at letter or parcel rates, whichever may be less, and then disposed of in the same manner as other packets.
(2) If there are any paid articles intended for delivery from the branch office, they should be delivered to the addressees. All other articles should be sorted in accordance with the sorting list for the offices to which they are to be sent, or put aside for despatch to the account office.
Note 1. – Unregistered articles received by a branch office in sorting should be sorted for despatch in accordance with the sorting list. Such articles should not be stamped by the branch office.
Note 2. – Branch postmasters who are not supplied with printed labels for mail bags must make the necessary entries on the labels in English, if they are acquainted with English.
Note 3. – Stamps which are not Indian postage stamps when affixed to postal articles, cannot be accepted in payment of postage and should not be defaced. (see also rule 29).
Note 4. – See rule 62.
Note 5. – The branch postmaster should examine the signature of the persons franking ‘O.I.G.S.’ covers posted in the office and satisfy himself that they are genuine. If the signature is not found to be genuine or there is any discrepancy in the frank, the article should be treated as unpaid, and the service stamps should not be defaced but a remarks drawing attention to the fact that they are not supported by the prescribed superscription and frank should be written on the face of the article.
Note 6. – The keys and plates of the letter-boxes opened by the postmen, village postmen or runners must be kept in the custody of the branch postmaster and never given out to them except when it becomes necessary to clear the letter-boxes.
Note 7. – Branch offices which have to make more than one despatch in a day should use date stamp with hour types.
60. Certificate of posting. – (1) Certificates of posting (MS-19) should be granted to the public under the conditions and in the manner laid down in the Post Office Guide, Pt. I, an extract from which is reproduced below :-
(ii) The officer on duty will compare the number of the articles presented and the
addresses on them with the entries in the certificate and, if the latter be correct, will obliterate the postage stamps, note the time of posting and impress the date-stamp upon the certificate. The certificate will then be returned to the person who presented it.
Note. – Printed forms of certificate of posting are obtainable at all post offices free of charge, and the use of these forms is recommended. Books containing 50 forms are also procurable at all principal post offices at a cost as prescribed from time to time.
(2) If a certificate of posting prepared on a piece of plain paper is presented, it should be accepted and pasted on to one of the prescribed forms (MS-19) before it is returned to the sender.
61. Articles found open, damaged or without contents. – (1) If an unregistered article taken from the letter-box, or received in sorting, is observed to be open, torn, or otherwise damaged, or without contents, a remark, in accordance with the directions given below, should be written on the article and initialed by the branch postmaster :-
“Received open” when found in an open state.
“Received torn” or “Received damaged” when received torn or otherwise damaged, e.g., soiled, stained etc.
“Without contents” when the article is manifestly merely an empty cover.
If there are any suspicious circumstances attending the case, the branch postmaster should make enquiries and endeavour to discover the offender.
(2) The branch postmaster should close or open and repaid damaged articles so as to protect their contents, or, if necessary, forward the articles enclosed in envelopes addressed to the offices of destination; but a damaged article addressed to a foreign country must never be placed in an envelope.
62. Unpaid, open and insecurely closed articles. – (1) Any open or insecurely closed inland article which may be found in a letter-box or received in sorting should be securely closed and stamped with “Postage due” stamps if unpaid or insufficiently paid, the postage due being noted before forwarding the same. The amount of unpaid postage represented by such articles should not be credited in the branch office account, nor should their particulars be noted in the journal (Pa-5).
(2) Unpaid and insufficiently paid articles bearing postage stamps of the kinds described in rule 16(1) or bearing previously used postage stamps from which no attempt has been made to remove the marks of obliteration, as well as those posted in Indian post offices or letter-boxes and bearing postage stamps of foreign countries but not prepaid with Indian postage stamps, should be stamped with “Postage due” stamp after duly noting the postage due ignoring the value of the stamps which are not recognised towards the payment of postage and then be forwarded.
63. Transcription of address. – (i) In the case of all articles unregistered or registered including V.P. and insured articles and money orders which are addressed in a Regional language known to the office of posting but intended for delivery at a place where the language is not commonly known, the full address should be transcribed into English in red ink. The transcription should be done neatly and legibly and the name of the office of destination underlined.
(ii) Addresses in Regional language on all articles posted for transmission by foreign post must be transcribed into English in full.
(iii) In case, the language of the address is not known to the branch postmaster, or where the branch postmaster is not conversant with English, the article should be sent to the account office concerned where the address will be transcribed into English, just as on articles posted in letter-boxes attached to it.
64. Check slip. – (1) A check slip is a label tied to the top of each labelled bundle : the form is printed on paper of different colours, pink for ordinary paid and unpaid bundles, white for ordinary sorting bundles, and blue with the words “Air Mail” for foreign air mail bundles. The white check-slip is used for both express and deferred bundles, the slip being marked on the face with 2 diagonal lines in blue pencil when it is used for an express bundle. Every check-slip bear the name and date stamps of the office or section which prepares the bundle, the name of the office or section to which it is addressed and signature in full of the office by whom it is made up. In case of a territorial bundle, it also shows the name of the state, territory, etc., to which the articles in the bundles are addressed, as well as the office or section by which it is to be opened, thus :-
KASHMIR
(D 2 OUT)
(2) Check slips are designed to fix responsibility for the missending of any article included in a labelled bundle and they should be disposed of as follows by the office which opens the bundles :-
65. Labelled bundles. – (1) A labelled bundle is a collection of faced unregistered articles of the letter mail, securely tied with a checkslip (M-10) at the top. It is treated in sorting as a single article, and is opened by the office or section to which it is addressed.
(2) Labelled bundles are of two classes, viz., station bundles and sorting bundles:-
CONTENTS
CHAPTER IV
DELIVERY
RULE PAGE
66. Delivery of unregistered articles of the letter mail
67. Postage taxed and credited by the branch office
68. Articles which bear indefinite or fictitious addresses.
69. Window delivery.
70. Delivery to persons residing at places not served daily be postmen
71. Delivery at branch offices with no separate delivery agency.
72. Redirected and missent articles.
73. Unclaimed, refused and undecipherable articles
74. Unclaimed, “Poste Restante” articles
75. Receipts to be taken form addressees of redirected articles in certain cases.
76. Articles addressed to deceased persons.
CHAPTER IV
DELIVERY
66. Delivery of unregistered articles of the letter mail. – (1) The unregistered articles (paid and unpaid), received for delivery, should be stamped on the back with the date-stamp on the day or receipt, except postcards which should always be stamped on the address-side, and if they are subsequently given out for delivery by a village postman or postman or Gramin Dak whose beat extends beyond a single town or village, they should again be stamped. They should then be delivered to the addressees either by the branch postmaster or through the postman or village postman or Gramin Dak. Articles for persons who are in waiting at the post office should be delivered by the branch postmaster himself without delay.
The amount of postage due on articles that are unpaid, or insufficiently paid, should be entered in the B.O. Journal (Pa-5), and the Branch Postmaster must see that each postman and village postman or G.D.S.M.D.. writes in words and figures the total amount of postage due on such articles, while giving his acquittance in the B.O. Journal itself against the relevant entries. Postage realised on articles of the letter mail delivered from the window should be shown separately in the B.O. Journal for facility of distinction. Unpaid articles should not be delivered until the postage due on them has been paid.
Note. – In the case of reply postcards from foreign countries the date stamp should be impressed on the left side of the reply half before the postcard is sent out for delivery.
(2) Care should be taken to observe whether any articles are open, torn or otherwise injured, or bear the appearance of having been tampered with. If any such article is noticed, it should be closed or repaired, before it is issued for delivery, and if necessary, enclosed in an envelope on which the condition in which the article was received, should be noted over the branch postmaster’s initials.
Exception. – The procedure prescribed in this paragraph does not apply to unpaid open letters. – See Rule 62.
Note 1. – Articles addressed generally or by name to scholars or students at a school or college should be delivered to the Headmaster or Principal, or other person specified by him.
Note 2. – Packets posted at a metro town or any head or sub-office incharge of an official in the lower selection grade or time scale of pay which bear no postage stamps, but are impressed in red or magenta ink with the special stamp showing that the postage has been prepaid in cash, should be treated as fully – paid articles.
Note 3. – No special measures should be taken to secure the return from station masters of letters addressed to their care which cannot be delivered by them to the actual addressees, and postmen should not be required, as a matter of duty, to call for such letters.
Note 4. – All articles issued for delivery from deposit should again be stamped on the date of issue with the date stamp.
67. Postage taxed and credited by the branch office. – (1) The branch postmaster must see that the following classes of unregistered articles received for delivery are properly taxed with postage by him :-
(2) The postage-due stamp should be impressed on articles comprised in classes (a) and (b) and on articles comprised in class (c) the amount shown by the impression of the postage-due stamp of the despatching of account office should be corrected under initials of the branch postmaster. He must also see that all unpaid and insufficiently paid unregistered articles posted in the branch office and intended for delivery from the office itself, are properly taxed by him with postage and impressed with the postage-due stamp.
(3) The postage taxed each day under this rule should be credited in the branch office account under the head “Postage-taxed by the branch office”. Particulars of the articles taxed with postage should also be noted on the receipt side of the branch office journal.
(4) An article received by the foreign post should not under any circumstances, be taxed with postage by the branch office.
Note 1. – The office of posting is responsible for seeing that the correct postage is paid on a registered newspaper, and the postage paid on articles of this class should not, therefore, be challenged by the office of delivery. If, however, there should be reason to believe that any office of posting is not sufficiently careful in the discharge of this duty, an immediate report should be made by the office of delivery to the superintendent through the account office.
Note. 2 – See Rule 62.
(5) If any postage is taxed on inland articles superscribed “On India Government Service” or “Service unpaid” the branch postmaster should attest the charge by placing his initials immediately under the amount entered in the postage-due stamp. Whenever any alteration is necessary in the amount as entered in figures, the branch postmaster should write the amount due in words and attest it by his signature.
(6) If, after delivery, a request made by a Government Officer to initial the postage taxed upon an official article which had not previously been treated as such owing to the omission of the superscription “Service unpaid” or “O.I.G.S.” the branch postmaster should comply with the request.
68. Articles which bear indefinite or fictitious addresses.- (1) No article will be delivered unless it bears a definite address. Article addressed in a general way, i.e., addressed to a class of persons in contradiction to a particular person or firm and articles addressed to initials or figures or to clearly fictitious names or to a Christian name without a surname, should be regarded as not bearing a definite address unless they are to the care of some definite person or firm, or unless the address specifies some definite place for delivery, such as a particular house or a particular post box, or a particular No. in a street. Articles addressed in a general way or to initials, figures, Christian names without surnames, fictitious names or conventional marks of any kind will not be delivered if addressed merely to a post office or “Poste Restante”, or to the care of a postmaster. Such articles will be treated as if they were undeliverable and forwarded to the account office for disposal.
The following are examples of definite and indefinite addresses
Definite and therefore Indefinite and therefore
deliverable undeliverable
(a) The Resident, May Lodge, (a) The European Residents,
SIMLA. SIMLA.
(b) The Occupant, No. 10 Park (b) The Non Commissioned Officers,
Street, CALCUTTA. DELHI Cantt.
(c) The President of the Officers’ (c) The President of the Officers’
Mess, MATHURA. Mess, AMBALA Cantt.
(This would be a definite address as there (This address would be indefinite as Ambala
is only one Officers’ Mess at Mathura.) Cantt. Has several Officers’ Messes.)
(d) A.B. C/o The State Bank of India, (d) A.B., Post office, DELHI.
NEW DELHI.
(e) E, 97, Pioneer Press, ALLAHABAD.
(f) Investor – No. 2, Victor dens BOMBAY.
(2) Parcels or order articles tendered at a post office for transmission under the registration, insurance or value-payable systems, as also money orders, will not be accepted unless they are definitely addressed to a particular person or firm. Such articles addressed to Post Boxes only without the full address of the addressee or the payee will not be accepted for transmission by post. Registered and insured articles of the letter mail as well as insured parcels for British East Africa addressed to Post Box numbers will be accepted for transmission by post only if they bear in addition to the Post Box No. the name of the addressee.
Note. – Articles addressed Headquarter . . . . . . . . . . (Name of Military District, e.g., Bombay District, Meerut District, etc.) . . . . . . . . . . . . . (place of destination, e.g., Bombay, Dehra Dun, etc.) should not be considered as indefinitely addressed, but should be understood as intended for the Headquarters of the Military District named in the address.
69. Window delivery. – (1) Any person residing with the ordinary delivery beat of the postmen can have all letters and other postal articles received to his address delivered to him regularly, during business hours, at the window of a post office, free of any charge on this account, provided that the articles are taken over loose and that the addressee makes a written application to the post office asking that his letters and other articles may be retained in the post office till called for instead of being sent out for delivery in the ordinary course by the postmen.
(2) Window delivery tickets i.e., tickets entitling the holders to receive delivery at the window of a post office in a locked bag, of all fully prepaid unregistered letters, postcards, newspapers and packets received to their address, may be issued on conditions which can be ascertained from the account office. Should a branch postmaster receive an application for a delivery ticket, he should refer the matter at once to his account office and act on the instructions received from it.
70. Delivery to persons residing at placed not served daily by postmen. – (1) In the case of planters and other who reside at places not served daily by postmen and who send messengers regularly to the post office, delivery of letters and other unregistered articles arriving to their address or to the address of the members of their families, should be made to the messengers, who should be required to pay the postage due on the unpaid articles.
(2) As regards registered and insured articles (Other than V.P.) and money orders, delivery or payment may be made to the messenger, if the addressee specially authorises the branch postmaster to do so in writing in the following form :-
“I authorise the postmaster of (name of office), to deliver registered and insured articles and parcels, and pay money orders to may messenger named . . . . . . . . . . . . . and on the postmaster delivering such articles and paying such money orders to the messenger, and obtaining the latter’s receipt, I free the Post Office from all responsibility in respect of such articles and money orders.”
In such cases, the messenger should be required to sign the receipts and the acknowledgements (if any). It is not necessary, however, that the authority granted to the branch postmaster should apply to all classes of articles. It may be restricted to uninsured registered articles only, in which case insured articles should not be delivered and money orders should not be paid except under the procedure laid down in paragraphs (4) and (5) of this rule, respectively.
(3) In the case of registered articles, if the addressee has not authorised his messenger to sign on his behalf, the receipts (R.P.-31, R.P.-1, or R.P.-14) and acknowledgements [R.P.-54, or R.P.-54(a)], if any should be handed under receipt to the messenger for delivery to the addressee. When the receipts (and acknowledgements, if any) are returned to the branch office duly signed by the addressee, the articles should be made over to the messenger.
