Conditions related to Reproduction of Stamps under Regulation 10 (2) of the Post Office Regulations 2024

PO ORDER NO. Phil/02/2024

F. No. P-46/38/2024-Phil-DOP

Government of India

Ministry of Communications

Department of Posts

(Philately Division)

Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg New Delhi - 110 001

Dated: 16th December, 2024

Subject: Conditions related to Reproduction of Stamps under Regulation 10 (2) of the Post Office Regulations 2024 - reg.

Regulation 10 (2) of the Post Office Regulations 2024 provides for Reproduction of Stamps.

2. Conditions of Reproduction of Stamps are as follows:

A (1) The manufacture and use of fictitious postage stamp for any purpose whatsoever is prohibited and is an offence punishable under Section 186 of Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita, 2023.

(2) Re-production of stamps is allowed for illustration purposes in Philatelic publications or an article relating wholly on postage stamps which may appear in any magazine, newspaper or publication of a general character. Such production should however, be only in black. If stamps are to be reproduced in colour for publicity purposes, prior permission of the Secretary, Department of Posts must be obtained.

(3) To avoid the similarity with the postage stamps such reproduction must be distinctively in smaller or larger sizes than the actual stamp and must be without perforation on the edges. A cross bar will also be placed on one corner of the stamp, obliterating the denomination. It must be noted that reproduction of the stamp in colour of the actual size of the stamp with perforation on the edges may be deemed to be taken as production of the actual stamp.

(4) Reproduction of the stamp in colour of the actual size of the stamp with perforation on the edges may be deemed to be taken as production of actual stamp, which is a punishable offence under Section 186 of Bharatiya Nayaya Sanhita, 2023.

Process for Reproduction of Stamp

B (1) Issuing a Postage stamp is the Sovereign Privilege of Department of Posts. As such, any use of image of Postage Stamps by any individual/Publisher/organisation shall require prior permission of Department of Posts.

(2) The requests for image of Postage stamps to be used for a purpose other than the commercial, such as autobiographies/memoirs of eminent personalities, text books, literature for promotion of philately etc. shall be decided by Department of Posts on case- to case basis, subject to fulfilment of conditions mentioned in this order.

(3) The requests for image of Postage Stamps to be used for commercial purpose, the or any direct benefit to which gives substantial pecuniary benefit individual/organisation, shall be decided on case-to-case basis. For this purpose, a committee may be constituted with the approval of Secretary (P) comprising officers from Philately Division, BD Directorate and Finance Wing to decide the suitability and rates for such proposals.

(4) While using the images of the stamps in any book/publication/research paper, the publisher/author shall add a disclaimer in the foreword to the effect that the views expressed in the book/publication/research paper are entirely his own and not of the Department of Posts, Government of India and in case of any controversy or legal problem, the Department of Posts will have no legal responsibility in this respect.

(5) An Undertaking stating that no anti-national/ anti-social/anti-religious/seditious material is used in the book/publication/research paper should be submitted to the Department of Posts while asking for permission to use images of Postage Stamps.

(6) Department of Posts should be properly acknowledged for granting permission to use the images of the postage stamps and information related to the subject

(7) The size of the stamp to be given will be larger or smaller than the existing size of Postage Stamp in accordance with the rules.

(8) It is incumbent upon the publisher/individual/ organisation to provide a few samples of the product using images of postage stamps for the record of Department of Posts.

(9) A brief write up either on India Post or, on the Postage Stamp being used should invariably accompany the images.

3. This issues with the approval of Director General.

(Syed Fraz Haider Nabi) 

Assistant Director General (Phil.)