THE INDIAN TELEGRAPH ACT, 1885

No. 13 of 1885
An Act to amend the law relating to Telegraphs in India
WHEREAS it is expedient to amend the law relating to telegraphs in India; It is hereby
enacted as follows:-

PART I
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PRELIMINARY
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1. Short title, local extent and commencement. – (1) This Act may be called the
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Indian telegraph Act, 1885.
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[(2) It extends to the whole of India.]
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(3) It shall come into force on the first day of October, 1885.
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2. Repeal and savings. [Rep. By the Repealing Act, 1938 (1 of 1938,) sec.2 and
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Sch.]
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3. Definitions. – in this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or
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context, -

[(1) "telegraph" means any appliance, instrument, material or apparatus used

or capable of use for transmission or reception of signs, signals, writing,
images and sounds or intelligence of any nature by wire, visual or other
electro-magnetic emissions, Radio waves or Hertzian waves, galvanic, electric
or magnetic means.
Explanation. – "Radio waves" or "Hertzian waves" means electro-magnetic waves of
frequencies lower than 3,000 giga-cycles per second propagated in space without
artificial guide;]
(2) "telegraph officer" means any person employed either permanently or
temporarily in connection with a telegraph established, maintained or worked
by [the Central Government] or by a person licensed under this Act;
(3) "message" means any communication sent by telegraph, or given to
telegraph officer to be sent by telegraph or to be delivered;
(4) "telegraph line" means a wire or wires used for the purpose of a
telegraph, with any casing, coating, tube or pipe enclosing the same, and any
appliances and apparatus connected therewith for the purpose of fixing or
insulating the same;
(5) "post" means a post, pole, standard, stay, strut or other above ground
contrivance for carrying, suspending or supporting a telegraph line;
(6) "telegraph authority" means the Director General of [Posts and
Telegraphs], and includes any officer empowered by him to perform all or any
of the functions of the telegraph authority under this Act;
(7) "local authority" means any municipal committee, district board, body of
port commissioner or other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by" the
Central or any State Government] with, the control, management of any
municipal or local fund.
 PART II
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PRIVILEGES AND POWERS OF THE GOVERNMENT
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4. Exclusive privilege in respect of telegraphs, and power to grant
licenses.
(1) Within [India], the Central Government shall have exclusive
privilege of establishing, maintaining and working telegraphs:
Provided that the Central Government may grant a license, on such
conditions and in consideration of such payments as it thinks fit, to any
person to establish, maintain or work a telegraph within any part of
[India]:
[Provided further that the Central Government may, by rules made
under this Act and published in the Official Gazette, permit, subject to
such restrictions and conditions as it thinks fit, the establishment,
maintenance and working-
(a) of wireless telegraphs on ships within Indian territorial waters [and
on aircraft within or above [India], or Indian territorial waters], and
(b) of telegraphs other than wireless telegraphs within any part of
[India].
(2) The Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette,
delegate to the telegraph authority all or any of it its powers under the first
proviso to sub-section (1).
The exercise by the telegraph authority of any power so delegated shall be
subject to such restrictions and conditions as the Central Government may, by
the notification, think fit to impose.]
[5. Power for Government to take possession of licensed telegraphs and
to order interception of messages. – (1) On the occurrence of any
public emergency, or in the interest of the public safety, the Central
Government or a State Government or any officer specially authorized in
this behalf by the Central Government or a State Government may, if
satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to do, take temporary
possession (for so long as the public emergency exists or the interest of
the public safety requires the taking of such action) of any telegraph
established, maintained or worked by any person licensed under this Act.
(2) On the occurrence of any public emergency, or in the interest of
the public safety, the Central Government or a State Government or any
officer specially authorized in this behalf by the Central Government or a
State Government may, if satisfied that it is necessary or expedient so to
do in the interests of the sovereignty and integrity of India, the security
of the State, friendly relations with foreign States or public order or for
preventing incitement to the commission of an offence, for reasons to be
recorded in writing, by order, direct that any message or class of
messages to or from any person or class of persons, or relating to any
particular subject, brought for transmission by or transmitted or received
by any telegraph, shall not be transmitted, or shall be intercepted or
detained, or shall be disclosed to the Government making the order or
an officer thereof mentioned in the order:
Provided that press messages intended to be published in India of
correspondents accredited to the Central Government or a State
Government shall not be intercepted or detained, unless their
transmission has been prohibited under this sub-section.
