TFP Bureau, Raipur; June 18, 2024: The Post Office Act 2023 officially comes into effect today, marking a significant shift in postal legislation. Initially introduced in the Rajya Sabha on August 10, 2023, the bill passed through the Rajya Sabha on December 4, 2023, and the Lok Sabha on December 13 and 18, 2023. It received presidential assent on December 24, 2023, and was subsequently published in the Gazette of India.
The Act aims to streamline the legislative framework for delivering citizen-centric services, banking services, and government benefits to the most remote areas. By eliminating the exclusive privilege of collecting, processing, and delivering letters, the Act seeks to improve the ease of doing business and living.
Crucially, the Act includes no penal provisions and establishes standards for addressing items, using address identifiers, and postcodes. According to Notification No. S.O. 2352(E) dated June 17, 2024, the Post Office Act 2023 replaces the Indian Post Office Act of 1898 and is now in full effect.
