(1)Official postal articles shall be transmitted post under the following conditions:-(a)The rates of postage and conditions of transmission by post hereinbefore prescribed for the different classes of unofficial postal articles and the rules under which such articles may be registered, insured, or sent value-payable shall be applicable also to official postal articles of the same classes.Exception 1. - The condition that postage shall be prepaid in full on post card does not apply "Service Unpaid" post cards in the cases mentioned in rules 182 and 186 (2).Exception 2. - The Conditions that unpaid letters must be securely closed by the senders shall not apply to letters sent unpaid under the provisions of rules 182 and 186.Exception 3. - The condition that a parcel shall not contain more than one written communication of the nature of a letter, or having the character of a personal communication, shall not apply to official parcels which contain office files provided that no one file shall contain more than one communication of such nature or having such character which was not contained therein when the file was received in the office from which it is being dispatched.Exception 4. - Postal articles of any class sent on the service of the Indian Posts and Telegraphs Department by officers of the Department, Posts and Telegraphs Audit Officers and such other officers as may be authorised by the Director General in this behalf, shall be transmitted free of postage and all other postal fees or charges.(b)Official postal articles, whether the postage is prepaid or not, shall be the superscription "On India Government Service" when posted by Government officials authorised to use service postage stamps or 'On Service' when posted by all others authorised to use service postage stamps. This superscription shall be supported by the signature and official designation to be entered in the lower left hand corner of the article of the officer who sends the article or of the Head Clerk or Superintendent of his office or other responsible officer to whom the duty of dispatching is assigned.Explanation 1. - Service post cards bear the inscription "On service" printed immediately above the impressed stamp. In their case, therefore no further superscription shall be required.Explanation 2. - Postmasters may recognize abbreviated designations provided they are generally known, but no official can claim the recognition of an abbreviation, the rule being that the designation shall be entered in full.Explanation 3. - Postmasters may recognize facsimile impressions of signatures madeby means of stamps, but not such impressions when lithographed or otherwise produced. Public officers who use such stamps shall make arrangements for their proper custody and use; and where there is any reason to suspect the misuse of any such stamp or the absence of proper precaution against its misuse, postmaster may decline to recognize the stamp impression and require strict adherence to the rule. Printed names shall not be recognized in lieu of signatures except in the case of official Gazettes in open covers posted in large numbers by the office of publication.(c)Service stamps affixed to, or impressions of stamping machines taken on, an article which does not bear the prescribed superscription's supported by the signature and official designation of the sender shall not be recognized by the Post Office in payment of Postage.(d)The delivery and redirection of articles super scribed "On India Government Service" or "On Service "shall be governed by the official designation (when given) of the addressee.(2)Envelopes bearing the inscription "Official Paid" printed at the top right hand corner of postal articles in lieu of postage stamps shall also be considered as official postal articles and shall, subject to the provisions of the Note (2) to Rule 190 be eligible for transmission by post under the conditions prescribed in sub-rule (1) of this rule. These envelopes shall, for the present, be used by Military Headquarters. Formations and Units only. The use of such envelopes shall be confined exclusively to ordinary official letters of the inland post. These shall not be valid for use for registered or insured letters or for parcels or for postal articles of any other category. These envelopes also shall not be sold at any post office.
