Revision of Leave Sanctioning authorities of GDS.pdf
17-31/2016-GDS(Pt-Leave) I/360621/2026
No. 17-31/2016-GDS (Pt-Leave)
भारत सरकार /Government of India
संचार मं ालय /Ministry of Communications
डाक िवभाग /Department of Posts
(जीडीएस अनुभाग) /GDS Section
डाक भवन, संसद माग ,
Dak Bhawan, Sansad Marg,
नई िद ी /New Delhi – 110001,
िदनांक/Dated: 13-08-2026
To,
All The Chief Postmasters General.
Subject: Revision of leave sanctioning authorities of GDS reg.
Sir/ Madam,
Consequent upon the revision of the Schedule of Engaging, Disciplinary and
Appellate Authorities (SEDA) in respect of Gramin Dak Sevaks vide order dated 26.11.2025, references have been received from various Circles seeking clarification regarding the competent authorities for sanction of leave and approval of substitute arrangements in respect of GDS.
2. In order to ensure uniformity, bring clarity and align the competent authorities for sanction of different kinds of leave with those responsible for approval of substitute arrangements, it is considered necessary to comprehensively review the existing leave provisions for GDS. This will facilitate and ensure smooth management of leave and substitute arrangements for GDS. The Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS) are presently entitled to the following categories of leave under the extant instructions:
(i) Paid Leave (PL) : 10 days in each half-year, with the facility to accumulate
leave up to a maximum of 45 days without any leave encashment facilities.
(ii) Leave Without Allowance (LWA): Admissible up to 180 days in a
calendar year under normal circumstances and beyond 180 days in specified
cases as permitted under the extant instructions.
(iii) Emergency Leave: Up to 5 days in a calendar year to meet emergent
requirements.
(iv) Maternity Leave: 180 days of paid leave admissible to female GDS in
accordance with the prescribed conditions. Maternity leave not exceeding 45
days may also be granted to female Gramin Dak Sevaks (irrespective of the
number of surviving children) during the entire service of that female GDS in
case of miscarriage, including abortion, on production of a medical certificate
issued by a Government Medical Practitioner.
17-31/2016-GDS(Pt-Leave) I/360621/2026
3. The competent authority has examined the leave provision for GDS and revised the Leave sanctioning powers of competent authorities of various kinds of leave to Gramin Dak Sevaks (GDS), as indicated in the table attached as Annexure to this letter. The Revised Leave sanctioning powers of competent authorities in the said table is summarized as under:
i. The changes align the leave sanctioning authorities with the revised SEDA,
while consolidating the existing instructions on grant of leave and substitute
arrangements.
ii. Powers for sanction of Leave Without Allowance (LWA), Paid Leave and
Emergency Leave are decentralised by delegating powers to HSG-I
Postmasters and Senior Postmasters/Deputy Chief Postmasters/Officers-in
Charge of Independent Units in respect of Dak Sevaks working in their
offices. The officer in charge of the Units headed by PS Group B officers and
above may further delegate these powers to the officers not below the rank
of Inspector (Posts)/HSG-I in that office.
iii. The LWA sanctioning power of Sub-Divisional Heads for BPMs is enhanced from 60 days to 90 days, thereby bringing it at par with the existing powers
for ABPMs/Dak Sevaks.
iv. Consequent upon the above, Divisional Heads/Unit Heads will sanctionLWA beyond 90 days and up to 180 days uniformly for all categories of GDS.
Existing powers relating to LWA to recognised Union functionaries and GDS
officiating as MTS/Postman remain unchanged.
v. The existing power of the Head of Circle to sanction LWA beyond 180 days on grounds of genuine illness is extended to the Head of Region also,
facilitating quicker disposal of such cases.
vi. No change in the powers of Divisional/Units Heads for sanction of Paid Leave, Emergency Leave and Maternity Leave. However, the powers may be
delegated to an officer not below the rank of PS Group B in case of the
Units/Divisions headed by the officers above the PS Group B level.
vii. No change in the powers of the CPMG for sanction of leave beyond 180 days to recognized National-level GDS Union functionaries.
viii. The LWA exceeding 180 days will continue to be in the following situations.i) officiating against MTS/Postman posts, ii) deputation to IPPB or any other
office notified by the Department, and iii) cases of genuine illness.
(Authorities proposed/specified in the table attached as annexure).
ix. The leave sanctioning authority will also be competent to approve substitute arrangements within its delegated leave sanctioning powers.
