Postal Manual Vol. VIII - India Post

(1) If the enquiry or complaint relates to an unregistered article, the requisite particulars to
be furnished in the Union form C-12 should be obtained from the applicant so far as he can furnish
this information, and entered in the form which should then be forwarded in a closed envelope
without any covering letter to a Chief of the Administration of the country of origin of the article.
NOTE – See Rule 71(5).
(2) If the enquiry or complaint relates to an unregistered article, it should be seen whether
the prescribed enquiry fee of Twenty Paise has been sent with the application in the form of
postage stamps. If the fee has not been so sent, a demand for it should be made. The postage
stamps or stamps representing the enquiry fee should be defaced and affixed to the Union form C-
12 or the form C-13 in which an enquiry in such cases is to be made. If the stamp or stamps have
been already affixed to such an application they should be removed or cut out from the application
and pasted to the Union form. The necessary information to be furnished in the Union form C-12
or the form C-13 should be obtained from the applicant so far as can be furnished by him. If the
applicant is the sender of the article, the receipt for the article granted to him at the time of posting
of the article should also be obtained from him and the form together with the receipt should be
forwarded in a closed cover without a forwarding letter to the Head of the Postal Administration of
the country in which the article originated. It should be borne in mind that in all cases in form C-
12 or the form C-13 with enclosures is to be returned to the Administration from which the enquiry
originated as quickly as possible and at the latest within 3 months (6 months in the case of distant
countries) from the date of application for enquiry. No time should, therefore, be lost in
completing such enquiries.
(3) If the enquiry relates to a cash-on-delivery article it should also be accompanied by a
duplicate of the M.O. form C-8 or by the transfer note as the case may be.
II. If the enquiry relates to a foreign parcel and is made in accordance with the provisions
of clause 230 (3) of the Post Office Guide Part I action should be taken as described in paragraphs
(1) (2) and 1(3) above except that the enquiry form to be used in such cases will be the Union form
C.P.-5, and that the latest period within which the enquiry form is to be returned is 6 months (9
months in the case of distant countries pays elogues). The period of limitation mentioned in
paragraph I is also applicable to enquiries in respect of parcels. Form C.P.-5 should, if necessary,
be accompanied by the sender’s receipt for the posting of the parcel.
NOTE 1. – A single enquiry fee is payable for enquiries concerning several registered
articles posted simultaneously by the same sender to the address of the same addressee. This rule
does not, however, apply in the case of registered articles posted in India and addressed to Aden,
Ceylon and Portuguese India
NOTE 2.- If it is desired that the enquiry should be sent by air to a country to which
surcharged air mail service exist, the sender will have to pay the initial rate of air mail fee for the
country of destination.
71-B. Procedure for dealing with complaints and enquiries relating to foreign postal
articles. – 1. Complaints and enquiries may be received by offices in India in any of the following
ways :-
(i) in respect of an article booked in India for delivery in foreign country :-
from the sender in India
(ii) in respect of article booked in foreign country for delivery in India :