(4) In the case of insured articles, if the addressee has not authorised his messenger to sign on his behalf, an intimation in form R.P.-52 should be prepared for every insured article arriving to his address, whatever be its value, and made over with the receipt (R.P.- 31, R.P.-1 or R.P.-14) and acknowledgement, [R.P. –54 or R.P.-54(a)], to the messenger. When the receipt and acknowledgement are returned to the branch office duly signed and the notices endorsed with receipts by the addressee the articles should be made over to the messenger.
(5) In the case of money orders, if the addressee has not authorised his messenger to sign on his behalf, the procedure laid down in rule 113 should be followed.
(6) In the case of V.P. articles, irrespective of the value to be recovered, the intimations should be made over to the messengers on their signing for them in the journal. When the intimations duly receipted by the addressee on the reverse are presented at the branch office, with the full amounts to be paid, the articles should be made over to the messenger.
(7) The messengers should be required to sign in the B.O. journal for the documents made over to them under this rule. In the case of an illiterate messenger, his mark should be affixed to the book in the presence of the branch postmaster, who should attest it.
71. Delivery at branch offices with no separate delivery agency. – (1) When a branch office is not provided with a separate delivery agency, the branch postmaster may either himself perform the functions of a postman or village postman, in addition to his other duties, or make arrangements for delivery of mails on his own responsibility, including the payment of money orders and the delivery of registered and insured articles at the post office by sending for the payees or addressees. When acting as postman, he is not required to keep the postman’s book, and when acting as a village postman, he is required to keep only the visit book (M.S.-86) and not the village postman’s register.
(2) When an EDBO is not provided with a departmental or extra departmental official for the exchange of mails, branch postmaster may make his own arrangements for the exchange of mails at railway stations, steamer ghats and motor stands, etc. In such cases, the extra-departmental agent must understand (a) that the exchange of mails at railway stations, steamer ghats and motor stands, etc., forms part of his duty for which he is personally responsible, (b) that he is free to make any arrangement he considers suitable, and (c) that he will be personally responsible for any loss that may occur through the carelessness or dishonesty of any agent thus employed by him.
(3) When carriage of mails is entrusted to a contractor a mail list form M-1 (a) must always accompany the mail, which must be made over to , or received from the contractor or his agent under receipt, to be taken or given on the mail list, in which all the bags (due or unusual) must be detailed.
72. Redirected and missent articles. – (1) When an article, which cannot be delivered by the post office to which it is addressed, owing to the addressee being elsewhere, is forwarded to another post office for delivery to the addressee, it is termed as redirected article and the preparation of the article for despatch to its revised address constitutes the process of redirection.
(2) If the addressee of an article has moved to another post-town, the branch postmaster should write the revised address on a slip of paper and paste it to the redirected article. Paid-unregistered articles should be stamped and despatched by first mail in the usual course to the revised address. Unpaid unregistered articles and, if the branch office does not perform registration work independently, registered articles of the letter mail and parcel mail articles should be stamped and returned by first mail to the account office, the postage due on the unpaid unregistered articles being entered in the B.O. daily account [A.C.G.-22 (a)] and branch office account (Pa-6).
Note.- Parcel (both inland and foreign) can be redirected only under the written instructions of the addressee or his agent. A redirection fee is chargeable in respect of each redirection. The fee will amount (i) in the case of inland parcels, to a sum equal to half the postage originally chargeable, excluding registration or other fees, and (ii) in the case of foreign parcels, to a sum calculated on weight at half the inland rates of postage for parcels. The redirection fee may be prepaid by the adressee’s agent, if he so desires. When the redirection fee is not prepaid, the amount of postage due on this account on a redirected parcel, whether registered or unregistered, should be entered on the redirection label (R.P.-67) in words by the branch postmaster under his initials. In the case of a second redirection, the redirection charges already noted on the redirection label should be cancelled, and a fresh redirection label showing the total charges leviable for two redirections should be affixed by the branch postmaster under his initials. Similar action should be taken for each subsequent redirection. In case the redirection fee is prepaid in cash, the branch postmaster should see that the fee paid is correct and that it covers any redirection charges already noted for recovery on the parcel. The amount should then be converted into postage stamps which should be affixed to the parcel and defaced by the branch postmaster if he performs independent registration work. The account office should deface the postage stamps affixed to the parcels received from a branch office not doing independent registration work. The branch postmaster should write the words “Redirection charge paid” in red ink on the face of the parcel, after canceling any existing entries relating to redirection postage, and initial the entry.
(3) If the office does not perform registration work independently particulars of registered articles of the letter or parcel mail returned to the account office should be entered on the despatch side of the journal (Pa-5), and the date of return should be noted against the original entries of the articles on the receipt side of the journal. The total number of unregistered parcels returned to the account office should also be entered on the despatch side of the journal.
(4) If an article is missent to a branch office, the branch postmaster should stamp the article and despatch it to the correct destination by first mail, making a note of the irregularity on the reverse of the B.O. daily account A.C.G. [22(a)].
Note. 1. – If a postal article, or a notice of its arrival R.P. 15a, (R.P. 52 or MS-17), has once been tendered to the addressee, it will not be redirected to his address elsewhere.
Note 2. – When letters addressed to the care of station masters are returned by these officials to the post office as undeliverable, they should be accepted and the branch postmaster should record a note on each letter, in red ink, over his initials as follow : “Received back from the station master of (name) on (date).” If the branch postmaster knows where the addressee is, he should redirect the letter to his address, otherwise he should send it by first mail to the account office.
73. Unclaimed refused and undecipherable articles. – (1) If an article received for delivery by a branch office cannot be delivered owing to the addressee being not known or having left the station without intimating his fresh address to the post office, the article should be kept in deposit for a period of seven days after all the endeavours to find the addressee have proved unsuccessful and then sent to the account office after being impressed with the date-stamp. This rule, however, is not absolute in cases where there is a certain prospect of delivering an article within a reasonable time after the expiration of the prescribed period. The cause of non-delivery should be clearly marked on the article with red ink and the entries should be initialled and dated by the branch postmaster on the date on which the article is finally placed in deposit after all endeavour to find the addressee have proved unsuccessful. The remark should be written on the back of the article and not on the face or side with address.
Note. – Telegrams which cannot be delivered to the addressees or redirected (see rule 186) should be kept in deposit only for three days and then sent to the telegraph office by which they were posted.
(2) If the addressee of an article is known to have gone away from India without leaving instructions at the post office as to the redirection of his correspondence, or is dead and there is no person to whom it could properly be delivered, a remark to that effect should be written on the article in red ink remark to that effect should be written on the article in red ink and initialled and dated by the branch postmaster. The article should then be impressed with the date stamp and returned by first mail to the account office without being kept in deposit. A redirected article which is found to be undeliverable should be similarly dealt with immediately it has been ascertained that the addressee cannot be found.
(3) If an article received for delivery is refused by the addressee, or if the address on an article cannot be read by the branch postmaster or is incomplete so as to render delivery impossible, the procedure described in paragraph (2) should be followed.
(4) If there is any postage due on articles returned to the account office as unclaimed, refused or undecipherable the amount should be entered in the B.O. daily account [A.C.G.-22 (a)] and branch office account (Pa-6).
(5) Particulars of registered articles of the letter or parcel mail returned to the account office, should be entered on the despatch side of the journal (Pa-5) and the date of return should be noted against the original entries of the articles on the receipt side of the journal. The total number unregistered parcels returned to the account office should also be entered on the despatch side of the journal.
Exception. – See Note 2 to rule 72(4).
Note. – The period of seven days referred to in this rule should be reckoned from the date on which, after all enquiries have proved unsuccessful, the article is finally placed in deposit with the remark ‘Not known’ or ‘Left’, as the case may be, recorded on it.
74. Unclaimed “Poste Restante” articles. – Unclaimed ‘Poste Restante’ articles (i.e., articles superscribed “To be kept till called for”, “To await arrival” or in any similar way and also articles addressed “Care of Post Office” or “Care of Postmaster”) should be kept in deposit for a period of one month and then sent to the account office after being impressed with the date-stamp, Articles superscribed “Care of Post Office” or “Care of Postmaster” should not, however, be merely held at the Post Office, but efforts should be made to trace the addresses and to deliver the articles.
Exception.- Telegrams marked “To await arrival” or the like, should be treated in the same way as articles similarly superscribed except that they should be sent to the telegraph office by which they were posted.
Note. - See paragraphs (4) and (5) of rule 73.
75. Receipts to be taken from addressees of redirected articles in certain cases. – If the branch postmaster has reason to believe that the privilege of free redirection is being systematically abused, he should report the facts to the account office with a view to the case being brought to the notice of the Head of the Circle, who has discretionary power to authorise the postmaster of any office to which an article has been redirected, to require the addressee of the redirected article to give a receipt for such articles at the time of delivery. In such cases the branch postmaster should act in accordance with the instructions received from the account office.
76. Articles addressed to deceased persons. - (1) Articles addressed to persons who are dead, should be treated as if they were unclaimed and disposed of in accordance with the instructions contained in rule 73.
(2) In the case of uninsured articles which are not believed to contain valuable property, branch postmasters are allowed to exercise their discretion in delivering them to any near relatives of the deceased who may have applied for them or may desire to receive them, but in any case of doubt, the article should be sent at once to the account office marked “Deceased” in red ink. This entry should be initialled and dated by the branch postmaster.
(3) Applicants for insured articles or articles believed to contain valuable property, or for articles in regard to which there is any doubt as to the articles in regard to which there is any doubt as to the title of the applicant to receive them or which have been forwarded to the account office, should be told to apply to the Head of the Circle.
(4) If a money order cannot be paid owing to the death of the payee, it should be disposed of as an unclaimed money order.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER V
REGISTRATION AND PARCEL
RULE PAGE
77. Registered journal and parcel journal
78. Registration and parcel number slips
79. Registered and parcel lists
80. Acknowledgement
81. Treatment of articles of the letter mail presented for registration.
82. Preparation of registered articles of the letter mail for despatch by
offices performing registration work independently.
83. Preparation of registered bundles for despatch by offices performing
registration work independently.
84. Despatch of registered articles by offices performing registration
work independently.
85. Articles of the letter mail marked “Registered” found in a letter box.
86. Receipt and delivery of ordinary registered articles of the letter mail
87. Deficiency in fee or postage on registered articles of the letter mail.
88. Redirected and missent registered articles.
89. Unclaimed and refused registered articles.
90. Treatment of ordinary and registered parcels presented for despatch.
91. Receipt and delivery of ordinary registered parcels
92. Period of detention of parcels in the office of delivery
93. Conditions of insurance
94. Treatment of letters and parcels presented for insurance.
95. Preparation of insured letters and parcels for despatch by offices performing
registration work independently.
96. Despatch of insured envelopes and parcels
97. Receipt and delivery of insured articles
98. Treatment of V.P. articles presented for despatch
99. Receipt and delivery of V.P. articles of small value
100. Delay in delivery of V.P. articles of small value
101. Unclaimed V.P. articles
102. Delivery of registered (including insured) articles of the letter or
parcel mail bearing signs of damage or tampering
103. Disposal of receipts and other documents appertaining to registered,
insured and value payable articles delivered
CHAPTER V
REGISTRATION AND PARCEL
77. Registered journal and parcel journal. – (1) The registered journal (R.P.-51) and the registered Journal (Parcel Branch) (R.P. –51) comprise the form in duplicate of the receipt to be given to sender of an ordinary registered (excluding V.P. and insured) article of the letter or parcel mail, respectively. Each receipt in the journals bears a printed serial number which is the No. to be assigned by the branch office to be registered article of the letter or parcel mail for which the receipt is granted. The series of numbers runs from 1 to 200, and each book contain 200 receipts.
(2)The instruction contained in paragraph 2 of the rule 22 are also applicable in respect of the registered journal (R.P.-51) and the registered journal (Parcel Branch) (R.P.-51).
78. Registration and parcel number slips. – The number slips should be impressed with the office name stamp. The number slips will be supplied in books of 200 slips. The books will bear consecutive number from 1 to 100 or from 1 to 200, as the case may be.
79. Registered and parcel lsts. – The registered list (R.P. –32) and parcel list (R.P.-3) are used to invoice the despatch of registered articles, respectively of the letter and parcel mail by or to a branch office when it is prescribed.
The use of registered list or parcel list is compulsory when despatching registered articles of the letter or parcel mail to an office other than the account office with which the branch office may be in direct communication.
In other cases, registered and parcel list should be used only under the order or the Superintendent.
Note.- If any correction is made in the entries of the numbers or of the office of posting in a registered or parcel list, it should be attested by the Branch Postmaster with his initials. No correction is however, to be made in the total of the entries in a list, on any account. If an incorrect total has been entered the list should be destroyed and fresh one prepared.
80. Acknowledgement. – In Branch Offices performing registration work independently. – (1) If the sender of a registered article of the letter mail or a registered parcel desires to obtain an acknowledgement of its delivery, he must affix postage stamp “in payment of the prescribed fee” to the article in payment of the prescribed fee. No article for which an acknowledgement is required, should be accepted for registration unless it is accompanied by a prescribed form of acknowledgement [R.P.- 54 or R.P.-54 (a)] duly filled in the acknowledgement should be impressed with name stamp in the space provided for the purpose and the name of the office of destinatino should be clearly noted on it in red ink below the word “Acknowledgement”.
(2) A registered article of the letter mail addressed to a foreign country for which an acknowledgement of receipt is required by the sender, should be marked very clearly with the word “Avis de reception” and should bear on the outside the name and address of the sender written in Roman characters. The articles should then be forwarded accompanied by the special form of acknowledgement of receipt [R.P.-54(a)] in postcard size duly filled in.
(3) The acknowledgement should be forwarded to the office or section concerned along with the articles pertaining to them in the case of registered articles of the letter mail and attached to the parcel list in the case of registered articles of the parcel mail. The acknowledgements in respect of foreign parcels should, however, be forwarded to the account office enclosed in the envelope containing other documents. In every case, the branch postmaster should write the letter “A.D.” on the face of the registered article in bold letters and also across the receipts given to the sender and reproduce the same in the copy of the receipt in the registered journal; and if the acknowledgment is required for a letter addressed to a foreign country, the sender’s name and address should be recorded on the reverse of the office copy of the receipt. No record should be kept of the name and address of the sender of an inland registered article for which an acknowledgement is required. The abbreviation “A.D.” should be written in the parcel list immediately below the No. of the registered parcel for which acknowledgement has been paid for by the sender.
(4) When the sender of foreign registered letter applies for an acknowledgement of receipt after the letter has been posted or wishes to have an enquiry made as regards the disposal of the letter, he should be asked to pay the prescribed fee and to present a written application. The fee should be converted into postage stamps of equivalent value which should be partially affixed, that is, along their upper edge, to the application. The letter should then be forwarded in an unregistered cover to the account office and should be accompanied by the prescribed form of acknowledgement of receipt (R.P.-54(a)] mentioned in paragraph (2) above in which should be entered an exact description of the registered article (its nature, office of origin, date of posting, No. and complete address of the addressee).