6. � Power to establish telegraph on land of Railway Company:- Any Railway
company, on being required so to do by the Central Government, shall
permit the Government to establish and maintain a telegraph upon any
part of the lank of the Company, and shall give every reasonable facility
for working the same.
[6A. Power to notify rates for transmission of messages to countries
outside India – (1) The Central Government may, from time to time, by
order, notify the rates at which, and the other conditions and restrictions
subject to which messages shall be transmitted to any country outside
India.
(2) In notifying the rates under sub-section (1), the Central
Government shall have due regard to all or any of the following factors,
namely:-
(a) the rates for the time being in force, for transmission of messages, in
countries outside India;
(b) the foreign exchange rates for the time being in force;
(c) the rates for the time being in force for transmission of messages within
India;
(d) such other relevant factors as the Central Government may think fit
in the circumstances of the case.]
7. � Power to make rules for the conduct of telegraphs – (1) The Central
Government may, from time to time, by notification in the Official
Gazette, make rules consistent with this Act for the conduct of all or any
telegraphs established, maintained or worked by the Government or by
persons licensed under this Act.
(2) Rules under this section may provide for all or any of the following
among other matters, that is to say:-
a. the rates at which, and the other conditions and restrictions
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subject to which, messages shall be transmitted [within India];
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b. the precautions to be taken for preventing the improper
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interception or disclosure of messages;
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c. the period for which, and the conditions subject to which,
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telegrams and other documents belonging to, or being in the custody
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of, telegraph officers shall be preserved;
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d. the fees to be charged for searching for telegrams or other
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documents in the custody of any telegraph officer;
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e. the conditions and restrictions subject to which any telegraph
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line, appliance of apparatus for telegraphic communication shall be
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established, maintained, worked, repaired, transferred, shifted,
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withdrawn or disconnected;
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[(ee) the charges in respect of any application for providing any
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telegraph line, appliance or apparatus;]
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f. � the charges in respect of –
i) the establishment, maintenance, working, repair, transfer or shifting
of any telegraph line, appliance or apparatus;
ii) the services of operators operating such line, appliance or
apparatus;
g. � the matters in connection with the transition from a system where under rights
and obligations relating to the establishment, maintenance, working
repair, transfer of shifting of any telegraph line, appliance or
 apparatus for telegraphic communication attach by virtue of any
agreement to a system where under such rights and obligations
attach by virtue of rules made under this section;
h. the time at which, the manner in which, the conditions under which and the
persons by whom the rates, charges and fees mentioned in this sub-
section shall be paid and the furnishing of security for the payment of
such rates, charges and fees;
i. the payment of compensation to the Central Government for any loss incurred in
connection with the provision of any telegraph line, appliance or
apparatus for the benefit of any person –
a. where the line, appliance or apparatus is, after it has been
connected for use, given up by that person before the expiration of the
period fixed by these rules, or
b. where the work done for the purpose of providing the line,
appliance or apparatus is, before it is connected for use, rendered
abortive by some act or omission on the part of that person;
j. the principles according to which and the authority by whom the compensation
referred to clause (i) shall be assessed;
[(jj) the qualifications to be possessed and the examinations, if any, to be passed by
the persons employed for the establishment, maintenance or working
of any telegraph and the fees to be charges for admission to such
examinations;] and
k. � any other matter for which provision is necessary for the proper and efficient
conduct of all or any telegraphs under this act.
(3) � When making rules for the conduct of any telegraph established,
maintained or worked by any person licensed under this Act, the Central
Government may by the rules prescribe fines for any breach of the
same:
Provided that the fines so prescribed shall not exceed the following limits,
namely:-
i. When the person licensed under this Act is punishable
for the breach, one thousand rupees, and in the case of a
continuing breach a further fine of two hundred rupees for
every day after the first during the whole or any part of which
the breach continues.
ii. When a servant of the person so licensed, or any other
person, is punishable for the breach, one-fourth of the amounts
specified in clause (i).
