Postal Manual Vol. VIII - India Post

193. Complaints by the public.- (1) The Superintendent is expected to see that all
complaints received from the public or communicated to him by officers directly subordinate to
him or transferred to him for disposal by other officers, are thoroughly and promptly investigated.
The practice of merely endorsing original papers for enquiry to Inspectors, sub-postmasters, record
clerks and others should seldom be followed in dealing with these cases. It is specially necessary
that officials of the lower grade should be asked for definite replies on specific points. A constant
watch should be kept on the course of the enquiry.
(2) The receipt of a complaint should be immediately acknowledged.
194. Complaints Registers.- “(1) (a) Complaint register will be a record of all complaints
received either directly or from other offices for disposal in the proforma given in rule 14. Separate
registers should be maintained for different categories of complaints in the manner prescribed in
rule 14”.
(b) When a case is closed, necessary entries should be made in the Register and the serial
number rounded off. The closing entries should be attested by the Complaints Inspector or the
Head Clerk.
(2) (a) A summary of all complaints received, disposed of, and pending, should be drawn
up at the end of each month in the format given in rule 14A(1) for the quarterly statement of
complaints handled, prepared by the Circle Office. This should be sent to the Circle Office by the
5 th of each month, along with a statement of cases pending for three months or more, prepared in
manuscript in proforma given in Rule-14 A.
(b) A subsidiary statement in form given in rule 14 A (2) should be sent alosng with the
report in form CPT-3 in the months of January, April, July and October giving the detailed
classification of complaints closed during the previous quarter.
(3) All complaint cases should be seen by the Superintendent personally when these are
initiated.
Where necessary the Superintendent should indicate the line of action to be taken in the case. All
complaint cases should also be seen by the Superintendent before these are finally closed to ensure
that proper action has taken in the case.
NOTE.- In Divisions where there is a Gazetted Deputy Supdt., this duty may be performed by him.
(4) The complaints branch should be inspected by the Superintendent once a month. He
should personally review all cases pending over three months and six months. His inspection
report should give the reasons for the case continuing to be pending and the action proposed to be
taken to expedite its settlement.
(5) As far as possible, the printed forms CPT-5, CPT-6, CPT-21 etc. should be used in the
correspondence relating to public complaints. Other references of routine nature may also be got
cyclostyled and used. Such forms should not however, be used in giving replies to the public
which should invariably be typed or hand-written.
194/1. Special instructions regarding disposal of M.O. Complaints.- When an inquiry in form CPT-
21 is sent to the office of payment in respect of a money order complaint, it should always be sent
by registered post. An entry should be made on the form by means of a rubber stamp or in
manuscript, that if a reply is not received within 10 days a duplicate money order would be issued
on the responsibility of the office so addressed. When it is established that a money order has been
lost, or if not reply is received for the enquiry within ten days from the office of payment the