(5) The branch postmaster is responsible that an acknowledgement when paid for by the sender is actually forwarded with the article.
II. In branch offices not authorised to perform registration work independently. – The procedure as given in Section I will be followed in the preparation and disposal of acknowledgements with the following modifications.
81. Treatment of articles of the letter mail presented for registration. – I. In branch offices performing registration work independently. – (1) An article of the letter mail presented for registration should be examined to see that it is in good condition and that the postage and registration fee and in the case of air mail articles, the air fee prescribed for the air route to be followed are fully paid. Letters with acknowledgement due should bear on the outside the name and address of the sender, except in the case of inland letters, letter cards and postcards all articles intended to be sent by air mail must also bear the prescribed superscription “By Air Mail” or the label “By Air Mail”, when an acknowledgement of delivery is required by the sender the article should bear additional postage stamps representing the fee for the same and the article should also bear the letters A.D. and be accompanied by the acknowledgement duly filled in. The instruction given in Rule 80 should be followed in filling in the acknowledgement. A receipt for sender should then be prepared in duplicate on one of the forms in the registered journal (R.P.-51), in which the name of the addressee, the post office of destination, and the value of postage stamps, affixed to it should be recorded in the placed provided in the form, and in the case of air mail articles or one in which an acknowledgement has been paid for a remark “By air Mail” or “A.D.” should be made at the top of the form. The serial No. printed on the receipt and the date of posting should be clearly written at once on the face of the article, in large bold-figures in ink and on the acknowledgement if any.
Note. – If a receipt is spoilt, it should be disposed of in the same manner as receipt from the book of receipt [MS 87(a) See rule 22(2)].
(2) Each set of forms in the registered journal comprises (a) the receipt for the sender; and (b) the office record or registered journal proper, and the entries made in the upper form or copied on the lower by means of carbonic paper, so that both documents are prepared and signed at once process. Double sided carbonic paper must always be used for this purpose. Service letter should be distinguished by a cipher “O” placed before the No. this mode of distinguishing such articles should be adopted wherever the Nos. are recorded.
(3) Both copies of the receipt should be impressed with the date-stamp. The upper copy should be detached from the journal and handed to the person who presented the article for registration, except in the case of an article registered by the branch postmaster on service, in which case the receipt should be left on record in the journal.
(4) The total number of ordinary registered articles of the letter mails (excluding service articles) and the total number of those registered on service posted each day should be noted in the space for remarks on the reverse of the B.O. daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)].
(5) If an article is registered by a village postman or G.D.S.M.D. or mail attendant attached to the branch office, it will be made over by him to the branch postmaster, who should enter particulars in the registered journal (R.P.-51) and treat the article according to the procedure laid down in this rule, except that the receipt for the sender should be given to the village postman mail attendant or G.D.S.M.D. as the case may be, and the branch postmaster should see that it is pasted to the counterfoil in his book of receipts (M.S.-87). Each time a village postman or mail attendant returns from his beat the branch postmaster should satisfy himself that the unused receipts in it are complete and in serial order. The branch postmaster will place his dated initials on the reverse of the counterfoil of the last used receipt in token that this check has been carried out. If none of the receipts in the book have been used, the branch postmaster should place his dated initials on the inside of the cover.
Note. – On the abolition of the appointment of a village postman or mail attendant authorised to book registered articles, the book of receipts in his use should be sent to the account office.
(6) If the registered article which has been delivered is presented with a revised address for registration at the office which delivered it, or at any other office within the local limits of the same post town, a fresh registration fee is payable but no additional postage should be charged on the article unless it has been opened.
Note. – See rule 68.
II. In offices not authorised to perform registration work independently – The procedure given above will be followed with the following modification.
82. Preparation of registered articles of the letter mail for despatch by offices performing registration work independently. – A registered No. slip [R.P.-39(a)] bearing a No. corresponding to that assigned to the article in the registered journal (R.P.-51), on which the No. slip name-stamp has been previously impressed should be securely pasted to the upper left hand corner of the address-side of the article. Each postage stamp affixed to the article should be defaced by a separate impression of the date-stamp. If the article is addressed in a regional language, the name of the office or destination should be transcribed in English, in red ink, below the entry in the same regional language. The acknowledgement [R.P.-54 or R.P.- 54(a)], if any to accompany a registered article of the letter mail should be fastened with the side containing the sender’s name and address to the back of the article by means of thread or fine twine which should be threaded through the centre of the acknowledgement and then tied cross-ways round both the article and the acknowledgement in such a way as to ensure that they will not get separated in transit. The thread must not be passed through the registered article. The article will then be ready for despatch.
Note1. – Each complete set of No. slips [R.P. 39(a)] should be carefully and legibly impressed with the No. slip name-stamp before the No. slips are brought into use. Books of No. slips actually in sue should be secured at the close of the day’s work under lock and key. The branch postmaster is per-slips should be affixed on the labels and not on the covers.
Note 2. – In the case of articles closed with “Economy labels” the No. slips should be affixed on the labels and not on the covers.
83. Preparation of registered bundles for despatch by offices performing registration work independently. – (1) Whenever there are more than two station uninsured registered articles of the letter mail addressed to a post office, the articles for which are despatched in a mail bag direct to a R.M.S. section or a post office other than the account office, the branch postmaster should enclose them in a station registered bundle for the office of destination. The registered articles should be entered in a registered list (R.P.-32) and after being arranged in the order of entries in the list, they should be tied together and enclosed, together with the list, in the prescribed bundle (R.P.-32) or if necessary in a dosuti bag, clearly addressed to the office of destination. Before the registered list containing entries of uninsured registered articles is placed in the bundle, the total number of articles contained in the bundle should be entered in the space provided at the foot of the registered list against the word “Total (in words)” and all other items should be scored out. The envelope should be securely fastened down with gum and then sealed with good sealing wax at the three places marked for the purpose on the envelope. A No. should be given to it corresponding to the number of articles it contains, preceded by the distinguishing letters “R.B.” If a bag has to be used, it should be sealed in the ordinary way, and an envelope prepared in the manner indicated above should be attached to it as a label. The registered bundle should then be placed with other registered article inside the registered bag under preparation for the section or office to which the mails for the office to which it is addressed are sent.
Note. – In cases where Dosuti bags are used for enclosing registered bundles, the number of bags so used should be written in words and figures at the top of the registered list.
(2) If on any date the same branch office makes up two or more registered bundles, each containing the same number or articles, the No. entered on the registered bundles and in the due registered list in which it is invoiced, should show the name of the office of destination, thus :-
R.B.5 R.B.5 , etc.
Delhi Agra
84. Despatch of registered articles by offices performing registration work independently. – (1) The registered (excluding v.p.) articles posted for despatch should be entered in the registered list (R.P.-32) for the office or section with the branch office is in communication and also for the account office if authorised to use registered list, otherwise I the B.O. daily account. The registered list should be prepared in duplicate by means of carbonic paper. The upper (pencil) copy should be kept on record, and the lower (carbonic) copy should be despatched. The articles should then be enclosed with the registered list in a registered bag which should be closed, sealed, and then placed in the B.O. bag or in the mail bag. A registered bag is a due bag and must be prepared, together with a registered list. [R.P.-32] whether there are registered articles for despatch or not. The name of the office or section to which each registered article is sent, should be entered in registered journal (R.P.-51) below the addressee’s name.
Note. – a separate registered bag is not closed for the account office even when a separate registered list is prescribed. The articles are tied with the registered list crosswise and placed in the B.O. bag.
(2) Value-payable registered articles must be despatched only through the account office entered on the reverse of the branch office daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)].
(3) Registered articles received in sorting should be entered on the receipt side of the branch office journal and then despatched under the procedure laid down in this rule, after entry on the despatch side of the journal.
(4) The addressee’s receipts for articles registered in the offices for delivery from the office itself should be pasted to the office copy of the receipt concerned.
Note. – If the office is not authorised to perform independent registration work then the article, even in case it has to be delivered by that office should be forwarded to the account office along with other registered articles, and it will be received back duly booked entered in the B.O. slip accompanied with a receipt to be signed by the addressee. The addressees’ receipt after delivery of the article will be sent to account office.
85. Articles of the letter mail marked “Registered” found in a letter box. – (1) If an article of the inland letter mail marked “Registered” is found in a letter-box, it should be registered as soon as practicable after it is taken from the letter-box. If the article is not fully prepaid with the postage and registration fee, it should be charged with a fee equal to double the usual registration fee and the amount of postage due. The usual receipt for the sender should be left on record in the book of receipts or the registered journal, as the case may be, and the article should be treated in all respects like any other registered article.
If there is an indication on the article that the sender desired to have an acknowledgment for the article and if the acknowledgement form duly filled in by the sender is found along with the article the acknowledgement should be forwarded to the office of destination as usual, provided that the prescribed fee for destination as usual, provided that the prescribed fee for acknowledgement has not been prepaid. If the fee for acknowledgment has not been prepaid the form of acknowledgment if any should be kept in the error book where the entry of the incident is made and should not be forwarded with the article nor should any charge be made for the same. If the form of acknowledgment is not found along with the article, the remark “A.D.” or any other indication to that effect made on the article should be scored out and necessary remark added in the error book.
(2) When an article marked “Registered” is found in a letter-box at a time when it would not be accepted for registration if tendered at the window it should be kept in deposit until the office is next open for registration, when it should be dealt with according to the procedure laid down in the preceding paragraph.
(3) When an article of the foreign letter mail marked “Registered” is found in a letter-box it should be sent to the account office for disposal entered in the B.O. daily account. [A.C.G.-22(a)].
86. Receipt and delivery of ordinary registered articles of the letter mail. – I. In branch offices performing registration work independently. – The registered articles received from the office or section with which the branch office is in direct communication, will be accompanied by a registered list (R.P.-32). Registered articles received from the account office will not however, be accompanied by a registered list unless the use of a registered list has been specially prescribed by the Superintendent. The registered articles including registered bundles and contents thereof should then be compared with their entries on the B.O. slip or the Registered List as the case may be. The Registered List or the B.O. slip should be receipted and date stamped before filing. A receipt to be signed by the addressee should then be prepared in form R.P.-31 in respect of each registered article (inland or foreign) for delivery from the branch office, special care being taken to make required entries correctly and legible. The articles as well as the receipts prepared therefore should thereafter be stamped with the date-stamp, care being taken when stamping registered article that damage is not caused to any of the seals on the registered article by stamping over them. The articles should then be delivered to the addressees either by the branch postmaster or through the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D.. If the articles are made over to the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. for delivery, his signature should be taken in the journal, and he should be required to enter them in his book (M.S.-27) or register 9M.S.-85). The addressees should be required to sign the receipts (R.P.-31) and acknowledgements [R.P.-54 or R.P. 54(a)] (if any) before delivery. If the addressee is illiterate, the receipt and the acknowledgement, if any, should bear the signature of the delivery agent in attesting the addressees thumb-impression, seal or other mark (See rule 40 regarding the procedure to be followed in dealing with registered covers marked “Mobilisation” or “reservist”).
Note 1. – See Note 4 to rule 66.
Note 2. – If any inward foreign registered article of the letter mail for which an acknowledgement is due, is received for delivery from the branch office, accompanied by a blank form of acknowledgement, the form should be filled in by the branch office, special care being taken to enter the correct No. and the full name of the office of posting of the article in the form. If information on these two points cannot be obtained from the article or from the registered list, the name and address of the sender should be ascertained from the addressee instead and entered in the acknowledgement.
Note 3. - Where an unclaimed or refused article is received by the branch office of posting for return to the sender, it should be issued for delivery in the usual course except that, if there is an acknowledgement attached, this need not be sent out with the article but may be destroyed.
II. In branch offices not authorised to perform registration work independently. – The articles received along with the receipt (r.P.-31) appertaining to them will be date stamped taking care to see that the seals on the article are not destroyed. After delivery the receipts and the acknowledgements if any duly signed by the addressee are sent to the account office entered in the B.O. daily account.
87. Deficiency in fee or postage on registered articles of the letter mail. – If the postage, including registration fee, on a registered article of the letter mail received for delivery from an office or section with which the branch office is in direct communication, if found to be insufficient the branch postmaster should note the weight of the article on the cover and in the error book and obtain the cover from the addressee. The deficiency should then be reported to the account office for further action, the report being accompanied by the cover obtained from the addressee.
88.Redirected and missent registered articles. – (1) If the addressee of a registered article has moved to another post-town, the new address should be written in red ink on the article. If the article is so over laid with writing or corrections that there is no space available for the fresh address, a slip of paper, with the revised address legibly written on it, should be tied round the article with thread. The article should then be stamped and despatched by first mail in the usual course to the revised address.
(2) a note indicating the office to which the article has been redirected with the revised address and giving the date of redirection should be written opposite the entry of it on the receipt side of the branch office journal (Pa-5) and in the receipt prepared for the article which is filed along with the branch office slip or the registered list wherein the article was entered and when there is no receipt the remark should be noted against the entry in the registered list (R.P.-32) or branch office slip (Pa-4) with which it was received. The acknowledgement if any, should accompany the article to its revised destination.
(3) If a registered article is received missent, it should be stamped and forwarded with the acknowledgement, if any, by first mail in the usual course to the proper address, a note being made on the receipt side of the journal and in the registered list with which it was received as in the case of a redirected article.
(4) Receipts prepared in the office for inland registered articles should be filed with the registered lists or branch office slips with which the articles were received. If the redirected or missent article is a foreign registered article, a receipt must be prepared
in every case by the branch postmaster, who should write the words ‘Redirected’
missent forwarded
to (name of office) on (date) across the receipt and attest the remark with his signature. The attested receipt should then be kept in the bundle of foreign receipts in its proper place.
89. Unclaimed and refused registered articles. – (1) If the addressee, while refusing to take delivery on presentation of the article to him makes an application in writing to the post office of delivery for the detention of the article or if the addressee is not found at the address given on the article, the article will be detained in the Post Office for a period not exceeding seven days from the date of its presentation to the addressee or from the date it is last sent out for delivery, as the case may be. If the addressee fails to take delivery of the article from the Post Office within the said period of seven days, the article will be returned to the office of posting for delivery to the sender on the first working day immediately following the expiry of the said period of seven days. But if the article is refused by the addressee on its first presentation it should be sent by the first mail to the office of posting by the direct route, entered in the registered or parcel list or branch office daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)] as the case may be. In either case, the article should be accompanied by the acknowledgement (R.P.-54), if any, and a note showing how the article has been disposed of should be made in the receipt prepared for the article and which is filed along with the registered or parcel list or branch office slip wherein the article is entered and when there is no receipt the remark should be noted against the entry in the registered or parcel list or branch office slip with which it was received.
