NEWS – The Post Office Act 2023 comes into effect from 18 June 2024

KEY HIGHLIGHTS OF THE POST OFFICE ACT, 2023

1. Director General of Postal Services : The Act grants the Director General of Postal Services the authority to make regulations for offering additional services and fixing charges without parliamentary approval.
2. Interception of Shipments: The Central Government can empower officers to intercept, open, or detain items in transit for reasons like state security, public order, and prevention of contraventions.
3. Identifiers and Post Codes: The Central Government can prescribe standards for addressing, address identifiers, and usage of postcodes, replacing physical addresses with digital codes.
4. Removal of Offences and Penalties: The Act does not include penalties for theft or misappropriation of postal articles, unlike the previous 1898 Act.
5. Penalty under Section 7: Individuals using postal services are liable to pay charges, with recovery mechanisms similar to arrears of land revenue for non-payment.
6. Removal of Centre’s Exclusivity: Section 4 of the 1898 Act, granting the Centre exclusive privilege over conveying letters, has been removed, addressing issues related to courier services.

INDIAN POST OFFICE ACT, 1898

• Objective and Scope: Enacted in 1898 to regulate postal services under the Central government’s exclusive privilege.
• Monopoly Establishment: Established a monopoly for the Centre in conveying letters, which has been revisited and adjusted in the Post Office Act, 2023.
• Historical Context: Originated to consolidate and amend laws related to Post Offices in India, reflecting the evolution and modernization of postal services over time.