Notifications Post Office Regulations 2024

MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS

(Department of Posts)

NOTIFICATION

New Delhi, the 16th December, 2024

 S.O. 5440(E).— In exercise of the powers conferred by section 13 of the Post Office Act, 2023 (43 of 2023), the Director General, with the prior approval of the Central Government, hereby makes the following regulations, namely:-

 

CHAPTER I

PRELIMINARY

1. Short title and commencement.- (1) These regulations may be called the Post Office Regulations, 2024.  

(2) They shall come in to force on the 16th day of December, 2024.

2. Definitions.- (1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires, -

1. “accountable items” means such items that provide a receipt at the time of booking for track and trace (stage wise electronic data on movement of item) and require the signature (in ink or digital) of the addressee, the payee, or their authorised person upon receipt of an item, to provide evidence of delivery and include items such as India Post Parcel, Speed Post, Magazine Post, International Speed Post Services (EMS), International Air Parcels, International Tracked Packets, International Registered Letter items, Money Order and items with value added services like registration, insurance and cash on delivery (COD);
2. “Act” means the Post Office Act, 2023 (43 of 2023);  
3. “addressee” means the intended recipient or the person to whom any item is to be delivered;  
4. “administrative instructions” means the executive or administrative orders or instructions including guidelines issued by the Central Government or, as the case may be, the Director General as specified under regulation 178 or regulation 179 or regulation 180, as the case may be;
5. “authorised person” means a person, duly authorised by the addressee to receive the item or by a payee to receive the money on his behalf;  
6. “delivery” means the delivery of an item at the address of the addressee, or to the addressee or other person or location considered to be authorised to receive the item according to the usual manner of delivering items to the addressee;  
7. “Director (Postal Services)” means the Director in any administrative office of the Post Office or an officer exercising the powers of Director (Postal Services);
8. “in course of transmission by post” means the period starting from receipt of an item by the post office to its delivery to the addressee or return to the sender or otherwise disposed of;  
9. “letter box” means a box installed in post offices or mail offices or at public places, for posting of fully prepaid letters, postcards, letter cards and book post items;      
10. “payee” means the person who intends to receive money through money remittance services;
11. “post" means any system for collection, clearance, sorting, dispatch, conveyance, and delivery of items by the postal network;
12. “Postmaster” means the Director or Chief Postmaster of general post office, or Senior Postmaster or Head Postmaster of head post office, or an officer exercising the powers of Postmaster, as the case may be, who is the head of such post office;
13. “redirection” means action of assigning or directing an item to an address, other than the one to which it was initially addressed, for a specific reason;
14. “remitter” means the person who remits money through money remittance services;
15. “rules” means the Post Office Rules, 2024 and the expression “rule” shall mean a rule of the said rules;
16. “schedule” means the schedule annexed to these regulations;
17. “sender” means a person who sends any item; and 
18. “weight” means gross weight or volumetric weight, whichever is higher, except when stated otherwise.

(2) Words and expressions used herein but defined in the Act or the Post Office Rules, 2024, shall have the meanings respectively assigned to them in the Act or the said rules.