[(4) Nothing in this section or in any rules made hereunder shall be construed
as –
a. precluding the Central Government from entering into an
agreement with a person for the establishment, maintenance
and working by that Government on terms and conditions
specified in the agreement of any telegraph line, appliance or
apparatus for the purpose of affording means of telegraphic
communication, where having regard to the number of the
lines, appliance or apparatus required by that person for
telegraphic communication, it is necessary or expedient to
enter into such agreement with him, or
 b. subjecting the Central Government to any obligation to
provide any telegraph line appliance or apparatus for the
purpose of affording means of telegraphic communication.
[(5) Every rule made under this section shall be laid as soon as may be
after it is made before each House of Parliament while it is in session for
a total period of thirty days [which may be comprised in one session or
in two or more successive sessions, and it, before the expiry of the
session immediately following the session or the successive sessions
aforesaid] both Houses agree in making any modification in the rule or
both Houses agree that the rule should not be made, the rule shall
thereafter have effect only in such modified form or be of no effect as
the case may be; so, however, that any such modification or annulment
shall be without prejudice to the validity of anything previously done
under that rule.]]
[7A. Saving of existing agreements – Nothing in section 7 shall
authorize the making of any rules determining any agreement entered
into by the Central Government with any person before the
commencement of the Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 1957 (47 of
1957), relating to the establishment, maintenance or working of any
telegraph line, appliance or apparatus for telegraphic communication;
and all rights and obligations there under relating to such establishment,
maintenance or working hall be determined in accordance with the terms
and conditions of such agreement.
7B. Arbitration of disputes – (1) Except as otherwise expressly
provided in this Act, if any dispute concerning any telegraph line,
appliance or apparatus arises between the telegraph authority and the
person for whose benefit the line, appliance or apparatus is, or has been
provided, the dispute shall be determined by arbitration and shall, for
the purposes of such determination, be referred to an arbitrator
appointed by the Central Government either specially for the
determination of that dispute or generally for the determination of
disputes under this section.
(2) The award of the arbitrator appointed under sub-section (1)
shall be conclusive between the parties to the dispute and shall not be
questioned in any court.]
8. Revocation of licenses – The Central Government may, at any
time, revoke any license granted under section 4, on the breach of any
of the conditions therein contained, or in default of payment of any
consideration payable there under.
9. Government not responsible for loss or damage – The
Government shall not be responsible for any loss or damage which may
occur in consequence of any telegraph officer failing in his duty with
respect to the receipt, transmission or delivery of any message; and no
such officer shall be responsible for any such loss or damage, unless he
causes the same negligently, maliciously or fraudulently.

PART III
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POWER TO PLACE TELEGRAPH LINES AND POSTS
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10. Power for telegraph authority to place and maintain
telegraph lines and posts – The telegraph authority may, from time to
 time, place and maintain a telegraph line under, over, along, or across,
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and posts in or upon any immovable property:
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Provided that –
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a. the telegraph authority shall not exercise the powers
conferred by this section except for the purposes of a telegraph
established or maintained by the [Central Government], or to
be so established or maintained;
b. the [Central Government] shall not acquire any right
other than that of user only in the property under, over, along,
across in or upon which the telegraph authority places any
telegraph line or post; and
c. except as hereinafter provided, the telegraph authority
shall not exercise those powers in respect of any property
vested in or under the control or management of any local
authority, without the permission of that authority; and
d. in the exercise of the powers conferred by this section,
the telegraph authority shall do as little damage as possible,
and, when it has exercised those powers in respect of any
property other than that referred to in clause (c), shall pay full
compensation to all persons interested for any damage
sustained by them by reason of the exercise of those powers.
11. Power to enter on property in order to repair or remove
telegraph lines or posts – The telegraph authority may, at any time,
for the purpose of examining, repairing, altering or removing any
telegraph line or post, enter on the property under, over, along, across,
in or upon which the line or post has been placed.
