Refund of Postage

REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99 The Gazette of India CG-DL-E-16072026-274553 EXTRAORDINARY PART II-Section 3-Sub-section (ii) PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY No. 3728] NEW DELHI, WEDNESDAY, JULY 15, 2026/ASHADHA 24, 1948 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II-SEC. 3(ii)] MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS (Department of Posts) NOTIFICATION New Delhi, the 15th July, 2026 S.O. 3891(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 further to amend the Post Office Regulations, 2024, namely:- 1. Short title and commencement.- (1) These regulations may be called the Post Office (Fourth Amendment) Regulations, 2026. (2) They shall come into force on the date of their publication in the Official Gazette. 2. In the Post Office Regulations, 2024 (hereinafter referred to as the said regulations), after regulation 23, the following regulation shall be inserted, namely:- "23A. Cancellation and refund of postage.- (1) The sender may cancel an item self-booked through the web portal or mobile application prior to its acceptance by the Post Office. (2) In case of item booked at the Post Office counter, the sender may request cancellation of the booking at the Post Office or the Post Office may cancel the booking for incorrect data entry, on the same day of the booking. (3) Upon such cancellation, the refund of postage shall be admissible in accordance with the administrative instructions issued by the Department from time to time.". 3. In the said regulations,- (i) in regulation 55, in sub-regulation (1), the words “and international inward item" shall be omitted. (ii) in regulation 57, in sub-regulation (1), the proviso shall be omitted; (iii) in regulation 119, for sub-regulation (2), the following sub-regulation shall be substituted, namely:- "(2) The postage, special fee, and air surcharges may be refunded to the sender in the event of suspension of services in accordance with the administrative instructions issued from time to time."; (iv) after regulation 119, the following regulation shall be inserted, namely:- “119A. Recall and Redirection of International Postal Items and the Procedure for Making Requests.- (1) The sender of an accountable outward international postal item may recall the item from the office of booking, for any reason, in accordance with the administrative instructions issued from time to time. (2) The addressee of an accountable inward international postal item may redirect the item from the office of delivery for any reason by paying a postal fee as mentioned in Table VI of Schedule I, which shall be free of charge in case of original and substitute address are within delivery area of same Post Office. (3) The sender or addressee or their authorized person shall make a written request in the concerned Post Office, for availing the facility referred to in sub-regulations (1) and (2). (4) No fee shall be collected for making a request under sub-regulation (1). (5) The postage, special fee and air surcharges may be refunded to the sender in accordance with the administrative instructions issued from time to time. (6) The sender of an accountable international item may further recall or redirect the item from foreign destination subject to the policy of the concerned postal administration in this regard, in accordance with the administrative instructions issued from time to time.". [F.No. DA-26/3/2020-DA] LAKSHMIKANTA DASH, Dy. Director General Note: The Post Office Regulations, 2024 were published in the Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Part II, section 3, sub-section (ii) vide number S.O. 5440 (E), dated the 16th December, 2024 and was last amended vide number S.O. 1595 (E), dated the 25th March, 2026. Uploaded by Dte. of Printing at Government of India Press, Ring Road, Mayapuri, New Delhi-110064 and Published by the Controller of Publications, Delhi-110054. VINOD KUMAR