SOP ON RMFS - MISCELLANEOUS

CHAPTER 10. MISCELLANEOUS

a) An advertisement impression may also appear alongside the date stamp impression provided that:-

(i) It relates solely to the business or professions of the licensee in case of individual Licensee. In case of commercial Licensee he can print advertisement only for the customer for whom he is franking the mail. For the FM used by the DOP it can also print 3rd party advertisements in addition to its own advertisements.

(ii) It is quite separate from the postal frank impressions.

(iii) The cost of programming of advertisement impression in the FM is met by the licensee.

b) The Franking Machine User can get approved from the licensing authority as many slogans and advertisements as he desires provided not more than one slogan or advertisement is used on one article.

c) The Department of Posts will not be responsible for any loss, which the licensee may incur due to cancellation of his license on account of misuse of the FM/ violation of any conditions prescribed for use of franking machine.

However, any sum that may be due to the licensee on account of postage advance will be refunded to him and any sum that may be due to the Department on account of postage will be recovered from him. In case the licensee refuses to pay the amount of postage due, it will be liable to be recovered as land revenue under the provisions of the Indian Post Office Act of 1898.

d) Director General (Posts) reserves to himself to vary alter or supplement the condition given above. The license shall be subject to such varied altered and supplemented conditions with effect from the date of their notifications. 

e) Change scenarios:

(1) Change in address of Franking Machine User within the jurisdiction of Licensing Authority without change in the Designated Post Office:

o The Licensee shall request the Licensing Authority for change of address.

The Licensing Authority will get verified the revised address through PRI(P)/SDI(P)/ASPOs or any other Officer. After satisfying himself about the genuineness of the request and revised address, he will grant the request and communicate the same to the Licensee and the Designated Office. He well also access the Department’s web interface and update the new address. This file appended on the DCR server shall be sent to RMFS server. The Licensing Authority will make necessary corrections in the Register of Licenses issued and office copy of the License under his signature. Similarly the Incharge of the Designated Office will also correct the address of the licensee in copy of license kept in his office citing number and date of the letter of the Licensing Authority.

(2) Change in address of Franking Machine User within the jurisdiction of Licensing Authority with change in the Designated Office:

- The same procedure will be followed as stated in e) (1) above except that the Licensing Authority will change the Designated Office also in the web interface.

The new Designated Office will be provided a copy of the Franking Machine License also. The old Designated Office will make suitable entry in copy of License kept in his office and Record Book of Posting and he will not accept posting.

(3) Change in address and location of Franking Machine User involving change in the Licensing Authority:

- On receipt of request from the Franking Machine User by the Licensing Authority regarding transfer of machine from the jurisdiction of one Licensing Authority to the other, he will satisfy himself that licensee has not violated any conditions prescribed for use of franking machine, no case for cancellation/ suspension of license is pending/contemplated and no amount is due to be recovered from him. Thereafter, he shall set the status of the machine to ‘blocked’ on web interface for transmission to RMFS server through DCR server. The machine shall be made to dial the RMFS server for status updation. This will ensure that the machine is blocked and cannot frank. In such cases where the license is blocked and the other fields are nullified the license Identifier with its blocked status shall be visible to all Licensing Authorities. Then he will cancel the license and endorse copy of orders to the Licensee, Designated Office and DCR. 

The suitable entries as regards cancellation shall be made in the Register of Licenses Issued maintained by Licensing Authority and office copy of the License indicating the letter number and date. Similarly in Designated Office on receipt of cancellation order suitable remarks in Record Book of Posting will be made under the dated signature of Authorised Officer.

The customer will have to obtain a fresh License from the Licensing Authority under whose jurisdiction new Designated Office for posting falls. The customer shall also indicate in his application for license the funds register readings (ascending, descending, item counter) of the machine. The Licensing Authority shall issue the License number after necessary verification and send copies of the same to all concerned parties. Since the details of the blocked License Identifier are visible to all Licensing Authorities, the concerned Licensing Authority will access the License Identifier that has been granted the new license and fill in the License issue details and set the status of the machine to ‘Registered’. This file shall be picked up by the RMFS server. The designated post office will be given a copy of certificate of licence by the licensing authority.

- The Franking Machine shall have to dial the RMFS server for updating its status to ‘Registered’ and the new pincode before it begins its normal operation in the new location.

- When the Franking Machine User goes for the first time to deposit franked mail along with Statement of Mailing he must paste a zero value frank or a franking machine generated report indicating License Identifier, on his copy of FM Record Book.

(4) Change in License Identifier:

- In cases where change in License Identifier is requested on account of a faulty PSD and a new PSD is to be used the old license will be cancelled and a new license will be issued.

The FMU shall submit an application for fresh license through FMV with proof of payment of prescribed License fees. The Licensing Authority shall cancel the old License Identifier and issue the new License following the specified procedure.

In such a case the Licensing Authority shall first set the status of the old License Identifier to ‘Cancelled’. It shall send a License issue file with all details filled in like the new License Number, new License Identifier, the FMU name, contact details etc. and set the status of the machine to ‘Registered’.

Thereafter, RMFS server can download the file from the Department of Posts Centre Resource Server for updating its records.

- The Franking Machine Vendor shall also install the new Postal Security Device in the Franking Machine so that it can resume its normal operation.

- When the Franking Machine User goes for the first time to deposit franked mail along with Statement of Mailing he must paste a zero value frank on his copy of FM Record Book.

In case any Designated Office handling franked mail comes across a franked article which does not seem genuine to it despite cross checking from the DoP website and machine reports, it can send the scanned details of such a frank to the DoP Central Resource requesting authentication of frank. The DoP Central Resource sends such request to the concerned RMFS Server and receives the authentication report. The format for such communication between the DoP Central Resource and RMFS Server is specified in Annexure ‘F’.

f) Review of the Operating Procedure: The issues of allowing posting of franked mail at more than one post office and necessity of presentation of Statement of Mailing etc. will be reviewed in consultation with Technology Division of the Directorate after introduction of Remotely Managed Franking System.