Provisions applicable to property vested in or under the control
or management of local authorities
12. Power for local authority to give permission under section 10,
clause (c), subject to conditions – Any permission given by a local
authority under section 10, clause (c), may be given subject to such
reasonable conditions as that authority thinks fit to impose, as to the
payment of any expenses to which the authority will necessarily be put in
consequence of the exercise of the powers conferred by that section, or as to
the time or mode of execution of any work, or as to any other think
connected with or relative to any work undertaken by the telegraph authority
under those powers.
13. Power for local authority to require removal or alteration of
telegraph line or post – When, under the foregoing provisions of this Act, a
telegraph line or post has been placed by the telegraph authority under, over,
along, across, in or upon any property vested in or under the control or
management of a local authority, and the local authority, having regard to
circumstances which have arisen since the telegraph line or post was so
placed, considers it expedient that it should be removed or that its position
should be altered, the local authority may require the telegraph authority t
remove it or alter its position, as the case may be.
14. Power to alter position of gas or water pipes or drains – The
telegraph authority may, for the purpose of exercising the powers conferred
upon it by this Act in respect of any property vested in or under the control or
management of a local authority, alter the position there under of any pipe
(not being a main) for the supply of gas or water, or of any drain (not being a
main drain):
Provided that –
a. when the telegraph authority desires to alter the
position of any such pipe or drain it shall give reasonable notice
of its intention to do so, specifying the time at which it will
begin to do so, to the local authority, and, when the pipe or
drain is not under the control of the local authority, to the
person under whose control the pipe or drain is;
b. a local authority or person receiving notice under clause
(a) may send a person to superintend the work, and the
telegraph authority shall execute the work to the reasonable
satisfaction of the person so sent.

15. Disputes between telegraph authority and local authority – (1) If

any dispute arises between the telegraph authority and a local authority in
consequence of the local authority refusing the permission referred to in
section 10, clause (c), or prescribing any condition under section 12, or in
consequence of the telegraph authority omitting to comply with a requisition
made under section 13, or otherwise in respect of the exercise of the powers
conferred by this Act, it shall be determine by such officer as the [Central
Government] may appoint either generally or specially in this behalf.
(2) An appeal from the determination of the officer so appointed shall lie to
the [Central Government]; and the order of the [Central Government] shall
be final.

Provisions applicable to other property

16. Exercise of powers conferred by section 10, and disputes as to
compensation, in case of property other than that of a local authority
– (1) If the exercise of the powers mentioned in section 10 in respect of
property referred to in clause (d) of that section is resisted or obstructed, the
District Magistrate may, in his discretion, order that the telegraph authority
shall be permitted to exercise them.
(2) If, after the making of an order under sub section (1), any person resists
the exercise of those powers, or, having control over the property, does not
give all facilities for this being exercised, he shall be deemed to have
committed an offence under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code (45 of
1860).
(3) If any dispute arises concerning the sufficiency of the compensation to be
paid under section 10, clause (d), it shall, on application for that purpose by
either of the disputing parties to the District Judge within whose jurisdiction
the property is situate, be determined by him.
(4) If any dispute arises as to the persons entitled to receive compensation,
or as to the proportions in which the persons interested are entitled to share
in it, the telegraph authority may pay into the Court of the District Judge such
amount as he deems sufficient or, where all the disputing parties have in
writing admitted the amount tendered to be sufficient or the amount has been
determined under sub-section (3), that amount; and the District Judge, after
giving notice to the parties and hearing such of them as desire to be heard,
shall determine the persons entitled to receive the compensation or, as the
case may be, the proportions in which the persons interested are entitled to
share in it.
(5) Every determination of a dispute by a District Judge under sub-section (3)
or sub-section (4) shall be final:
Provided that nothing in this sub-section shall affect the right of any person
to recover by suit the whole or any part of any compensation paid by the
telegraph authority, from the person who has received the same.