(2) Receipts R.P.-1 or R.P.-31) prepared in the office for inland registered articles should be filed with the parcel list or B.O. slip with which the articles were received. If the unclaimed or refused article is a foreign registered article, the branch postmaster should write the words “Left, or not known, or not claimed, or Deceased, or Refused, (as circumstances may require), sent to (name of account office) or (date)” cross the receipt and attest the remarks with his signature. The attested receipt should then be kept in the bundle of foreign receipts in its proper place.
Note. – As a registered article of the letter or parcel mail is not to be issued for delivery through a G.D.S.M.D. unless he has furnished security it should be treated as unclaimed and sent to the account office as required under rule 73, should the addressee fails to take delivery of it at the post office within seven days from the date of presentation of the notice (R.P.-65) by the G.D.S.M.D. in respect of the article.
90. Treatment of ordinary and registered parcels presented for despatch. – In branch offices performing independent registration work. – On presentation of an ordinary registered parcel for despatch, the branch postmaster should examine it to see that it is properly closed, weigh it and satisfy himself that postage stamps in full payment of the prescribed charges have been affixed to it or to an official stamp label pasted on it and that it bears the name and address of the sender written on the outside cover. If the fee for an acknowledgment of delivery has been paid for at the time an article is presented for registration, it must be accompanied by a prescribed form of acknowledgement [R.P.-54 or R.P.-54(a)] duly filled in and the letter “A.D.” should be written on the parcel. A receipt for the sender should then be prepared in one of the forms of the registered journal (Parcel Branch) in which the name of the addressee, the post office of destination and the value of postage stamps affixed to it should be recorded in the placed provided in the form. The serial number printed on the receipt and the date of posting should be clearly written at once on the face of the article, in large bold figures, in ink. The receipt should be prepared in duplicate by means of double sided carbonic paper, and the upper copy which forms the receipt for the sender should be detached from the journal, stamped with the date-stamp and handed to the person who presented the article. Each postage stamp affixed to the article or to an official label pasted on it should be defaced by a separate impression of the date stamp. A parcel No. slip [R.P.-16 or R.P.-16(a)] bearing a number corresponding to that assigned to the article in the journal (R.P.-51) and on which the name-stamp of the office has been impressed, should then be securely pasted to the upper left hand corner of the address side of the article. The articles should then be duly invoiced in a parcel list, which should be prepared in duplicate or on the reverse of the branch office daily account as the case may be. The parcels along with the duplicate copy of the parcel list and the acknowledgements, if any, should then be enclosed in the mail bag to be despatched. The total No. of ordinary registered parcels (excluding service articles) and the total number of those registered on service posted each day should be noted in the space for remarks on the reverse of the branch office daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)]. If a registered parcel which has been delivered, is presented with a revised address for registration at the office which delivered it or at any office within the local limits of the same post town, a fresh registration fee is payable and a redirection fee should also be charged unless the original address and the substituted address are within the delivery areas of the same post office or are within the same post- town. The fee can be prepaid by the person presenting it or will otherwise be marked on the parcel for recovery from the addressee.
Note.- The receipt granted to the sender of a registered parcel in respect of which a fee for a special acknowledgement has been paid, will have the letters “A.D.” written across it.
(2) On presentation of an ordinary unregistered parcel for despatch the branch postmaster should examine it to see that it is properly closed, weight it and satisfy himself that postage stamps in full prepayment of the postage are affixed to the parcel or to an official stamp label pasted on the parcel. He should then deface each postage stamp on the parcel with a separate impression of the obliterator. The article will not be numbered, nor will any particulars regarding it be entered in any book or journal, but the branch postmaster should write on the article in blue pencil, in large bold character the words “Unregistered parcel”. When the B.O. bag for the account office is under preparation for despatch, the parcel should be placed inside the bag. If an unregistered parcel is found posted in the letter box, it should be treated as a registered parcel, any postage stamps affixed to the parcel being recognised in partial prepayment of the charges due on a registered parcel. The value of the stamps and the fact that the parcel was found in the letter-box should be noted under the branch postmaster’s initials on the parcel, and on the office copy of the receipt, and the receipt for the sender should be stamped and left on the record in the registered journal (R.P.-51). The total number of unregistered parcel posted in the branch office should be entered in the branch office journal and when despatching should be entered in the B.O. daily account.
(3) when parcels containing cultures, or other articles, known or believed to contain the living germs of plagues are presented at the window for despatch, they should be examined to see that they comply with the conditions laid down in the Post Office Guide, and that the declaration and certificates prescribed are in order and contain all the information required. The certificate (for which no special form is prescribed) should be carefully placed on record for future reference if necessary, after particulars of the parcels to which they relate have been noted on them.
Note 1. – The Head of the Circle may empower a branch office to receive foreign parcels for despatch; and the form of foreign customs (parcel) declaration [R.P.-13 or R.P.-13(b)] will be supplied to offices that have been so empowered. A foreign parcel presented for despatch should be treated in the same manner as an inland registered parcel subject to the special conditions as to rates of postage, etc., laid down in the Post Office guide; but a declaration of the contents and value of the parcel, filled up by the sender in the form prescribed, must be affixed to it, and the word “Foreign” should be added before the word “Parcel” in the registered journal. If the sender has not affixed the customs declaration to the parcel the branch postmaster should affix it.
Note 2. – See rule 68.
II. In branch offices not authorised to perform independent registration work. – (1) The procedure given above will be followed with the following modifications :-
(2) In the case of unregistered parcels when they are found in the letter box, it will be treated as registered and the receipt is prepared in the book of receipt as in para (1).
91. Receipt and delivery of ordinary registered parcels. – I. In branch offices doing parcel work independently. – The registered articles of the parcel mail received from the office or section with which the branch office is in direct communication, will be accompanied by a parcel list in form R.P.-3. Particulars of registered parcels received from account office will be entered in the branch office slip (Pa-4) instead of a parcel list unless the use of the latter in such cases has been specially ordered by the Superintendent. The parcels received should be checked with their entries in the parcel list or B.O. slip as the case may be. The parcel list or the B.O. slip should be receipted and date stamped before being filed. A receipt to be signed by the addressee should then be prepared in form R.P.-I in respect of each article inland or foreign, for delivery from the branch office care being taken to make the required entries correctly and legibly. The articles and the receipts prepared therefore should then be stamped with the date stamp, care being taken when stamping a registered parcel that damage is not caused to any of the seals on the registered parcel by stamping over them. Parcels weighing less than 5 Kgs, speed post parcels, and parcels weighing more than 5 Kgs. on which a surcharge of Rs. 5/- has been paid for home delivery, will be issued for delivery only once. Parcels addressed post restante will be delivered only at the post office window. Parcels weighing more than 5 Kgs will not be sent out for delivery through postman but will be kept in the custody of the Postmaster pending delivery. An intimation will be prepared in manuscript and issued for delivery to the addressee. If the parcels are made over the postman or village postman or extra departmental delivery agent for delivery his signature should be taken against the entries of the article in the “Branch Office Journal (Pa-5)” where he should be required to write in words the amount due on those which may have been charged with postage in the circumstances described in Note I under this rule, or on which customs duty or redirection fee has to be realised. He should also be required to enter the parcels in his book (M.S.-27) or register (M.S.-85). Before a parcel is delivered the addressee should be required to pay charges that may be due on it and to sign the receipt and acknowledgement, if any. In the case of a foreign parcel charged with customs duty, a special form of notice to the addressee of the parcel will be received, and this notice should accompany the receipt when the parcel is presented to the addressee for delivery.
Note1. – It should be borne in mind that although the rules require that parcel postage should in all cases be fully prepaid, there will be sums on account of postage to be recovered on delivery from the addressees of parcels, in the following namely:
Note 2.- If the addressee of an article on which customs duty is due objects to pay the whole or a portion of the amount charged, the branch postmaster should write to the account office for instructions.
Note 3. – Receipts prepared by the account office in the case of unregistered parcel on which redirection fee has been charged, should not be presented to the addressee for signature.
Note 4. – See Note 4 to rule 66.
II. In branch offices not authorised to do parcel work independently. – The procedure as indicated above will be followed with the modification that the receipts signed by the addressee will be returned to the account office entered in the B.O. daily account.
92. Period of detention of parcels in the office of delivery. – The period of detention in the office of delivery of inland parcels (except V.P. parcels and those addressed to the Poste Restante) is seven days and this limit must be strictly observed. A parcel should be issued for delivery only once, and if it cannot be delivered through any cause on first presentation, it should be taken back to the post office; then by the next delivery, a notice of arrival of the parcel in form R.P.-65 should be prepared and presented to the addressee in the manner laid down in rule 97(3). Should the addressee fail to take delivery of the parcel at the post office within seven days from the date of presentation of the notice the parcel should, on expiry of the period, be treated as “Unclaimed” and sent to the account office as required under rule 73. The branch postmaster must, before returning a parcel, satisfy himself (1) that the notice of arrival has been correctly delivered, and (2) that the period of detention has already expired. Delivery of the parcel from deposit should be made on presentation of the notice duly receipted by the addressee or his agent, and if registered on the required conditions being fulfilled.
93. Conditions of Insurance. – (1) Registered letters and parcels (including v.p.) may be insured at a branch office up to the value of Rs. 600 for such post offices as are authorised to deliver insured articles; provided that is no case shall such value exceed the real value of the contents of the article insured.
(2) when an article is presented for insurance reference should be made to the List of Post Offices in the Post Office Guide Volume III to ascertain whether the office to which the article is addressed is one to which insured articles can be forwarded. If the symbol “B” or “L” is found opposite the name of the office of destination in the List of Post Offices the sender should be informed that the article cannot be insured.
(3) The rules relating to insurance of outward foreign letter and parcels will be found in the Post Office guide Volume II.
Note. – It is no obligatory on the part of the sender of a foreign insured letter to give his name and address either on the cover of the article or on a separate sheet of paper. When however, the information is given by the sender, it should be recorded on the reverse of the office copy of the receipt in the book of receipts.
94. Treatment of letters and parcels presented for insurance. – (1) A letter presented for insurance must be examined by the branch postmaster to see that it is enclosed in a strong cover which has been securely pasted and sealed with fine wax bearing a private mark in such a way that it cannot be opened without either breaking the seals or leaving obvious traces of violations; that no label of any kind has been affixed by the sender to such a cover; that envelopes with black or coloured borders have not been used; that seals have been placed over each flap or seam of the cover; that when the cover is tied round with string or tape a seal has been placed on the ends where they are tied; that as an additional precaution (if the contents admit of it), a thread has been passed through the cover and its contents and tied, the knot being placed under the seal. A parcel for insurance must be packed carefully and substantially with due regard to the nature of contents and the length of the journey and must be sealed with wax or lead bearing a private mark in such a way that it cannot be opened without either breaking the seal or leaving obvious traces of violation. Seals must be placed over each joint or loose flap of the covering of the parcel and if string be used in packing, a seal must be placed on the ends of the string where they are tied. If the parcel contains gold or silver bullion or coins, it must be packed in a strong case of wood or metal with an outer cover of cloth or stout paper. It should be seen that the seal affixed to the article are of the same kind of wax and bear distinct impression of the same device; that the device is not that of a current coin or merely a series of straight, curved or crossed lines; that the value for which it is to be insured is clearly written in words and figures on the cover and that the name and address of the sender are also written on the cover in the lower left-hand corner or on a separate sheet of paper to be presented with the article should there be no room for these particulars on the cover. Any defect in any of these respects should be pointed out to the sender for rectification. The article should then be weighed and the branch postmaster should see that postage stamps of sufficient value to pay the postage and the registration and insurance fees are affixed to the article.
2(i) If the office performs registration work independently the receipt for the sender should then be prepared on one of the forms in the registered journals (R.P.-51), by carbonic process in duplicate using double sided carbon paper, in which the following particulars shall be clearly entered in the appropriate places, (a) name of addressee, (b) post town of destination, (c) value of postage stamps affixed to the article, (d) amount for which the article is insured in figures, and words, (e) insurance fee and (f) weight (in grammes) in words. The name and address of the sender as shown on the cover of the letter or on a separate slip of paper presented with the letter should be recorded in the journal in the appropriate space. Special care must be taken to enter legibly and correctly in the journal (R.P.-51) the amount for which the article is insured. As in the case of ordinary registered articles, the serial number printed on the receipt and the date of posting should be clearly written at once on the face of the article in bold characters, in ink. The receipt should then be signed by the branch postmaster and both the copies of the receipt date stamped and the receipt for the sender should be detached from the journal and handed over to the person who presented the article for insurance.
(ii) If the office is not authorised to perform registration work independently then the particulars of the article should be entered by the branch postmaster in the book of receipts [MS-87(a)] the words “An insured letter” or “An insured parcel” as the case may require, being written opposite to the printed entry “Received a”. The printed entries in the form that do not refer to insured articles should be scored out. The name and address of the sender, as shown on the cover of the article or on the separate slip of paper presented with the article, should be entered in the space provided for the purpose on the counterfoil of the receipt. Both the receipt for the sender and its counterfoil should be signed and stamped by the branch postmaster, the serial No. printed on the receipt should be written at once on the face of the article in pencil. The receipt for the sender should be detached from the book and handed to the person who presented the article for insurance.
(3) Acknowledgements for inland insured letters (r.P.-54) are given free of charge, but, in the case of foreign insured letters, a special fee, in addition to the postage and the fees for registration and insurance, must be paid if an acknowledgement is required by the sender. In preparing acknowledgments the instruction in rule 80, should be followed with the addition that the amount for which an article has been insured, as well as the weight of the article in words, should be legibly and correctly written in the space provided for the purpose in the form of acknowledgement. The branch postmaster is responsible that an acknowledgement is actually forwarded with every inland insured letter and with each foreign insured letter for which it is paid for, whether the acknowledgement is prepared by the sender himself or by the branch postmaster.
Note 2. – See Rule 30 regarding the treatment of inland uninsured articles, which in the course of transmission by post, are found to contain coin, etc.
(4) The total number and value of insured letters and parcels (excluding those on service posted each day and the total amount of insurance fee realised should be noted in the space for remarks on the reverse of the B.O. daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)]. Similar information with regard to service insured letters and parcels posted each day should also be noted in the same space in the daily account.
95. Preparation of insured letters and parcels for despatch by offices performing registration work independently. – (1) The insured letter should be stamped with the date-stamp, the stamps affixed to it in payment of the charges due should be defaced as in the case of ordinary registered articles, and a registration No. slip [R.P.-39(a)] bearing a No. corresponding to that assigned to the article in the registered journal (R.P.-51) on which the No. slip name stamp has been previously impressed, should be securely pasted to the upper left hand corner of the address-side of the article. A foreign insured article shall have in addition a red label pasted to it bearing the words “Valeur declaree.” The weight of the article (in grammes) should be clearly written, in words, below the No. slip.
