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: 16 December, 2024
Subject: Conditions related to Guidelines of issue of Commemorative Postage Stamp under Regulation 14 (1), (2), (3) of the Post Office Regulations 2024 - reg.
Regulation 14 (1), (2), (3) of the Post Office Regulations 2024 provides for Guidelines of issue of Commemorative Postage Stamp.
2. Guidelines of issue of Commemorative
Postage Stamp are as follows:
A. Proposals for issue of Commemorative Postage Stamps may be sent by any citizen of India.
B. Proposals must be submitted in the format
available on www.indiapost.gov.in.
Incomplete proposals will not be considered and no correspondence will be made in this regard. It shall be the responsibility of the proponent to submit a complete proposal in the prescribed format.
C. Proposals should be sent at least one year in advance in the prescribed format for consideration by the Philatelic Advisory Committee (PAC)/Sub Committee of the PAC and approval by the competent authority.
D. Proposals will be considered and recommended/not recommended by the PAC/ Sub Committee of the PAC. The proposal rejected in a PAC/ Sub Committee meeting, may be carried forward to the next PAC/ Sub Committee meeting for consideration, only with the approval of the Hon'ble MOC.
E. Not more than 50 issues (maximum 100 stamps) of Commemorate Postage Stamps per annum shall be issued. Stamps more than the prescribed limit can be issued with the approval of Hon'ble MOC only.
F. Stamps on personalities shall not exceed
20% of the Annual Issue Program.
G. The annual stamp issue program will be announced in the last week of the December preceding the Calendar year of issue. The Annual Issue Program shall reflect regional, cultural, ethnic and gender balance. Any change in the Annual Issue Program can be done with the approval of Hon'ble MOC only.
H. The date of issue shall be fixed by the Philately Division keeping in view the significant dates relating to the subject and the availability of slots in the printing schedule. Dates of issue once fixed shall not be changed. Proponents may hold a presentation function on any day on or after the date of issue.
I. Any formal release function for a stamp should have an appropriate representative of the Department of Posts. The postage stamp, which is the legally valid receipt for postage paid, can be released by either the Minister for Communications or Minister of State for Communications. In case it is not convenient for either of them to release the stamp, the postage stamp can be released by the Secretary, Department of Posts, Director General , Member of the Postal Services Board or the Chief Postmaster General concerned, or an official of the circle concerned. Exceptions to this are made only when the
President of India, the Vice- President of India, the Prime Minister of India, the Speaker, Lok Sabha or the Governor of the State consent to release of postage stamp(s). Regardless of the VVIP/VIP who is invited by the proponent to grace the occasion, it is necessary that letters of invitation issue from the proponent to the Minister of Communications /Minister of State for Communications, Secretary, Director General, Department of Posts to ascertain their convenience.
J. The denominations of postage stamps shall be in consonance with domestic and International postal tariffs.
K. Commemorative postage stamps will be issued on subjects/ themes / institutions / personalities / events that have a national or International stature or have made national/international contribution or impact or reflect national / international areas of concern. The theme/subject should be such that can be depicted on the stamps in a visually appealing manner so as to be of interest to philatelic collectors.
L. Stamps on a particular subject shall issue only once, except thematic subjects such as wildlife, environment, transport, flora fauna etc. or regular issues like Children’s Day, Philately Day, Seasons Greetings etc.
M. Stamps shall be issued only on the apex institution/organization, on its 50th/75th/100th /125th /150th anniversary and not on the branches of any institution or organization. The institution/ organization should have national or international stature with significant and well recognised contribution in their respective fields.
N. No stamp will be issued on a living personality. The personalities on whom commemorative postage stamp may be issued should be of national or international importance. The occasion to be commemorated must be the birth centenary or 10th /25th /50th /100th death anniversary. Stamps can be issued no sooner than ten years after an individual’s death. Exception in this regard will however be considered to be made for personality from the field of Art, Culture and Music. A commemorative postage stamp shall be issued in honour of the Head of State on his/her first death anniversary.
O. A stamp on the building, monument etc. may be issued on_ its 50th/75th/centenary /125th anniversary / 150th anniversary etc. The building, to be so honoured must be Heritage site of national/international importance or site recognized by ASI of national/international importance. Building of regional importance may be commemorated with issue of special cover with special cancellation.
P. Stamp design shall be decided by the Department of Posts. Religious symbols, prefixes/ suffixes with the name of personalities will not be incorporated in the design. Once approved, the design of stamp will not be changed.
Q. The Department of Posts will decide the subject matters, prohibited subjects, procedure for proposal consideration and issue/release of a stamp, period of sale of commemorative/special stamps and for definitive stamps and postal stationery. It will also determine issue policy, withdrawal policy and archival policy.
R. Proponents shall follow the protocol for
release functions.
S. Proponents for the stamps relating to institutions/events/large organisations or proponents belonging to institutions/organisations/ trusts etc. requesting for a stamp on personalities are required to make a mandatory purchase of a minimum number of 1 lakh stamps. In case of global institution with its headquarters outside India, purchase of stamps and requisite philatelic ancillaries worth of % 25 Lakh will be mandatory.
T. Proposals of Joint Stamp Issue with other countries will be considered only when received through Ministry of External Affairs. There would not be any condition of mandatory purchase of stamp, but only mutually agreed quantity of stamps will be exchanged.
3. This issues with the approval of Director General. Sima
(Syed Fraz Haider Nabi)
Assistant Director General (Phil.)