17. Removal or alteration of telegraph line or post on property other
than that of a local authority – (1) When, under the foregoing provisions
of this Act, a telegraph line or post has been placed by the telegraph authority
under, over, along, across, in or upon any property, not being property vested
in or under the control or management of a local authority, and any person
entitled to do so desires to deal with that property in such a manner as to
render it necessary or convenient that the telegraph line or post should be
removed to another part thereof or to a higher or lower level or altered in
form, he may require the telegraph authority to remove or alter the line or
post accordingly:
Provided that, if compensation has been paid under section 10, clause
(d) he shall, when making the requisition, tender to the telegraph authority
the amount requisite to defray the expense of the removal or alteration, or
half of the amount paid as compensation, whichever may be the smaller sum.
(2) If the telegraph authority omits to comply with the requisition, the person
making it may apply to the District Magistrate within whose jurisdiction the
property is situated to order the removal or alteration.
(3) A District Magistrate receiving an application under sub-section (2) may,
in his discretion reject the same or make an order, absolutely or subject to
conditions, for the removal of the telegraph line post to any other part of the
property or to higher or lower level or for the alteration of its form; and the
order so made shall be final.,
Provisions applicable to all property
18.Removal of trees interrupting telegraphic communication – (1) If
any tree standing or lying near a telegraph line interrupts, or is likely to
interrupt, telegraphic communication, a Magistrate of the first or second class
may, on the application of the telegraph authority, cause the tree to be
removed or dealt with in such other way as he deems fit.
(2) When disposing of an application under sub-section (1), the Magistrate
shall, in the case of any tree in existence before the telegraph line was
placed, award to the persons interested in the tree such compensation as he
thinks reasonable, and the shall be final.
19. Telegraph lines and posts placed before passing of this Act.-
Every telegraph line or post placed before the passing of this Act under, over,
along, across, in or upon any property, for the purposes of a telegraph
established or maintained by the [Central Government], shall be deemed to
have been placed in exercise of the powers conferred by, and after
observance of all the requirement of, this Act.
[19 A. Person exercising legal right likely to damage telegraph or
interfere with telegraphic communication to give notice – (1) Any
person desiring to deal in the legal exercise of a right with any property in
such a manner as is likely to cause damage to a telegraph line or post which
has been duly placed in accordance with the provisions of this Act, or to
interrupt or interfere with telegraphic communication, shall give not less than
one month’s notice in writing of the intended exercise of such right to the
telegraph authority, or to any telegraph officer whom the telegraph authority
may empower in the behalf.
(2) If any such person without having complied with he provisions of sub-
section (1) deals with any property in such a manner as is likely to cause
damage to any telegraph line or post, or to interrupt or interfere with
telegraphic communication, a Magistrate of the first or second class may, on
the application of the telegraph authority, order such person to abstain from
dealing with such property in such manner for a period not exceeding one
month from the date of his order and forthwith to take such action with
regard to such property as may be in the opinion of the Magistrate necessary
to remedy or prevent such damage, interruption or interference during such
period.
(3) A person dealing with any property in the manner referred to in sub-
section (1) with the bona fide intention of averting imminent danger of
personal injury to himself or any other human being shall be deemed to have
complied with the provisions of the said sub-section if he gives such notice of
the intended exercise of the right as is in the circumstances possible, or
where no such previous notice can be given without incurring the imminent
danger referred to above, if he forth with gives notice of the actual exercise of
such right to the authority of officer specified in the said sub-section.
19B. Power to confer upon licensee powers of telegraph authority
under this Part – The Central Government may, by notification in the Official
Gazette, confer upon any licensee under section 4, in respect of the extent of
his license and subject to any conditions and restrictions which the Central
Government may think fit to impose and to the provisions of this Part, all or
any of the powers which the telegraph authority possesses under this Part
with regard to a telegraph established or maintained by the Government or to
be so established or maintained:
Provided that the notice prescribed in section 19A shall always be given to
the telegraph authority or officer empowered to received notice under section
19A(1).

PART IV
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PENALTIES
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[20. Establishing, maintaining or working unauthorized telegraph –
(1) If any person establishes, maintains or works a telegraph within [India] in
contravention of the provisions of section 4 or otherwise than as permitted by
rules made under that section, he shall be punished, if the telegraph is a
wireless telegraph, with imprisonment which may extend to three years, or
with fine, or with both, and in any other case, with a fine which may extend
to one thousand rupees.