(2) the insured letter should be placed with its acknowledgement, in an insured envelope, the sealed side of the letter being placed immediately below the address-side of the insured envelope. The No. of the insured letter, the date of posting and the name of the office of destination or in the case of branch offices, the name of the account office should be written on the insured envelope, the lower left-hand corner of which should also be impressed with the name-stamp of the office. In the case of insured letters addressed to the post offices a list of which is given in Appendix-7 of the List of Indian Post Offices, for which town-delivery sorting is done by the R.M.S., the full address, as written on letter, should be copied on the insured envelope the object being to enable sections to forward the article to the office from which it is to be actually delivered. The envelope should then be closed and sealed with the office seal by the branch postmaster himself in strict compliance with the instructions printed on the flap of the envelope care being taken to se that good sealing-wax is used for the purpose. If the size of the insured letter precludes its being placed in an insured envelope it should be wrapped in stout paper, and the printed address-side of an insured envelope, with the entries filled in, should be pasted to the wrapper, which should be tied round with strong thread and sealed over the know with office seal.
(3) If the insured article is of the parcel mail, it should be stamped with the date-stamp, and an insured label in form R.B.-20 in the case of inland parcels, and in form F.P.-27 in the case of foreign parcels should be pasted to it as near as possible to the manuscript entry of the No. on the face of the parcel. After this has been done, a parcel No. slip [R.P.-16 or R.P.-16(a)] bearing an impression of the No. slip name-stamp and a No. corresponding to that assigned to the article in the registered journals should be pasted over the upper part of the insured label, so as to cover the space provided for the entry of the office of destination. The weight (in grammes) of the parcel should be clearly written in words in ink on the face of the article, as well as in the place provided for the purpose on the label. The postage stamp affixed to the insured parcel in payment of the charges due should be defaced as in the case of ordinary registered parcels.
96. Despatch of insured envelopes and parcels. – I. By Branch offices performing registration work independently – (1) When the insured envelope (R.P.-36) has been closed and sealed it should be weighed. The weight (in grammes) should be recorded clearly in words and in ink in the place provided for the purpose on the envelope. The weight of the envelope should also be written in red ink below the entry of the weight of the letter itself in the office record in the journal (R.P.-51).
(2) Insured envelopes should be entered in the same registered lists (R.P.-32) or on the reverse of the same branch office daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)] as the case may be, and placed in the same bags as other registered articles. When there is no insured envelope for despatch, the word “Nil” should be entered in the space provided for the purpose in the registered list if one is used. The name of the office or section to which each insured envelope is sent, should be entered in the registered journal (R.P.-51) below the addressee’s name.
(3) Insured parcels should be entered in the same parcel lists (R.P.-3) or on the reverse of the same branch office daily accounts [A.C.G.-22(a)], as the case may be, and placed in the same bags as other parcels. When there is no insured parcel for despatch, the word “Nil” should be entered in the space provided for the purpose in the parcel list if one is used. The name of the office to which each insured parcel is sent, should be entered in the registered journal (Parcel Branch) (R.P.-51) below the addressee’s name.
II. In branch offices not authorised to perform registration work independently – (1) The insured article will be entered on the despatch side of the journal (Pa-5) and sent to the account office entered on the reverse of the branch office daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)]. When the account office receipt is received particulars of that document should be entered on the receipt side of the journal and after it has been examined and compared with entries in the B.O.slip and in the book of receipts, it should be pasted in the book of receipts to the counterfoil of the corresponding receipt originally granted to the sender.
97. Receipt and delivery of insured articles. – (1) Insured articles will be received from the account office entered in the same registered list (R.P.-32) or parcel list (R.P.-3) or branch office slip (Pa-4) as other registered articles. They will be accompanied by the receipts (R.P.-1, R.P.-14 and R.P.-31) to be signed by the addressees in the case of the branch office which does not perform registration work independently. In other cases, a receipt (R.P.-1 or R.P.-14 or R.P.-31) should be prepared in the prescribed form in respect of each insured article for delivery from the branch office, special care being taken to make the required entries correctly and legibly. The lists and receipts received from the account office should then be stamped with the date-stamp. The articles should be carefully examined and weighed immediately on receipt and the weights ascertained should be noted in ink below the entry of the weights recorded by the account office on the registered or parcel list or B.O. slip (Pa-4), as the case may be against the entries of the articles. If the weight of any article differs from that entered on it and also noted on the B.O.slip or the list by the account office, or if any article shows signs of damage or tampering or does not bear the date stamp impression of the office of posting, the procedure laid down in rule 102 should be followed.
Note1. – The weight of insured articles should be recorded in grammes.
Note 2. – See note 4 to rule 66.
(2) Insured articles the value of which exceeds Rs. 250 may be delivered only at the post office. Insured articles not exceeding Rs. 250 in value may be delivered to the addressees by the branch post-master or through the postman or village postman, provided -
If the articles are made over to the postman or the village postman, his signature should be taken in journal (Pa-5) and he should be required to enter them in his book (MS-27) or register (MS-85). The article should be delivered to the addressees on their signing the receipt (R.P.-1, R.P.-14 or R.P.-31) and acknowledgments in ink. If the addressee is illiterate, his thumb impression, seal or other mark should be taken on the receipt and acknowledgement in the presence of the resident witness who should be required to attest it with his signature. If an insured article is addressed to a minor, it should always be delivered to him in the presence of the person in whose care he may be living at the time and after his signature or thumb impression on the receipt and acknowledgment has been attested by that person.
(3) If the addressee of an insured article sent out for delivery is at home when the branch postmaster, postman or village postman calls and does not at once take delivery of it, the article should be taken back to the post office, then, by the next delivery, an intimation in form R.OP.-52 should be presented to him by the branch post-master, postman or village postman along with its receipt and acknowledgement. In the case also of insured articles the value of which exceeds Rs. 250, and whenever insured articles of lesser value cannot be delivered by the postman or by the branch postmaster himself, and may not be issued for delivery through the village postman, an intimation in the form prescribed should be delivered to the addressee. If the intimation is delivered by branch postmaster outside the office, it should be made over to the addressee with the acknowledgement and receipt, and the addressee should be required to sign for the documents in the book of receipts for intimation and notices delivered in which particulars of them should be entered in red ink. If the intimation is to be delivered through a postman or village postman, it should be entered in the postman’s book of receipts for intimation s and notices delivered (R.P.-53), or in the village postman’s register (MS-85) and then handed over to the postman or village postman, who should sign for it and for the receipt and the acknowledgement in the journal (Pa-5). If the intimation is to be delivered to the addressee’s messenger, it should be made over to him with the acknowledgement and receipt and he should be required to sign for the documents. In each case the article should be kept in deposit, and it should be delivered in accordance with the procedure described in the next paragraph.
(4) (a) When postman or village postman delivers the addressee’s receipts, the acknowledgement and the intimation to the addressee, he should ask the addressee to sign the addressees receipt, in form R.P.-1 or R.P.-31 as the case may be in the postman or village postman’s presence who will endorse on the back to the effect that the addressee has signed the receipt in his presence. Thereafter, the addressee’s receipts and the acknowledgement duly signed in ink by the addressee should be presented at the post office and the addressee required to sign the intimation. The signature should be tallied with that on the addressee’s receipt affixed in the presence of the postman. If the signature tallies the insured article should be delivered.
(b) In case the addressee authorises the delivery of the article to his agent, he will be required to sign the authority on the back of the intimation (Form R.P.-52) in the prescribed form. When such an authority with the addressee’s receipt and acknowledgement duly signed by the addressee (with the attestation of the postman on the back of the receipt) is produced, the branch postmaster should first tally the signature of the addressee on the intimation with that, on the addressee’s receipt duly verified by the postman as well as on the acknowledgement and if they tally the agent should be required to sign the intimation in the presence of the branch postmaster and if this signature tallies with that signed in the presence of the addressee, the insured article should be delivered. For this purpose the following has been provided on the back of the intimation below the authority given by the addressee to his agent for taking delivery of the insured article :-
The addressee or his agent will affix his signature in the present of the
Post office counter Assistant in the space provided below;
Branch Postmaster
……………………..
Signature of the addressee
or his agent
(c) The receipts should be filed, with the registered or parcel list or branch office slip, as the case may be, together with the intimations and letters of authority received under this rule, except when a general letter of authority is on record, in which case a note referring to it should be made on the receipt. If the office does not perform registration work independently however, the receipts together with the intimations and letters of authority, if any should be sent to the account office.
(5) Insured articles with insufficient address should not be given out for delivery, unless it is certain that their delivery can be effected. When it appears likely that the whereabouts of the addressee can be ascertained by making enquiries through a postman of G.D.S.M.D. the branch postmaster should furnish particulars of the address given on the article to the postman or G.D.S.M.D. and should keep the articles in deposit pending the result of the enquiry.
Note 1. – When an intimation to the addressee of an insured article is made over to the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. for delivery, the branch postmaster should be careful to see on the return of the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. to the office that the addressee’s receipt for the intimations has been taken in his book of receipts for intimations and notices delivered (R.P.-53) or register (MS-85) as the case may be.
Note 2.- If the addressee’s messenger to whom an intimation is made over is illiterate he should be required to affix his work in the journal (Pa-5) in the presence of the branch postmaster or postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. who should attest it.
98. Treatment of V.P. articles presented for despatch. – (1) On presentation of V.P. article of the letter or parcel mail or despatch, it should be weighed, and the branch postmaster should examine it to see that it is properly closed, that it is accompanied by the prescribed form of V.P. money order (M.O.-51) duly filled up by the sender that the entries in the M.O. Form and on the article agree with each other that it has affixed to its, or in the case of a parcel, to an official label pasted on it, postage stamps in full prepayment of the postage and registration fee and posting fee as noted in the Post Office Guide Pt. I and that the sender has written clearly on the face of the article itself :-
(a) in the upper left-hand corner – the letters “V.P.’ followed by an entry, in words and figures, of the amount for remittance to himself; and
(b) in the lower left-hand corner – his own name and full address. If the entries are not clear and complete, or if the entries on the money order from do not agree with those on the article, the article should not be accepted for despatch. Each postage stamp affixed to the article should be defaced by a separate impression of the date-stamp.
(2) a receipt for the sender should be prepared in the book of receipt [MS-87 (a)] the word “V.P. article’ or “V.P. parcel” as the case may require, should be written opposite to the printed entry "Received a” in the book of receipt [MS-87(a)]. The serial No. printed on the receipt should be written at once in pencil in clear bold characters on the ace of the article which should be stamped with the date-stamp.
(3) No entries should be made by the branch postmaster in the form of V.P. money order filled up by the sender. When the branch office bag for the account office is under preparation for despatch, the V.P. articles, with the forms of V.P. money order filled up by the sender should be placed in the bag.
Note. – See rule 68.
99. Receipt and delivery of V.P. articles. – (1) V.P. articles received from the account office for delivery and the V.P. receipts (R.P.-55) accompanying them should be stamped with the date-stamp.
(2) If the amount to be recovered from the addressee of a V.P. article does not exceed Rs. 100 the article may be delivered either by the branch postmaster or through the postman and if the amount does not exceed Rs. 25 delivery may be effected through the village postman or the extra departmental delivery agent. In either case, before the article is delivered, the addressee should be required to pay the full amount recoverable and to sign the V.P. article receipt (R.P. 53). If the article is to be made over to the postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. for delivery, it should be handed to him with the receipt pertaining to it, duly filled in ink, and his signature should be taken in the journal (Pa-5), where he should be required to write in words, the full amount to be recovered from the addressee. Before sending out the V.P. receipt, the branch postmaster should enter the name and address of the addressee in the place provided for the purpose at the head of the intimation printed on its reverse and sign and date the intimation in order that it may, if necessary, be used in the manner prescribed in rule 100.
(3) If the amount to be recovered from the addressee exceed the limits mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the article should be placed in deposit. The name and address of the addressee should be entered in the place provided for the purpose at the head of the form of intimation which after being signed and dated by the branch postmaster, should be issued for delivery to the addressee.
(4) If the intimation referred to in paragraph (2) is delivered at the office by the branch postmaster himself, the addressee or his messenger should be required to sign for it in the book of receipts for intimation and notices delivered. If it is delivered by the branch postmaster outside the office, the addressee should be required to sign the receipt attached to it and this receipt should then be detached and pasted in the book of receipts for intimation and notices delivered against the particulars of the intimation is to be delivered through a postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. It should be entered in the postman’s book of receipts for intimation and notices delivered, or in the village postman’s or the extra-departmental delivery agent’s register, and then made over to the postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D, whose signature should be taken in the journal in acknowledgement of its receipt. The branch postmaster should be careful to see, on the return of the postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. to the office, that the addressee’s receipt for the intimation has been pasted in his book of receipts for intimations and notices delivered or register, as the case may be. When the receipt on the reverse of the intimation is duly signed and presented at the Post Office either by the addressee personally or by his agent, together with the full amount recoverable as entered in the receipt, the article should be delivered. Before delivery, the branch postmaster should see that the amount for remittance to the sender of the article noted on the V.P. article receipt corresponds with that written on the article itself.
Note 1. – The aggregate value of the V.P. articles of the letter and parcel mails entrusted to a postman for delivery must, on no occasion, exceed Rs. 400 and the aggregate value of the V.P. articles made over to a postman for delivery added to the amount of cash given to him for payment of money orders, must not exceed the limit prescribed by the Head of the Circle for the latter.
Note 2. – See Note 1 to Rule 97 (1).
Note 3. – See Note 1 to Rule 72 (4).
Note 4. – See rule 100(2).
Note 5. – See Note 4 to rule 66.
Note 6. – The request of the sender of a refused or undelivered V.P. article to deliver it to a person other than the addressee should not be complied with.
Note 7. – Only those G.D.S.M.D. who have furnished security are authorised to deliver V.P. article not exceeding Rs. 25 in value. The aggregate value of V.P. articles of letter and parcel mails entrusted to a G.D.S.M.D. for delivery and the cash given to him for payment of money orders must on no account exceed Rs. 600 which may be raised to Rs. 1000 by the Superintendent of Post Offices.
Note 8. – For the purposes of the above rule, the value of the V.P.M.O., excluding commission shall be the criterion for entrusting V.P. articles to an EDDA/VPM for delivery.
