Head Office Summary

CHAPTER VI. MISCELLANEOUS CHARGES

Refund of postage, etc. to the public 74 Refund of customs duty 77 Refund of the value and commission of lost Indian Postal Orders 78 Payments on account of International and Commonwealth Reply Coupons 79 Payments to the International Bureau of the Universal Postal Union at Bern 80 Payment of fee to the Finger Print Bureau, Chennai 81 Interest on Government Securities held in trust 82 Compensation for loss of, or damage to insured or uninsured Registered Articles 83

Refund of postage, etc., to the Public

74. The powers of sanctioning refund of postage etc. to members of the public are detailed in the Schedule of Financial powers of officers of the Department of Posts.

Note:- Authorities entertaining claims for refund of postage (except in the case of articles addressed to a foreign country) should see that the claims are supported by the original cover or wrapper.

75. An enquiry fee at prescribed rate for each value payable article is levied on every complaint regarding the delivery of, or payment for, such articles. The complainant is required to affix postage stamps for the amount of the fee, on the letter of complaint. If the complaint is on enquiry, found to be well grounded, the fee realised is refunded to the complainant by a charge in the schedule of unclassified payments on the written authority of the Head Postmaster in whose jurisdiction the office of posting is. No voucher need be sent to the Postal Accounts office in support of the charge. The payee’s receipt should be filed with the papers relating to the enquiry.

Note :- Refunds of enquiry fees in respect of complaints on value payable articles may be made by a Sub-Postmaster authorised to deal independently with complaints.

76. Head Postmasters should maintain a register of Refunds (Form no. ACG.-27) sanctioned by them in which the particulars of all refunds sanctioned will be recorded from year to year. This will be opened to scrutiny by Inspecting Officers (both executive and Internal Check/ Audit) who by examination of available documents will be in a position to determine whether Postmasters are exercising a wise discretion in sanctioning the refunds.

Note:- The duty of maintaining the Register of Refunds may be delegated, wherever necessary, to the Dy. Presidency Postmaster or to the Deputy /Assistant Postmaster incharge of the Accounts Branch in the case of a Presidency Post Office or other Head offices respectively. Formal delegation of the powers should be made by the Head s of circles in the cases of the Presidency offices and by the SPOs in the case of other Head offices.

Refunds of Customs Duty

77. (I) The amount deposited by the sender of an outward foreign parcel at the time of posting in prepayment of customs duty and other charges leviable in the office of delivery on the contents thereof may be refunded to him on the authority of orders issued by the Postal Accounts Office to the Postmaster of the office of posting, in the following circumstances, viz.,:- (a) When no such charges are levied; (b) When a parcel is returned as undeliverable;