(2) Not withstanding anything contained in the Code of Criminal Procedure,
1898 (5 of 1898), offences under this section in respect of a wireless
telegraph shall, for the purposes of the said Code, be bailable and non-
cognizable.
(3) When any person is convicted of an offence punishable under this section,
the Court before which he is convicted may direct that the telegraph in
respect of which the offence has been committed, or any part of such
telegraph, be forfeited to Government.]
[20A. Breach of condition of license – If the holder of a license granted
under section 4 contravenes any condition contained in his license, he shall be
punished with fine which may extend o one thousand rupees, and with a
further fine which may extend to five hundred rupees for every week during
which the breach of the condition continues.]
21. Using unauthorized telegraphs – If any person, knowing or having
reason to believe that a telegraph has been established or is maintained or
worked in contravention of this Act, transmits or receives any message by
such telegraph, or performs any service incidental thereto, or delivers any
message for transmission by such telegraph or accepts delivery of any
message sent thereby, he shall be punished with fine which may extend to
fifty rupees.
22. Opposing establishment of telegraphs on railway land – If a
Railway Company, or an officer of a Railway Company, neglects or refuses to
comply with the provisions of section 6, it or he shall be punished with fine
which may extend to one thousand rupees for every day during which the
neglect or refusal continues.
23. Intrusion into signal-room, trespass in telegraph office or
obstruction – If any person –
a. without permission of competent authority, enters the
signal-room of a telegraph office of the Government, or of a
person licensed under this Act, or
b. enters a fenced enclosure round such a telegraph office
in contravention of any rule or notice not to do so, or
c. refuses to quit such room or enclosure on being
requested to do so by any officer or servant employed therein,
or
d. willfully obstructs or impedes any such officer or servant
in the performance of his duty,
he shall be punished with fine which may extend to five hundred rupees.
24. Unlawfully attempting to learning the contents of messages – If
any person does any of the acts mentioned in section 23 with the intention of
unlawfully learning the contents of any message, or of committing any
offence punishable under this Act, he may (in addition to the fine with which
he is punishable under section 23) be punished with imprisonment for a term
which may extend to one year.
25. Intentionally damaging or tampering with telegraphs – If any
person, intending –
a) to prevent or obstruct the transmission or delivery of any message,
or
b) to intercept or to acquaint himself with the contents of any
message, or
c) to commit mischief,
damages, removes, tampers with or touches any battery, machinery,
telegraph line, post or other thing whatever, being part of or used in or about
any telegraph or in the working thereof,
he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three
years, or with fine or with both.
[25A. Injury to or interference with a telegraph line or post – If, in any
case not provided for by section 25, any person deals with any property and
thereby willfully or negligently damages any telegraph line or post duly placed
on such property in accordance with the provisions of this Act, he shall be
liable to pay the telegraph authority such expenses (if any) as may be
incurred in making good such damage, and shall also, if the telegraphic
communication is by reason of the damage so caused interrupted, be
punishable with a fine which may extend to one thousand rupees:
Provided that the provisions of this section shall not apply where such
damage or interruption is caused by a person dealing with any property in the
legal exercise of a right if he has complied with the provisions of section 19A
(1).]
26. Telegraph officer or other official making away with or altering, or
unlawfully intercepting or disclosing, messages, or divulging purport
of signals – If any telegraph officer, or any person, not being a telegraph
officer but having official duties connected with any office which is used as a
telegraph office.
a. willfully, secrets, makes away with or alters any message which
he has received for transmission or delivery, or
b. willfully, and otherwise than in obedience to an order of the
Central Government or of a State Government, or of an officer
specially authorized [by the Central or a State Government] to make
the order, omits to transmit, or intercepts or detains, any message or
any part thereof, or otherwise than in pursuance of his official duty or
in obedience to the direction of a competent Court, discloses the
contents or any part the contents of any message, to any person not
entitled to receive the same, or
c. divulges the purport of any telegraphic signal to any person not
entitled to become acquainted with the same,
he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which may
extend to three years, or with fine, or with both.