100. Delay in delivery of V.P. articles of small value. – (1) If the addressee of a V.P. article sent out for delivery by a postman or a village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. is at home when the postman or the village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. calls and does not at once take delivery of it, the intimation to the addressee should be presented to him by the postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. and he should be required to sign the receipt for it. This receipt should be detached and pasted in the postman’s book of receipts for intimation and notices delivered (R.P.-53), or in the village postman’s or the G.D.S.M.D.’s registered (M.S.-85), as the case may be, against an entry of the article to which it relates, to be made by the postman or the village postman or the G.D.S.M.D.
(2) If the addressee of a V.P. article is known to be living at the address marked on the article, it should not be given out for delivery at more than two consecutive deliveries. On the second occasion, if the addressee is not at home when the postman or the village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. calls and delivery of the article cannot be effected, the intimation should be handed over the postman or the village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. to an adult member of the addressee’s household or to any other person authorised to receive ordinary correspondence for the addressee and his receipt should be obtained in the postman’s book of receipts for intimations and notices delivered or in the village postman’s or the G.D.S.M.D.’s register as the case may be. If this person is illiterate, his name should be noted by the postman or the village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. and delivery made in the presence of witness whose signature should be taken below the note in the postman’s book of receipts for intimations and notices delivered or in the village postman’s or the G.D.S.M.D.’s register.
(3) On the return of the postman or the village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. to the office the branch postmaster should see that the addressee’s receipt for the intimations delivered have been pasted in their books and registers and that the signature of the person taking delivery of the intimation has been obtained therein as prescribed in paragraphs (1) and (2).
(4) When an article is undelivered under the circumstances mentioned in paragraphs (1) and (2) it should be taken back to the post office and kept there in deposit for the prescribed period. The date of delivery of the intimation should, however, be noted in the column for “Explanation of non-delivery” on the reverse of the branch office daily account in respect of such V.P. articles.
(5) Delivery of such articles from deposit should be made on presentation by the addressee or his agent of the intimation duly receipted on the reverse, together with the full amount to be paid as entered on the receipt.
Note. – See Note 1 to rule 72 para.(4).
101. Unclaimed V.P. articles. - (1) If the addressee of a value payable postal article omits to take delivery of it within the seven days following the date of its presentation or the date of delivery of an intimation of its arrival to him or to his accredited agent, or, in the case of an article sent out for delivery through a village postman, the date of return to the post office of the village postman, after its first presentation or delivery of intimation of its arrival to the addressee or to his accredited agent, the article shall be returned to the sender on the eighth day :
Provided that if in the meantime the addressee has applied in writing to the post office for the detention of the article for a further period not exceeding seven days beginning with the said eighth day and pays with the application a fee of Rs. 3 for each day of such further period in the case of value payable parcels and Rs. 2 for each day of such further period in the case of other value payable articles, the article shall not be returned to the sender until he expiration of the further period covered by the application. Any fee so paid shall in no circumstances be returned.
(2) Postmasters at the end of the day’s transactions should carefully examine each article in deposit and see that none has been kept in the post office for a period of more than seven complete days as mentioned in para (1).
(3) When an article is retained in deposit for more than seven days, postmasters should see that there is a corresponding written application on record and that no value payable article is retained in the office beyond the maximum period of fourteen complete days following the date of its first presentation or of delivery of the intimation of its arrival as mentioned in para (1).
(4) The application should be kept attached to the Branch office journal in which the date upto which the article is to be detained should be noted in column 5 by the branch postmaster. After delivery the application should be securely pasted to the V.P. article receipt (R.P.-55).
(5) The fees for detention of the value payable articles beyond the period of 7 days shall be recovered in advance and the amount is to be paid in postage stamps affixed to the application made for detention of the article. On presentation of the application at the Post Office, the stamps should be defaced by means of the date-stamp.
(6) In the case of an article sent out for delivery through village postman, the period of seven days counts from the date of the village postman’s return to the post office after its first presentation or delivery of intimation of its arrival to the addressee or to his accredited agent. The date of return of the village postman to the post office should in all cases be indicated in manuscript on the reverse of the form of V.P. article receipt (R.P.-55) relating to the article, above the entry “INTIMATION TO THE ADDRESSEE”.
(7) In every case in which a V.P. article cannot be delivered because of the death of the addressee, immediate intimation should be given to the sender by means of a postcard registered on service.
(8) It must be understood that this rule in no way affects the ordinary rules as to keeping V.P. articles in deposit when the addressee is absent from his residence or when it is unclaimed.
Note 1. – If the seventh day following the date on which the article has been presented or intimation of its arrival has been delivered to the addressee or his accredited agent falls on a post office holiday, the article will be detained until the next working day. No demurrage will be charged for such extension of period.
Note 2. – A V.P. article which has once been treated as unclaimed under this rule and returned to the office of posting cannot be recalled at the request of the addressee.
102. Delivery of registered (including insured) articles of the letter or parcel mail bearing signs of damage or tampering. – (1) If a registered article of the letter or parcel mail which is damaged or bears signs of having been tampered with, is received fro delivery it must be carefully scrutinised, weighed and the ascertained weight noted on the article and then kept in the personal custody of the Branch Postmaster. The addressee should be summoned to the post office and the article should be handed to him after he has signed the receipt for opening in the presence of the branch postmaster and the headman, or other respectable resident of the village. If the contents are found to be correct the acknowledgement, if any, should be got signed by the addressee.
(2) If on opening the article (whether insured or uninsured) the addressee states that the contents are not correct, a complete detailed list of contents as received should be prepared in duplicate and signed by the branch postmaster, the addressee and the witness referred to in sub-rule (1). The weight of all the items of contents should be ascertained and noted in the list. One copy of the list should be delivered to the addressee and the other together with the cover, packing material and covering if any of the damaged article concerned should be forwarded to the account office with a full report making a note of the same in the error book.
(3) If a registered article of the letter mail or a parcel, which is damaged or bears signs of having been tampered with, is received for delivery enclosed in a protecting cover or bag the cover or bag should be opened by the branch postmaster and the procedure prescribed in the preceding paragraphs should be followed with respect to the article contained in it. If the article has to be sent to the account office and was received in protecting bag, it should be forwarded to the account office enclosed in a protecting bag, which should be closed by the branch postmaster himself. If the article was received in a protecting cover, it should be placed in a fresh cover before being sent to the account office, the cover being closed and sealed by the branch postmaster himself.
103. Disposal of receipts and other documents appertaining to registered, insured and value-payable articles delivered. – (1) The branch postmaster should carefully examine the acknowledgements [R.P. –54 or R.P.-54(a)] appertaining to insured articles delivered by the postman and the village postman and satisfy himself, as far as possible that the articles were delivered correctly i.e. to the addressees or to persons authorised or accustomed to take delivery of such articles on their behalf. In the case of an ordinary of V.P. article delivered to an illiterate addressee, the branch postmaster should examine its receipt (R.P.-1, R.P.-31 or R.P.-55) to see that it bears the postman’s or the G.D.S.M.D.’s signature in attestation of the addressee’s mark. In the case of an insured article delivered to an illiterate addressee, the receipt should bear the thumb impression, seal or other mark of the addressee, attested by the signature of a resident witness.
(2) In the case of parcels charged with postage or customs duty with the relative postal fee or redirection fee, the branch postmaster should see that the full amounts have been realised. Amounts collected on these accounts except redirection fees, should be credited to unclassified receipts and the parcel receipts should be submitted to the account office attached to the daily account; on the reverse of which particulars of the parcels together with the amount realised in respect of each should be noted. Separate entry should be made in the branch office journal of the amounts realised as customs duty on parcels. Amounts realised as redirection fees should be dealt with as indicated in rule 72. (See also rule 29).
(3) (I) In the case of offices not authorised to perform independent registration work, the date of delivery of each article should be noted in the column provided for the purpose in the branch office journal and also on the receipts themselves if the same is not noted by the addressee. The acknowledgement should be despatched by first mail to the office of posting for delivery to the senders. The receipts should be entered on the despatch side of the journal (Pa-5) and then put aside for despatch to the account office. In the case of every V.P. article the No., name of office of posting and amount realised should be entered on the despatch side of the journal and the V.P. article receipts should be sent to the account office.
(ii) In the case of office performing independent registration work, the date of delivery of each article should be noted in the column provided for the purpose in the branch office journal. The acknowledgements should be despatched by first mail to the offices of posting for delivery to the senders. In the case of every V.P. article, the No., name of office of posting and amount realised should be entered on the despatch side of the journal and the V.P. article receipts along with the application if any should be sent to the account office, a remark showing the date on which the V.P. receipt is sent to the account office also being made against the corresponding entry in the registered or parcel list or branch office slip, as the case may be. The receipts for the ordinary (excluding V.P.) articles should be filed along with the registered or parcel lists or B.O. slips with which the articles were received and these lists with the receipts should be disposed of as indicated in paragraphs (4) and (5).
Exception.- Outward acknowledgements for foreign registered articles, i.e., acknowledgements (R.P.-54) signed by the addressees of foreign registered articles of the letter or parcel mail delivered in India should be forwarded to the account office, their particulars being entered on the back of the B.O. daily account [A.C.G. (22)].
(4) In offices performing independent registration work registered and parcel list [(R.P.-32) and (R.P.-3)] and branch office slips (Pa.-4) and receipt (R.P.-1 or R.P.-31) for registered articles received in branch offices should be disposed of as follows :-
As soon as all the registered articles received with registered and parcel lists or branch office slips have been delivered or otherwise disposed of, the receipts for inland articles should be stitched to the lists or branch slips, which should then be filed in the daily bundle for the date on which they were received. The daily bundle should, after the close of the month be tied in a monthly bundle. The receipts for inward foreign registered articles should be arranged according to dates of receipt and filed in a separate monthly bundle.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER VI
MONEY ORDERS AND POSTAL ORDERS
RULE PAGE
104. Inland money orders presented for issue
105. Disposal of account office receipts for money orders
106. Money orders for payment
or village postman.
108. Pension money orders for payment
109. Payment of money orders at the window
110. Payment of money orders addressed to minors
111. Payment of money orders addressed to lepers
112. Examination of paid money orders.
113. Notices to be sent out in certain cases.
114. Instructions for the disposal of money orders
115. Redirected, unclaimed and refused money orders
116. Inland telegraphic money orders presented for issue
117. Calculation of telegraph charges on T.M.O. advices
118. Special forms of money orders.
119. Foreign money orders presented for issue
120. Foreign telegraphic money orders presented for issue.
121. Sale of Indian Postal Orders.
122. Payment of Indian and British Postal Orders
CHAPTER VI
MONEY ORDERS AND POSTAL ORDERS
*104. Inland money orders presented for issue. – (1) When a money order form is presented at the post office for issue, it should be examined to see that the particulars to be filled in by the remitter are properly and clearly entered and that it has been signed by the remitter. In the case of an illiterate or blind person, that it bears his mark, which should be attested by the branch postmaster. If necessary, the branch postmaster must fill up the entries in the form (M.O.-8) for the remitter, but on no account may any charge be made for his service. The remitter should then be required to pay the value of the order and the commission chargeable in cash. A money order should not be accepted in absence of signature or mark of the remitter or his Agent.
Note. – See rule 12 regarding spoiled currency notes.
(2) The branch postmaster should enter particulars of the money order in the book of receipts [MS-87 (a)] the words “Money Order” being written opposite to the printed entry “Received a “ and the other printed entries which do not refer to money orders being scored out. The name and address of the remitter, as shown on the money order form (M.O.-8) should be entered in the space provided for the purpose on the counterfoil of the receipt. Both portions of the form should be signed and stamped by the branch postmaster, and the receipt for the remitter should be detached and handed to the person who presented the money order for issue. In case the branch office bag for account office has been closed, the words “Too late” should invariably be written in manuscript on both the counterfoil and receipt.
Note 1. – In the case of a money order payable to a person in his official capacity whose name is not given, the designation of the payee should be entered in the money order receipt with sufficient fullness to identify him, e.g., collector Hoogly, Postmaster Poona etc.
Note 2. – The issue of a receipt upon any but the authorised form is punishable by removal.
(3) No entries should be made on the money order by the branch postmaster, nor should any part of it (with the exception of the acknowledgement) be stamped or signed by him, but the number assigned to it in the book or receipts should be written in pencil in one corner of coupon. The acknowledgement should be stamped with the name-stamp. When the branch office bag for the account office is under preparation for despatch, the money orders should be placed in the bag.
Note 1. – Experimental offices should write the name of the office below the impression of the name-stamp of the account office. All money order forms supplied to an experimental office will be stamped before - hand by the account office with its name-stamp on the “Acknowledgement” portion of the forms.
Note 2. – See rule 68.
105. Disposal of account office receipts for money orders. – The account office will forward to the branch office entered in B.O. slip a receipt for every money order issued by the branch office. These receipts after they have been examined and compared with the entries in the B.O. slip and in the book of receipt, should be pasted in the book of receipts to the counterfoils of the corresponding receipts originally granted to the remitters.
106. Money orders for payment. – If a money order or T.M.O. receipt received from the account office for payment is to be made over to the postman or village postman or EDDA, it should be given to him with the cash to pay it and his signature should be taken in the B.O. journal (Pa-5) where he should be required to write in words and figures the amount made over to him. The postman or village postman should also be required to enter the order or T.M.O., receipt in his book (Ms-27) or register (MS-85). In the case of T.M.O. if private communication from the remitter appears on the T.M.O. receipt, the postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. should be instructed to detach from the T.M.O. receipt the portion of the form below the acknowledgement containing the communication and deliver it to the payee at the time of payment of the T.M.O. If the Payee of a T.M.O. resides in a locality served by a village postman, the T.M.O. should be paid to him by the village postman in the ordinary course of delivery : the fixed beat of village postman should not be broken for the purpose of paying a T.M.O.
Note. 1. – Payment of money order must not be made to any person claiming to be the payee, unless he is identified by the branch postmaster or postman or village postman or the G.D.S.M.D. or some respectable person known to the official by whom payment is made. (See rule 109).
Note 2. – See rules 34 and 113.
107. Limit of amount of money order for payment by a single postman or village postman. – (1) The aggregate amount to be entrusted to any single postman at one time for the payment of money orders must not exceed Rs. 12,000/- except when a higher limit has been expressly fixed by the Superintendent of Post Offices or Head of the Circle. In any case in which the prescribed limit is exceeded, the branch postmaster must arrange either -
In the former case, the branch postmaster must write his orders in the B.O. journal (Pa-5) and require the village postman to place his signature below them in token that he has seen them. It will be the duty of the village postman to accompany the postman throughout his beat and to return with him to the post office.
