Read or download the official PDF of this gazette notification issued by the Ministry of Communications on 14th August 2026. Classified under Extra Ordinary.
Executive Summary
The Post Office (Seventh Amendment) Regulations, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Communications, amends the handling procedures for mail addressed to deceased persons. Effective from August 17, 2026, these regulations mandate the return of such items to the sender or their disposal under specific conditions. The amendment also removes references to "authorised persons" and omits specific clauses within the existing Regulation 65.
Key Points / Main Content
Handling of Items Addressed to Deceased Persons (Regulation 51)
Return to Sender: Any postal item addressed to a deceased individual must be returned to the sender if the sender’s particulars are available on the item.
Disposal Protocol: If sender particulars are not available, the item shall be disposed of in accordance with the provisions of sub-regulation (3) of regulation 65.
Amendments to Regulation 65
Clause Omission: Clause (c) of sub-regulation (1) in Regulation 65 has been omitted.
Term Removal: The phrase "or authorised person" is removed from sub-regulation (2) of Regulation 65.
Impact Analysis
Department of Posts / Post Office PersonnelImpact
Operational procedures for managing undeliverable mail must be updated to comply with the new return and disposal rules.
Action Required
Staff must ensure items for deceased recipients are returned to senders when details are available and follow the revised disposal protocols under Regulation 65 when they are not.
Senders of MailImpact
Senders are now more likely to have their mail returned to them if the recipient is deceased, provided their contact information is present on the item.
Action Required
Senders should ensure their return address and particulars are clearly visible on postal items to facilitate a return if the recipient is deceased.
Authorized Representatives / PersonsImpact
The removal of the phrase "or authorised person" from Regulation 65(2) indicates a change in the legal recognition or role of such individuals in the specific context of these regulations.
Action Required
Relevant parties should note that the regulations no longer explicitly include "authorised persons" in the amended sections of the postal disposal and handling framework.
Key Entities Referenced
Post Office Act, 2023: The parent legislation that empowers the Director General to make or amend postal regulations under Section 13.
Post Office Regulations, 2024: The primary regulatory framework being amended to refine procedures for the disposal of postal items.
Post Office (Seventh Amendment) Regulations, 2026: The specific regulatory update prescribing that mail addressed to deceased persons be returned to the sender.
Ministry of Communications (Department of Posts): The nodal government department responsible for issuing the notification and overseeing postal administration.
रजिस्ट्री स.ं डी.एल.- 33004/99 REGD. No. D. L.-33004/99
सी.जी.-डी.एल.-अ.-17082026-275494
CG-DxLx-xEG-I1D7H0x8x2x0 26-275494
xxxGIDExxx
असाधारण
EXTRAORDINARY
भाग II—खण् ड 3—उप-खण्ड (ii)
PART II—Section 3—Sub-section (ii)
प्राजधकार स ेप्रकाजित
PUBLISHED BY AUTHORITY
स.ं 4357] नई दिल्ली, िुक्रिार, अगस्ट्त 14, 2026/श्रािण 23, 1948
No. 4357] NEW DELHI, FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2026/SHRAVAN 23, 1948
सचं ार मत्रं ालय
(डाक जिभाग)
अजधसचू ना
नई दिल्ली, 12 अगस्ट् त, 2026
का.आ. 4537(अ).— महाजनििे क, केंद्रीय सरकार के पूिव अनुमोिन स,े डाकघर अजधजनयम, 2023 (2023 का
43) की धारा 13 द्वारा प्रित्त िजियों का प्रयोग करते हुए, डाकघर जिजनयम, 2024 म ें और संिोधन करने के जलए
जनम्नजलजखत जिजनयम बनाते ह,ैं अर्ावत:-
1. (1) इन जिजनयमों का संजिप्त नाम डाकघर (सातिां संिोधन) जिजनयम, 2026 ह।ै
(2) य ेतारीख 17 अगस्ट्त, 2026 को प्रिृत्त होंगे।
2. डाकघर जिजनयम, 2024 म ें– जिजनयम 51 के स्ट्र्ान पर जनम्नजलजखत रखा िाएगा, अर्ावत:्-
(क) “51. मृत व्यजि को संबोजधत डाक-िस्ट्त ुप्रेषक को िापस कर िी िाएगी, िहा ं प्रेषक का जििरण डाक-
िस्ट्तु पर उपलब्ध ह,ै या िहां ऐसे जििरण उपलब्ध नहीं ह,ैं िहां डाक- िस्ट्तु का जनपटान जिजनयम 65 के उप-जिजनयम
(3) के उपबंधों के अनुसार दकया िाएगा।”
6317 GI/2026 (1)2 THE GAZETTE OF INDIA : EXTRAORDINARY [PART II—SEC. 3(ii)]
(ख) जिजनयम 65 म,ें -
(i) उप-जिजनयम (1) म,ें खडं (ग) का लोप दकया िाएगा;
(ii) उप-जिजनयम (2) म,ें “या अजधकृत व्यजि” िब्िों का लोप दकया िाएगा।
[फा. स.ं 01-01/2025-पीओ-भाग-(4)]
िष्ु यंत मुिगल, उप महाजनिेिक
टटप्पण : डाकघर जिजनयम, 2024, भारत के रािपत्र, असाधारण, भाग 2, खंड 3, उपखंड (ii) म ें संखयांक का.आ. 5440
(अ.), तारीख 16 दिसंबर, 2024 के द्वारा प्रकाजित दकए गए र् ेऔर सखं यांक का.आ. 4241 (अ.), तारीख 31 िलु ाई, 2026
के द्वारा अंजतम बार संिोजधत दकए गए र्े।
MINISTRY OF COMMUNICATIONS
(Department of Posts)
NOTIFICATION
New Delhi, the 12th August, 2026
S.O. 4537(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. (1) These regulations may be called the Post Office (Seventh Amendment) Regulations, 2026.
(2) They shall come into force on the 17th day of August, 2026.
2. In the Post Office Regulations, 2024, - for regulation 51, the following shall be substituted,
namely: —
(a)“51. Item addressed to a deceased person shall be returned to the sender, where the particulars of
the sender are available on item, or where such particulars are not available, the item shall be disposed of in
accordance with the provisions of sub-regulation (3) of regulation 65.”,
(b) In regulation 65, -
(i) in sub-regulation (1), clause (c) shall be omitted;
(ii) in sub-regulation (2), the words “or authorised person” shall be omitted.
[F. No. 01-01/2025-PO-Part-(4)]
DUSHYANT MUDGAL, Dy. Director General
Note: The Post Office Regulation, 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 were last amended vide
number S.O 4241 (E) dated the 31st July 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.