The Post Office Act, 2023

(1) This Act may be called the Post Office Act, 2023. (2) It shall come into force on such date1as the Central Government may, by notification in theOfficial Gazette, appoint.

In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires, (a) “Director General” means the Director General of Postal Services appointed by the CentralGovernment and includes any officer authorised by the Central Government to perform the duties ofthe Director General; (b) “item” means an indivisible article which the Post Office accepts for providing a service; (c) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette; (d) “Post Office” means the Department of Posts and includes every house, building, room, placeor any other asset used by the Post Office for providing any service; (e) “prescribe” means prescribe by rules made under this Act and the expression “prescribed”shall be construed accordingly; (f) “regulations” means the regulations made under this Act.

(1) The Post Office shall provide such services as theCentral Government may prescribe. (2) The Director General may make regulations-- (a) in respect of activities necessary to provide services referred to in sub-section (1); and (b) to fix charges for, and the terms and conditions in respect of, services referred to insub-section (1). (3) Any service provided by the Post Office shall be subject to any other law for the time being inforce.

(1) The Post Office shall have the exclusiveprivilege of issuing postage stamps. (2) The Director General may make regulations relating to the supply and sale of postage stamps andpostal stationery. (3) In this section, the expressions (a) “postage stamp” means any stamp provided by the Central Government, in any form, physicalor digital, for denoting sums payable in respect of such service provided by the Post Office, as may beprescribed and includes stamps affixed, printed, embossed, embedded, impressed, or otherwiseindicated on an item; (b) “postal stationery” means stationery, issued by the Post Office such as envelopes, letter cards,postcards, bearing imprinted stamps or inscriptions indicating that sum payable in respect of a serviceprovided by the Post Office has been prepaid.

(1) The Central Government may prescribe standards for addressingon the items, address identifiers and usage of postcodes. (2) In this section, “postcode” means a series of digits, letters or digital code or a combination ofdigits, letters or digital code used to identify a geographic area or location, and ease the process of sortingand delivery of items and for other purposes.