India Post Orders Mandatory Use of Self-Locking Plastic Seals for All Mail Bags
India Post Makes Self-Locking Plastic Seals Mandatory for All Mail Bags from January 1, 2023
The Department of Posts has directed all Postal Circles to use self-locking plastic seals (Pull Tight Seals) for closing all accountable and non-accountable mail bags from 1 January 2023. The order, issued by the Mail Operations Division, replaces the traditional sealing wax system with a more secure, efficient, and environmentally friendly sealing method.
DownloadSeals for All Mail Bags
The directive refers to earlier instructions issued on 12 October 2022 and 14 November 2022, making it mandatory for all Post Offices and Mail Offices across the country to adopt self-locking plastic seals for every type of mail bag.
The Department stated that replacing sealing wax with plastic seals is part of its Green Initiative under the Swachhata Abhiyan 2.0 campaign, coordinated by the Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances, Government of India. The initiative aims to modernize mail operations while promoting eco-friendly practices.
To facilitate the transition, the Budget Branch of the Postal Directorate has already allotted sufficient funds to all Postal Circles for procuring self-locking plastic seals during the financial year 2022–23. Circles have also been advised to procure recyclable self-locking plastic seals for the remaining period of the financial year.
All Heads of Circles have been instructed to ensure the availability of an adequate quantity of these seals before 31 December 2022 so that their use can begin uniformly across the country from 1 January 2023.
The introduction of self-locking plastic seals is expected to improve the security of mail bags, simplify sealing operations, reduce dependence on sealing wax, and support India Post's ongoing modernization and sustainability initiatives.