Parties can campaign via Postal services

With Assembly polls just a few months away, India Post has decided to allow political parties to use postal services to disseminate information to the public. 

According to Chennai city region’s postmaster general, India Post has amended clause–213(1) of the Post Office Guide, Part I thus opening up ways for Political parties to convey messages through postal services like direct post and ePost to reach potential voters. 

“Direct Post is one of the cost effective direct mail service for un-addressed articles. The sender can specify the areas and number of articles for each area, where the sender wishes direct post articles to be distributed. The Post office can also undertake pre-mailing activities, including franking, inserting, gumming, pasting, etc. on payment,” the postmaster general said. 

E-Post transmits messages electronically and delivers hard copies to specific addressees through postman or other delivery staff. 

The postmaster general said that political parties could disseminate information desired using these services, provided these messages do not go against the interest of the state/ foreign relations/ communal harmony and security as enshrined in the IPO Act/Rules.