27. Telegraph officer fraudulently sending messages without
payment – If any telegraph officer transmits by telegraph any message on
which the charge prescribed by the [Central Government], or by a person
licensed under this Act, as the case may be, has not been paid, intending
thereby to defraud the [Central Government], or that person, he shall be
punished with imprisonment for a term which may extend to three years, or
with fine, or with both.
28. Misconduct – If any telegraph officer, or any person not being a
telegraph officer but having official duties connected with any office which is
used as a telegraph office is guilty of any at of drunkenness, carelessness of
other misconduct whereby the correct transmission or the delivery of any
message is impeded or delayed or if telegraph officer loiters or delays in the
transmission or delivery of any message, he shall be punished with
imprisonment for a term which may extend to three months, or with fine
which may extend to one hundred rupees, or with both.
29. [Sending fabricated messages] Rep. By the Indian Telegraph
(Amendment) Act, 1971 (33 of 1971), sec 4.
[29A. Penalty – If any person, without due authority, -
a. makes or issues any document of a nature reasonably
calculated to cause it to be believed that the document has
been issued by, or under the authority of, the Director-General
of [Posts and Telegraphs], or
 b. makes on any document any mark in imitation of, or
similar to, or purporting to be, any stamp or mark of any
Telegraph Office under the Director General of [Posts and
Telegraph], or a mark of a nature reasonably calculated to
cause it to be believed that the documents so marked has been
issued by, or under authority of, the Director-General of [Posts
and Telegraphs],
he shall be punished with fine which may extend to fifty
rupees.]
30. Retaining a message delivered by mistake – If any person
fraudulently retains, or willfully secretes, makes away with or detains a
message which ought to have been delivered to some other person, or, being
required by a telegraph officer to deliver up any such message, neglects of
refuses to do so, he shall be punished with imprisonment for a term which
may extend to two years, or with fine, or with both.
31. Bribery – A telegraph officer shall be deemed a public servant within
the meaning of sections 161, 162, 163, 164 and 165 of the Indian Penal Code
(45 of 1860); and in the definition of "legal remuneration" contained in the
said section 161, the word "Government" shall, for the purposes of this Act,
be deemed to include a person licensed under this Act.
32. Attempts to commit offences – Whoever attempts to commit any
offence punishable under this Act shall be punished with the punishment
herein provided for the offence.

PART V
SUPPLEMENTAL PROVISION
33. Power to employ additional police in places where mischief to
telegraphs is repeatedly committed – (1) Whenever it appears to the
State Government that any act causing or likely to cause wrongful damage to
any telegraph is repeatedly and maliciously committed in any place, and that
the employment of an additional police force in that place is thereby rendered
necessary, the State Government may send such additional police force as it
thinks fit to the place, and employ the same therein so long as, in the opinion
of that Government, the necessity of doing so continues.
(2). The inhabitants of the place shall be charged with the cost of the
additional police force, and the District Magistrate shall, subject to the orders
of the State Government, assess the proportion in which the cost shall be
paid by the inhabitants according to his judgment of their respective means.
(3). All moneys payable under sub-section (2) shall be recoverable
either under the warrant of a Magistrate by distress and sale of the movable
property of the defaulter within the local limits of his jurisdiction, or by suit in
any competent Court.
(4). The State government may, by order in writing, define the limits
of any place for the purposes of this section.
[34A. Application of Act to Presidency-towns – (1) This Act, in its
application to the Presidency-towns, shall be read as if for the words "District
Magistrate" in section 16, sub-section (1), and section 17, sub-sections (2)
and (3), for the words "Magistrate of the first or second class" in section 18,
sub-section (1), [and section 19A, sub-section (2),] and for the word
"Magistrate" in section 18 sub-section (2), there had been enacted the words
"Commissioner of Police", and for the "District Judge" in section 16, sub-
sections (3), (4) and (5), the words "Chief Judge of the Court of Small
Causes".
(2) Omitted.