(2) Money orders must not be sent out for payment by a village postman, who is likely to be absent from the post office for a period longer than a week without the sanction of the Head of the Circle. The aggregate amount to be entrusted to a village postman for payment of money orders plus the aggregate value of V.P. articles, made over to him for delivery and the amount realisable on articles on which customs duty is due must not exceed Rs. 5000 and, individual Money Orders for more than Rs. 500 may not be paid through a village postman. The aggregate amount to be entrusted to a Single village postman may be raised to Rs.10000 under the orders of Superintendent of Post Offices concerned and to any amount by the Head of the Circle provided the route of village postman’s beat and the village where he passes the night while on his beat are considered by the police authorities to be reasonable free from danger. Where the limit is increased to Rs. 3000 by the Superintendent of Post Offices the village postman may also be authorised to take out individual money orders upto the limit of Rs. 500 each. When the aggregate amount of the money orders for payment through a village postman exceeds the amount that can be entrusted to him, the money orders for the largest amount must be kept back till the remainder do not in the aggregate exceed the appropriate limit prescribed for being entrusted to the village postman.
(3) The aggregate amount of cash for payment of money orders and the value of V.P. articles and insured articles and articles on which customs duty is due that can be entrusted to a G.D.S.M.D. must not exceed Rs. 5000, which may be raised to Rs. 10,000 by the Superintendent of Post Offices or to any higher amount by the Head of the Circle, under the circumstances mentioned in Sub-rule (2) above. The limit of value of a single money order than can be entrusted to the G.D.S.M.D. will be the same as for a village postman.
108. Pension money orders for payment. – In the case of a pension money order addressed to a departmental pensioner, the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. paying such a pension money order should endorse under his dated signature, on the back of the acknowledgement potion of the money order, a certificate in English or the Regional language to the effect that the pensioner is alive on the date of payment. The certificate endorsed by the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. on the back of the acknowledgement portion of pension money orders paid in January, April, July and October should be attested by at least two respectable persons in the village.
109. Payment of money orders at the window. – (1) Money orders will be paid at the window of the post office only on satisfactory proof of the identity of the claimant with the person named in the money order. When the person claiming payment of a money order calls at the post office to receive payment, whether at the request of the postman or village postman or on the delivery of the notice of arrival of a money order exceeding in value the limit of amount of a single money order fixed for payment through a village postman or a G.D.S.M.D. or of his own accord, it must be left to the branch postmaster to decide in each case whether the claimant has been satisfactorily identified or not.
(2) In ordinary cases of this kind, payment must not be made unless the claimant is identified at the post office by some trustworthy person known to the branch postmaster or the claimant produces other evidence to establish his identity to the satisfaction of the branch postmaster. It must be understood that the statements of the identifying person are not to be accepted without full enquiry as to his actual knowledge of the acquainted with the claimant, and how long he has known him. The information obtained from the person, who identifies the claimant, must be such as will enable the post office readily to find the payee again, should any mistake or fraud have occurred, and with this object, the permanent address of the payee, as vouched for by the person who identified him, must be noted on the money order by the identifier who should add his own address below his signatures under the “identifier’s certificate” printed on the money order form. If he refuses to comply with this request, the branch postmaster should exercise greater care in accepting the identification as genuine. It should not be considered evidence of the right of a claimant of a money order that the money has been remitted in response to a telegram sent by him.
(3) In special cases, the branch postmaster may exercise his discretion as to making payment without insisting on strict compliance with the procedure described in the preceding paragraph, provided that he is satisfied by such other evidence as the claimant may be able to produce regarding the latter’s identity with the payee.
(4) If the branch postmaster has any doubt or suspicion in connection with a money order, he should refer the matter to the account office before effecting payment.
Note 1. – Before the payment of a money order is made to a person other that the payee on the written authority of the later, the branch postmaster should satisfy himself about the authenticity of the written authority produced. The person receiving the payment of the money order should be required to sign the acknowledgement of the money order in the following manner :-
For
(Signature of the person receiving payment.)
(Name of the payee)
Note 2. – In all cases in which identification is accepted as satisfactory, the branch postmaster should write on the money order the words “Identification accepted” under his signature.
Note 3. – It should be clearly understood that when a money order cannot be paid to the person who claims to be the payee, because he cannot satisfactorily establish his identity with the payee named in the order, no instruction should be accepted from him either as to redirecting the order to another office or as to disposing of it in any other way. Should he wish the order redirected in such circumstances, he should be informed that this cannot be done except at the request of the remitter through the office of issue.
Note 4. – The covers of the postmaster’s book (MS-27) and the village postman’s register (MS-85) contain “special instructions” for the guidance of postmen and village postmen in the matter or payment of money orders and the attention of the postman or village postman entrusted with the payment of a T.M.O. should be drawn to these instructions before he leaves the office.
110. Payment of money orders addressed to minors. – (1) Where the minor is under years of discretion and is living with his parent or lawful guardian, payment should be made to the parent or guardian, on his signing the money order on behalf of the minor.
(2) Where the minor is under years of discretion and is not living with his parent or guardian, and the parent or guardian cannot be ascertained payment should be made to the person in whose care and custody the minor for the time being is, subject to such person signing in addition to the money order, an agreement of indemnity [in form M.O.-20(b)] undertaking to indemnify the Post Office against all adverse claims in respect of the amount of the money order so paid. In the event of his refusing to sign such an agreement, payment should be withheld and the money order should be returned with the daily account [a.C.G.-22(a)] to the account office for disposal in accordance with the instructions of the remitter.
(3) Where the minor is old enough to understand the nature of the transaction, payment should be made to the minor himself.
Note 1. – A stamp duty of 50 Paise will be payable on the agreement of indemnity prescribed in paragraph (2) of this rule, the stamp being provided by the person who executed the agreement. If a different rate of stamp duty be in force in any circle the Head of the Circle will issue necessary instructions. A single agreement of indemnity may be taken in respect of more than one money order paid at one time by a post office to one and the same person on behalf of a minor.
Note 2. – The agreement of indemnity should be attached to the paid order or orders to which it relates.
111. Payment of money orders addressed to lepers. – (1) Where the leper who has lost fingers is living in any asylum, payment will be made to the head of the institution on his signing the money order on behalf of the leper.
(2) Where the leper is living with his parents, relative or friends payment will be made to the responsible person with whom the leper resides, in the presence of an independent responsible witness who should be required to attest the signature or thumb impression on the form.
*112. Examination of paid money orders. – (1) When the postman or village postman or G.D.S.M.D. returns to the office after paying money orders, the branch postmaster should satisfy himself on the following points :-
(Note. – See Rule 267(1)(g) of this Rule and the Note below it.) [See Note 1 below rule 34(1)]
(2) If the amount of the money order or T.M.O. receipt is paid by the branch postmaster he must attest the payee’s receipt with his signature and also get it attested by the Headman/member of Gram Panchayat/ the village accountant or respectable witness irrespective of whether the payee is illiterate or not.
A Superintendent may, however, specially exempt from the operation of this rule regarding attestation of payment of money orders by a witness, in the case of literate payees who may, owing to their means and position, object to receive the payment of money orders in the presence of a witness provided, of course that such payees are personally known to the branch postmaster making payment of such money orders.
(3) When a money order or T.M.O. receipt, has been paid, the date of payment should be noted in the journal (Pa-5) in the column provided for the purpose. Particulars of the money order or T.M.O. receipt viz. the No., name of office (head or sub) of issue, and amount should be entered on the despatch side of the journal and the paid money order or T.M.O. receipt with the acknowledgement impressed with the date stamp of the date of payment, but left attached to the money order or T.M.O. receipt should be put aside for subsequent despatch to the account office.
Note. – Care must be taken to see that the rules as to thumbmarks and the attestation of the witnesses are not evaded for purposes of fraud. The branch postmaster ill generally know which classes of payees of money orders are literate and which are illiterate, and should he find that a number of money orders paid by the same postman or village postman are signed with signatures purporting to be those of literate payees, when he knows or has reason to believer that the payees belong to classes who are generally illiterate, he should view the circumstances with suspicion and have an enquiry made.
113. Notices to be sent out in certain cases. – In the case of money orders which are received at post office of which the postman or village postman is not authorised to pay money orders or which are made payable to (a) planter (b) payees in remote localities or in places like Nepal, Bhutan and Sikkim : for whom money orders or postal articles are not sent out daily by postmen or village postmen and who send messengers regularly to the post office the money orders should be placed in deposit and a notice in form M.O.-11 signed by the branch postmaster and impressed with the date stamp should be sent to the payee. The acknowledgement (to be returned to the remitter) and the coupon should be cut off from the money order and sent to the payee along with the notice; but a record should be kept of the remitter’ address on a slip of paper pinned to the order, so that in case the acknowledgement should be mislaid or lost by the payee, a copy can be readily prepared. When the acknowledgement is returned to the post office, this slip of paper may be torn up.
Note. – In a case in which a record of the remitter’s address cannot be kept as prescribed in the above paragraph, owing to the entries in the money order form being written in a Regional language that cannot be translated in the office of payment, the acknowledgement should not be sent in original to the payee, but in place of it a separate acknowledgement prepared in manuscript on a piece of paper of the same size as the printed acknowledgement should be sent for the payee’s signature. After payment of the money order, this document bearing the payee’s signature should be pasted to the original acknowledgement, which should be disposed of in the ordinary course.
(ii) If the payee presents himself at the post office to receive payment of the money order before the delivery to him or village postman and it is decided to effect the payment of the money order before the return of the postman or village postman to the post office then an acknowledgement will be prepared in manuscript on a piece of paper cut to the size of the printed acknowledgement and signed by the payee and kept pinned to the paid money order and on receipt of the printed acknowledgement from the postman or village postman, the manuscript acknowledgement of the payee should be pasted on the back of the printed acknowledgement and disposed of in the ordinary course.
(2) If delivery of the notice is to be made through a postman or village postman, the particulars of the notice should be entered in the postman’s book of receipts for intimations and notices deliver (r.P.-53) or in the village postman’s register (MS-85) and then handed over with the acknowledgement and coupon to the postman or village postman who should be required to sign for these documents in the branch office journal (Pa-5). If the notice is made over to the payee’s messenger, his receipt should be taken in the branch office journal: and if the notice is to be sent to the payee by post, it should be despatched with the acknowledgement and coupon in a cover registered on service.
(3) If the notice is presented, together with the acknowledgement by the payee or an agent authorised in writing to sign the money order, the amount of the money order should be paid on his signing the money order and the acknowledgement. If the notice is returned endorsed with a receipt of payment together with the acknowledgement duly signed by the payee, the amount should be paid to the person presenting the notice, after his signature has been obtained thereon. These notices and the acknowledgement should in every case be securely attached, the former with paste and the latter by being stitched to the corresponding paid orders.
Note 1. – If the payee is not likely to know English the notice given to him under this rule should be in Regional Language.
Note 2. – The procedure prescribed in this rule applies also to the cases mentioned in rule 107 (2).
Note 3. – When a notice has to be issued in respect of an inward foreign money order paragraph (2) and the second sentence of paragraph (1) of the printed form of notice should be scored out and the names of the remitter and of the country of issue should be entered at the foot of the notice for the information of the payee.
114. Instructions for the disposal of money orders. – (1) If any written instructions or an application is received direct by a branch postmaster from the remitter or payee or any other private individual for the redirection of a money order or alteration of the name or address of the payee, or stoppage of payment or repayment of the amount to the remitter, he should send the same in original with the money order to the account office, by the first mail, for disposal.
(2) Any written instructions received direct by a branch postmaster from a member of the public regarding payment of a money order to a person other than the payee should be forwarded by him in original along with the money order to the account office for disposal after keeping a copy of the instructions in his office.
115. Redirected, unclaimed and refused money orders. – (1) If the payee of a money order has moved to another post-town, or if a money order received for payment is unclaimed or if it is refused by the payee, it should be returned by first mail to the account office, provided that if the payee while refusing to take payment on presentation of the money order to him, makes an application in writing to the post office of delivery for detention of the money order or if the payee is not found at the address given on the money order, the money order will be detained in the post office for a period not exceeding seven days from the date of its presentation to the payee or from the date it is sent out for payment as the case may be. If the payee fails to take payment of the money order from the post office within the said period of seven days the money order will be returned to the remitter on the first working day immediately following the expiry of the said period of seven days. The commission shall in no case be refunded. In the case of a money order to be redirected, the revised address of the payee should be written on a slip of paper, which should be attached to the money order.
(2) Particulars of each money order returned unpaid to the account office should be entered on the despatch side of the journal (Pa-5) and the date of return along with the reason such as unclaimed, refused, redirected should be noted against the original entry of the money order on the receipt side of the journal. When the money order is redirected the revised address should be written against the original entry.
Note. – See Note 1 to rule 72(4).
*116. Inland Telegraphic money orders presented for issue. – (1) When a T.M.O. is presented for issue, it should be examined to see that the particulars to be filled in by the remitter are properly and clearly entered in an inland M.O. form (M.O. 8) with the words “By Telegraph Express” or “By Telegraph Ordinary”, as the case may be written across it. For the purpose of calculating the telegraph charge on the T.M.O. the branch postmaster should prepare a rough copy of the telegraphic advice in accordance with the instruction given in the following paragraph, adding at the end of it any private communication that may have been written by the remitter on the coupon. The telegraph charge, which should be calculated in accordance with the instruction contained ni rule 117 plus the postal fee, the supplementary fee, the service tax applicable on the date of booking and the amount to be remitted, should then be taken from the person who presented the order. a receipt with the words “By Telegraph Express” or “By Telegraph Ordinary” written across it, should be granted to the remitter from the book of receipts [M.S. –87(a)] the same words being also written across the counterfoil. The amount of the telegraph charge realised should be entered in figures after the words “By Telegraph Express” or “By Telegraph Ordinary” both on the receipt and the counterfoil. The following additional entries should also be made on the receipt and reproduced on the counterfoil :-
If one or more reply paid telegraph forms are presented in payment of the telegraph charge on a single T.M.O. they should be accepted in lieu of cash after being scrutinised to see :-
(2) The text of a telegraphic advice consists of the following items :-
(3) Attention should also be paid to the following points in preparing rough copies of advices :-
SPECIMENS ADVICES
|
T.M.O. issued from an office (head or sub) at a telegraph station payable at an office (head or sub) at a telegraph station. |
T.M.O. issued from an office (head or sub) at a non-telegraph station payable at an office (head or sub) at non-telegraph station. |
T.M.O. issued from an office (head or sub) at non-telegraph station payable at an office (head or sub) at telegraph station. |
|
To Bombay
(Abbreviated name of Home Accounts office) 253 Jadunath Dey FIFTY 50 Kailash Chunder Bose, shopkeeper, New bazar (private communication, if any) |
To Shahdara Delhi
(Abbreviated name of Home Accounts office) 253 Jadunath Dey Post Shyamnagar FIFTY 50 Kailash Chunder Bose, shopkeeper, New bazar (private communication, if any) |
To Calcutta
(Abbreviated name of Home Accounts office) 253 Jadunath Dey Post, Derapur FIFTY 50 Kailash Chunder Bose, shopkeeper, New bazar (private communication, if any) |
(4) The money order form (M.O.-8) should be disposed of in the same way as in the case of an ordinary money order.
