37. Power to make rules as to disposal of undelivered postal articles.—(1) The Central
Government may make rules as to the disposal of postal articles which for any reason cannot be delivered
(hereinafter referred to as “undelivered postal articles”).
(2) In particular and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing power, such rules may—
(a) prescribe the period during which undelivered postal articles at a post office shall remain in
that office; and
(b) provide for the publication of lists of undelivered postal articles, or of any class of undelivered
postal articles.
(3) Every undelivered postal article, after being detained at a post office for the period prescribed by
rule under the foregoing provisions of this section, shall be either forwarded, free of further charge, to the
post office at which it was posted, for return to the sender, or sent to the office of the Post Master
General.
38. Disposal of undelivered postal articles at office of Post Master General.—(1) Every postal
article received at the office of the Post Master General under sub-section (3) of Section 37 shall be dealt
with as follows:—
(a) if practicable, it shall be re-directed and forwarded by post to the addressee; or
(b) if it cannot be re-directed and forwarded as aforesaid, it shall be opened by some officer,
appointed by the Post Master General in this behalf and bound to secrecy, in order to ascertain the
name and address of the sender.
(2) If the name and address of the sender are so ascertained, it shall be returned by post to the sender,
free of further charge or subject to such further charge as the Central Government may, by rule, direct.
39. Final disposal of undelivered postal articles.—Undelivered postal articles which cannot be
disposed of under the foregoing provisions, shall be detained in the office of the Post Master General for
such further period (if any), and shall be dealt with in such manner, as the Central Government may, by
rule, direct:
Provided that—
(a) letters and postcards shall be destroyed;
(b) money or saleable property, not being of a perishable nature, found in any undelivered postal
article, shall be detained for a period of one year in the office of the Post Master General, and, if on
1. Subs. by the A.O. 1950, for “are in force”.
2. Subs., ibid., for “Indian State or foreign country”.
3. The words and letters “Indian State corresponding to a Part B State” omitted by Act 25 of 1950, s. 11 and the Fourth
Schedule.
4. Subs. by s. 11 and the Fourth Schedule, ibid., for “the States”.
5. Subs. by the A.O. 1950 for “State or country”.
6. The words and letter “Part B State” omitted by Act 25 of 1950, s. 11 and the Fourth Schedule.
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the expiration of that period no person has established his right thereto, shall, if money, be credited to
the Post Office and, if saleable property, be sold, the sale-proceeds being credited to the Post Office.