(3) The fee in respect of an application to the Chief Judge of a Presidency
Court of Small Causes under sub-section (3) of section 16 shall be the same
as would be payable under the Court-fees Act, 1870 (7 of 1870), in respect of
such an application to a District Judge beyond the limits of a Presidency-town,
and fees for summonses and other processes in proceedings before the Chief
Judge under sub-section (3) or sub-section (4) of that section shall be
payable according scale set forth in the Fourth Schedule to the Presidency
Small Cause Courts Act, 1882.
35. Reference to certain laws of Part B States. [Rep. by Part B States
(Laws) Act 1951 (Act 3 of 1951), sec.3 and Sch.]
************
­
The Indian Telegraph (Amendment) Act, 2003
­
Amendment 3. In ~.ection 4 ofthe iJrincipal Aci, in sub-section(/), the following Exp/a;1ation shall
of section 4. be inserted at the end, namely:::_
...,=- .... ., . "Expla.'latiori.-The payinents made for the grant of a iicence under this sub­
section shall include such sum attributable to the Universal Service Obligation as may
be determined by the Central Government alt.:-.~ consid(:ring the recommendation made
in this behalf by the Telecom Regulatory ,~ 11.thority of India establish<;d under sub:­
section(/) of section 1 of the Telecom Reguietor1 Authority oflndia Act, 1997.". 24 oi' 1997 .
.. ~· '"·
A:nendm;:nt 4. In section 7 of the principal Act, in sub-section (2), after cla11se ( ee): the roilowing
of section 7. clauses shaffbe inserted, namely:-.
"(eea) the manner in which the Fund ~,!.~Y be administered;
(eeb) the criteria based on which sum~ may be released.".
Insertion of S. After ?art II ofthe principal Act, :he foiio-'.\'ing Part s!laH be inserted, namely:-::­
new Part llA.
"PART "I IA
.....
UNIVERSAL SERVtcEOBLIGAl'!pN,FUND

Establishment 9P.,. (/)On and from the commencem~nt ofthe Indian Telegraph (Amendrr.ent)
of Universal Act, 2003, there shall be.deemed to have been established, for the purposes ofthis Act,
~ervice
a Fund to be.ca]ie<l the Universal Servic.~Ob1;gatio:. Fu!ld.
Obligetbn
hmd. (2) The Fund shall be under the comwl of the Central Government and there
shall be credited thereto­
(a) any sums of money paid l!'V;P.r s~ction 9B;
(b) any grants and loans made by .the Central Government under
section 9C.
(3) The balance to the credit ofthe Fund shall not lapse at the end ofthe financial
year.
Crediting of 98. The sums ofmone); received towards the Universal Service Obligation under
SU:>'S (0 section 4 shall first be credited to the Consolidatd F~md of India, and the Cenl:ral
Consolidated
Government may, ifParliament by appmpnrfon made by law in this behalf SQ provides,
Fund of India.
c~dit sach proceeds to the Fund from tiF1f.' tu time for being utilised e;{clusiveJy .for
meeting the Universal Service Obligation.
Grants and 9C. The Central Government may, after due appropriation made by Parliament by
loans by
Central
law in this behalf, credit by way of grants and loans such sums of-money as that
Government. Govermnent may consider necessary in the Fund.
Administration 90. (/)The Central Government sha!l have the powerfo &drr..inister the Fund in
and utilisation such manner as may be prescribed by rule~: ;riade un<ler this Act.
of Fur.d.
(2) TI1e Fund shall be utilised excl\<.::\uely for meeting the Universal s.~rvic<:
Obligation.
(3) 111e Central Government shall n ; res!):->nsihie for the c~ordinatfo::i :ind
ensuring timely utilisation and releas~ of sums in accordance with the criteris as may
be prescribed by rules made under this Act".
Repeal and 6. (1) The Indian Telegraph (Ameudment) 0rdinance, 2003, is hereby repealed. Ord. 7 of 21)03
savi11g.
(2) Notwithstanding the repeal ofthe. l;-;,dian Tdegraph (Am~11dment) Ordinanre,
2003, anything done or ~ction taken under the princi1,'1al Act as amended by the said Ord. 7 of 2003
Ordinance, shall be deemed to have bee1! c1-;me or taken under the principal Act, as
amended by this Act.