Branch office circulars

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