Note 1. – If the remitter of a T.M.O. writes only the words “By Telegraph” across the form of money order presented by him, without adding the word “Express” or “Ordinary” to denote the class of the telegram for advising the remittance that T.M.O. should not be refused on that account but should be classed, and charged for, as “Ordinary”.
Note 2. – The use of abbreviated addresses or code words to represent the name of the remitter or the name or address of the payee, is prohibited.
Note 3. – In cases where the remitter of a T.M.O. finds the space afforded by the coupon of the form of money order insufficient for the private message which he wishes to have telegraphed to the payee, he may be allowed to continue the message on one, or both sides of a piece of paper to be pasted by him to the lower edge of the coupon provided that the size of the piece of paper does not exceed the size of the acknowledgement and coupon taken together.
117. Calculation of telegraph charges on T.M.O. advices. – (1) The telegraph charge on a T.M.O. advise should be calculated at the rates applicable to private telegrams of the class concerned for the actual number of words used in the advice.
(2) The following are each counted as one word only irrespective of the actual number of words which they may contain :-
(3) Words separated by an apostrophe and words joined by a hyphen are counted as so many separate words. Combinations or alterations of words contrary to the usage of the language are not admitted. The following may, however, be written as single words, without either apostrophe or hyphen :-
(4) Figures are charged for at the rate of five digits to a word, each group being charged for separately. Bars of division or other signs count each of a digit.
Examples
89103 (5 characters) . . 1 word.
2-8/2.8 (3 ” ) . . 1 word.
2242.8 (6 ” ) . . 2 words.
18 ¾ (5 ” ) . . 1 word.
(5) Every word containing more than 15 letters is counted and charged for as two words.
(6) Names of places, persons and titles are counted as written by the sender, but the sender may be helped to join such names in accordance with the usage of language, so as to reduce the charges.
Examples
False Point . . 2 words
Falsepoint . . 1 word.
Parsi Bagan . . 2 words.
Parsibagan . . 1 word.
Mechua Bazar . . 2 words.
Mechuabazar . . 1 word.
Bowbazar Street . . 2 words.
Bowbazarstreet . . 1 word
Budhwar Pett . . 2 words.
Budhwarpett . . 1 word.
Lieut. General . . 2 words.
Lieutenantgeneral . . 2 words
(17 letters)
Lieutgeneral . . 1 word.
(7) The following are examples of counting the number of chargeable words in inland T.M.O. advices :-
Examples
Chargeable words
Ordinary Express
From (Telegraph office of origin) Calcutta Free Free
To (Office of destination) Bombay 1 1
1 2 3 4
Text. CA 253 Jadunath Dey
5 6 7
‘___________’ Bomkeshlal Ghose
FIFTY 50
8 9
Shopkeeper New-bazar . . 9 9
(Private communication to payee)
Quite well 2 2
Total chargeable words 12 12
Example 2
Chargeable words
Ordinary Express
No.1, post office of ] From (Telegraph Office
payment ] of origin) Katwa Free Free
] To (Office of destination)
No. 2. Telegrah office } 1
of destination ] Daulatabad Berhampurs
] Bengal)
No. 6 post office of issue ] 1 2 3 4 2 2
Text CA 253 Jadunath Dey
Post Dainhat
7
Two Hundred Fifty 250
Kailashchunder Bose
10 11
Shopkeeper-New bazar 11 11
(private communication
to payee)
1 2 3 4 5 6
In full payment of all dues 6 6
Total chargeable words 19 19
Example 3
Chargeable words
Ordinary Express
Form (Telegraph office of
Origin) Bangalore …….. Free Free
No. 1. Post office of payment ] To office of the destination
] 1 2 2 2
No. 2. Telegraph office of } Pukhta Sharai Jaunpur
Destination ]
No.6. post office of issue ] 1 2 3 4
] Text. MS 253 Jadunath Dey
Post Cavalry Road
7
_________________________
THREE HUNDRED 365
SIXTY FIVE
8 9 10
Ramabazar Singh Shopkeeper
11 12 13 14
No. 10. Locality 15 ….. 15 15
Rajar chawk
(Private communication to payee)
1 2 3
Come first train …… 3 3
Total chargeable words …… 20 20
118. Special forms of money orders. – (1) A special form of inland money order should be accepted for issue by any post office when the money order is payable within the tract for which the form has been prescribed e.g., a Bengal revenue money order payable in Bengal should be accepted if presented for issue at any post office in India.
(2) A special form of inland money order should not be accepted for issue when the money order is payable outside the tract for which the special form has been prescribed e.g., a Uttar Pradesh revenue money order forms tendered for a remittance payable in Bengal should not be accepted, even by a post office in the Uttar Pradesh.
Exception .- The restrictions referred to in paras, (1) and (2) do not apply to the special forms of Inland Rent Money Order.
(3) Revenue and rent money orders have been authorised for issue in some Circles.
Note. – The form will be ordinarily show beneath the State Emblem – the Circle for which it has been prescribed and if the information does not appear on the form, it can be ascertained from the remitter.
*119. Foreign money orders presented for issue. – (1) On presentation on an outward foreign money order (sterling or rupee) at a branch office which is not authorised to issue such orders without reference to the account office, the remitter should be informed that money order will have to be sent to the account office for examination and be requested to call again at the branch office on the day on which it is expected back. The money order should be sent to the account office, entered on the reverse of the B.O. daily account, when it is received back, the total amount payable by the remitter (which in the case of sterling money orders, will be entered on the order by the account office) should be realised from him. The money order should then be issued according to the procedure laid down in rule 104, except that the words “foreign money order” should be written opposite to the printed entry “Received a” in the book of receipts.
(2) When an outward foreign money order (sterling or rupee) is presented at a branch office which has been authorised by the Head of the Circle to issue such orders without previous reference to its account office, the branch postmaster should first satisfy himself, from the Post Office Guide, pt. II that an arrangement exists for the exchange of money orders with the country on which the money order is drawn; he should then examine the money order to see that it has been properly prepared on the prescribed form (M.O.-7 or M.O.-9) and that full particulars of the payee’s name and address are given. If any discrepancy or irregularity in the money order is observed, it should be pointed out and the order should be returned to the remitter for correction. In the case of outward foreign sterling money order, the equivalent in Indian currency of the sterling amount entered therein at the current rate or exchange prescribed for the conversion of the value of such money orders should be ascertained from the Post Office Guide pt. II and written on the order. If an advice of payment is required, the branch postmaster should ascertain from Post Office Guide, pt. II whether this is available. The fee for such an advice both in the case of a sterling order and of a rupee order, should be realised from the remitter and affixed in postage stamps to the money order form in the space provided for the purpose. In all cases in which an advice of payment is paid for, the letter “A.P.” should be written across the receipt for the remitter and also on the counterfoil.
Exception. – Money orders for Aden, Burma and Ceylon should be dealt with according to the rules for the issue of inland money orders.
120. Foreign telegraphic money orders presented for issue. – (1) The names of the foreign countries with which T.M.Os. can be exchanged and the special conditions relating to the exchange will be found in the Post Office guide, pt.II. The T.M.Os. for Great Britain and Northern Ireland, Eire (Ireland), Iraq, Zanzibar, British, East Africa and the Rhodesia Nyasaland Protectorate are expressed in sterling and those for Aden, Burma, Ceylon, the Seychelles, Mauritius, Malaya and Somaliland Protectorate are expressed in rupees.
(2) T.M.O. advices for all foreign countries, except Burma and Ceylon, should be prepared in accordance with the specimen given below, while those for Burma and Ceylon should be prepared and dealt with in the same way as inland telegraphic advices:-
SPECIMEN OF T.M.O. ADVICE – FOR STERLING MONEY ORDERS
Example 1
Chargeable words
From (Post Office & Telegraph Office of origin) Calcutta Free
Special Instructions
_________ _________
L.T. (If letter) R.P. Six Rs. (Indicating that a sum of six rupees has been
prepaid for a reply) 2
To
1
Mandat (meaning “Money Order”)
2
23 (No. of the money order)
3
B(Post Office of payment and telegraph office of destination) 3
Text –
Advice payment (If charge for these two words has been paid for)
3 4
Joseph Allen (name of remitter)
5 6
Seventeen pounds fifteen shilling six pence (amount in sterling in words)
7 8
John Fuller (name of payee)
9 10 11
Thirty-four High Street (address of payee)
12
______________
(name of locality in which payee resides)
Seventeen pounds (repetition of the number of pounds) 13
Private Communication if any -
1 2 3 4
To pay your passage . . . . . 4
______
Total chargeable words . . . 22
Example 2
Chargeable words
From (Telegraph Office of origin New Delhi) . Free
To
Mandat (meaning “Money Order”) 276 (No. of the money order)
3
_____________
Stroke Newington (Post office of payment)
4
L. (telegraph office of destination)
Text –
George Smith (name of remitter)
3
______________________
Alalpur Pirwala (Post office of issue)
4 5 4 5
_______________ _______
ten pounds ten shillings or ten pounds (amount in sterling in words)
6 7
Harry Brown (name of payee)
8 9 10
Forty-five Milton road (address of payee)
11
_______________
ten pounds (repetition of the number of pounds) . 11
________
Total chargeable words . . . . . 15
________
It should be noted that the amount of the money order in sterling in words would be counted as two words irrespective of the number of words actually employed, and for the information of the telegraph office they should be marked thus :-
__________________ ___________
ten pounds ten shillings ten pounds. The repetition of the number of pounds at the end of the message should, however, be counted as one word and should be marked thus : Ten pounds.
Note. – When the amount of a T.M.O. is less than a pound, no repetition of the amount is to be made at the end of the message.
FOR RUPEE MONEY ORDERS
Example 3
Chargeable words
From (Post office and telegraph office of origin . . Free
Calcutta)
Special instructions –
___________ __________
L.T. (if letter) R.P. Six Rs. (Indicating that a sum of six rupees has been 2
prepared for a reply)
To
1
Mandat (meaning “Money Order”)
3
____________
2
123 (No. of the money order) Kaula Lumpur (Post office of payment and
telegraph office of destination) 3
Text –
Advice payment (if the charge for these two words has been paid for)
3 4
Bholanath Chowdhury (name of remitter)
5
____
Seventeen rupees (amount in Rupees in words)
6 7
Nalen Ghose (name of payee)
Thirty-four High street (address of payee)
11
_________
Batu Road Bo (name of locality in which payee resides)
12
____________
Seventeen rupees (repetition of the number of rupees) 12
Private communication if any --
1 2 3 4
To pay your passage . . . . 4
___________
Total chargeable words . . 21
___________
Example 4
Chargeable words
From (Telegraph office of origin) Delhi . . . Free
Mandat (meaning “Money Order”) 476 (No. of the money order)
3
Kuala Selangor (post office of payment)
4
X (telegraph office of destination)
Text –
1 2
Bomkesh Ghose (name of remitter)
3
______________
Jalalpur Pirwala (post office of issue)
4
ten rupees (amount in rupees)
Lalit Banerjee (name of payee)
7 8 9
Forty-five Milton Road (address of payee)
10
____________
ten rupees (repetition of the number of rupees) 10
____________
Total chargeable words . . . . 14
___________
It should be noted that the following count as single words :-
In Examples 1 and 3 –
In Examples 2 and 4 –
When two or more words are charged for a single words it should, for the information of the telegraph office, be marked thus :
________________ _________________ __________________
Batu Road Bo Kuala Selangor Jalalpur Pir Vala
If difficulties arise in ascertaining the exact name of the locality the address should be counted according to the number of words, it consists of, unless the remitter is in a position to indicate definitely the words which constitute the “Locality”.
Note. – When a T.M.O. is intended to be called for at a post office, the words “Poste Restante” should be inserted as the address after the payee’s name and charged for as two words.
*121 Sale of Indian Postal Orders. – When Indian Postal Orders are required by a branch office for sale to the public, the Branch Postmaster should send a requisition to his account office specifying the denominations and the number of orders required. Before requisition is sent to the account office, the Branch Postmaster should recover the amount of the order along with the commission, from the purchaser giving him a receipt in the form Ms.-87(a). the account office will send the orders, duly signed and stamped, to the branch Post Office, entering the particulars of the orders in the B.O. Slip (Pa-4). When the order is received from the account office, it should be delivered to the purchaser concerned, after noting the particulars thereof on the reverse of the receipt, under acknowledgement which should be obtained on the reverse of the office copy of the receipt Ms.-87(a). Before parting with the order, the purchaser should be informed that he should insert in it the name of the person to whom the money is to be paid. The total amount realised by the sale of Indian Postal Orders should be entered separately in the branch office account and daily account, the particulars being entered in the B.O. Journal (Pa-5) and on the reverse of the B.O. daily account A.C.G.-22(a).
*122. Payment of Indian and British Postal Orders. – (1) When an Indian postal order or British postal order is presented for payment at a branch office, a manuscript receipt, which should show the complete No. and denomination of the order, should be given to the holder, and the order should then be forwarded to the account office entered in the despatch side of the journal on the reverse of the branch office daily account [A.C.G.-22(a)] for an order of payment. Care should be taken that postage stamps affixed to the face of British or Indian postal orders to make up broken amounts, are on no account defaced. The holder should be informed of the approximate date on which to call for payment.
(2) When the order is received back from the account office duly stamped the value specified by the account office in the B.O. slip should be paid to the holder who should be required to sign the receipt printed at the foot of the order and to give up the manuscript receipt originally granted to him which should then be destroyed. The branch office will receive full instructions from the account office as to the procedure to be observed in paying the order. Particulars of the paid Indian or British postal order should be entered on the despatch side of the branch office journal (Pa-5) and the paid order should be impressed with the date stamp on the reverse and sent to the account office entered on the reverse of the B.O. daily account.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER VII
ACCOUNTS
RULE PAGE
123. Branch Office journal . . . . . . .
124. Branch Office account . . . . . . .
125. Contents of B.O. bag received from account office .61 Vol VI Pt.III
B.O. bag . . . . . . . . .
127. Remittances received through the special carrier . . .
128. Entries to be made on the receipt side of the journal . . .
129. Contents of branch office bag for account office .65 Vol.VI Pt. III
130. Remittances sent through the post . . . . .
131. Remittances through postman, village postmen and overseers . .
132. Entries to be made on the despatch side of the journal . .
133. Preparation of the branch office account . . . .
134. Preparation of the B.O. daily account . . . . .
Communication by post with its account office . . . .
136. Balance due to account office . . . . . .
137. Charges for the conveyance of cash . . . . .
138. Disbursement of pay at branch offices . . . . .