Consequently, the existing guidelines/instructions relating to substitute
arrangements will stand superseded.
x. There is already a provision in the APT 2.0 and mobile app for applying for all
17-31/2016-GDS(Pt-Leave) I/360621/2026
kinds of leave by GDS; hence, GDS should apply for all kinds of
admissible leave through online mode for online record, speedy approval,
and end-to-end tracking. No leave will be approved to GDS in manual
mode.
This issues with the approval of the competent authority.
भवदीय/Yours faithfully,
Encl: as above
(गुर वदर सह/ Gurvinder Singh)
सहायक महािनदेशक/ Assistant Director General (GDS/PCC)
ईमेल/Email : adggds426@gmail.com
Copy for information to:
1.Chief General Manager, BD Directorate/ Parcel Directorate/ PLI
Directorate/CEPT
2. All the DDGs, Postal Directorate/All PMGs.
3. Director, RAKNPA
4. Directors of all PTCs.
5. Addl. Director General, Army Postal Service, New Delhi
6. All General Managers (Finance)/ Director Postal Accounts/DAP
7. General Manager (CEPT), Bengaluru, with a request to upload the same on the India Post Website
8. Assistant Director, CEPT, Hyderabad Unit
9. All Recognized Service Unions
17-31/2016-GDS(Pt-Leave) I/360621/2026
Annexure
(Annexure to letter No. 17-31/2016-GDS (Pt-Leave) dated :- )
| 1. LWA (Leave Without Allowances)* | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| S.No | Authorities to Grant Leave | Revised leave sanctioning powers of competent authorities | |
| BPM | ABPM/DS | ||
| (i) | HSG-I Postmaster | N.A. | Up to 90 days- # |
| (ii) | Senior Postmaster/ Deputy Chief Postmaster/ Officer in charge of the Independent Unit not below the rank of Inspector Posts/HSG-I | N.A. | Up to 90 days- #$ |
| (iii) | Sub Divisional Head | Up to 90 days | Up to 90 days-@ |
| (iv) | Divisional Head/Unit Head (PS Group B and above) | >90 to 180 days (%) | >90 to 180 days (%) |
| (i) Up to 180 days -For UnionFunctionaries. % (ii) >180 days forofficiating asMTS/Postman % | (i) Up to 180 days - For UnionFunctionaries % (ii) >180 days for officiating asMTS/Postman % | ||
| (v) | Head of Circle (HOC)/Head of Region (HOR) | HOR/HoC may grant leave > 180 days on the ground of genuine illness | HOR/HOC may grant leave > 180 days on the ground of genuine illness |
| (vi) | CPMG | Beyond 180 days – For Recognized GDS Union Functionaries at National Level | Beyond 180 days – For Recognized GDS Union Functionaries at National Level |
| 2. Paid Leave (Maximum Limit up to 45 days) | |||
| S.No. | Competent Authority for Granting Leave | Revised leave sanctioning powers of competent authorities | |
| BPM | ABPM/DS | ||
| (i) | HSG-I Postmasters | N.A | Full Power# |
| (ii) | Senior Postmaster/ Deputy Chief Postmaster/ Officer In charge of the Independent Unit not below | N.A. | Full Power-#$ |
17-31/2016-GDS(Pt-Leave) I/360621/2026
| the rank of Inspector Posts/HSG-I | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| (iii) | Sub Divisional Head | Full Power | Full Power-@ |
| (iii) | Divisional Head/Unit headed by PS Group B and above. | Full Power-% | Full Power -% |
| 3. Emergency Leave (up to 5 days) | |||
| S.No. | Competent Authority For Granting Leave | Revised leave sanctioning powers of competent authorities | |
| BPM | ABPM/DS | ||
| (i) | HSG-I Postmasters | N.A | Full Power-# |
| (ii) | Senior Postmaster/ Deputy Chief Postmaster/ Officer in charge of the Independent Unit not below the rank of Inspector Posts/HSG-I | N.A. | Full Power-#$ |
| (iii) | Sub Divisional Head | Full Power | Full Power -@ |
| (iii) | Divisional Head/Unit headed by PS Group B and above. | Full Power-% | Full Power-% |
| 4. Maternity Leave (180 days/45 days in case of miscarriage , including abortion) | |||
| (i) | Divisional Head/Unit headed by PS Group B and above. | Full Power % | Full Power % |
# - only for Dak Sevaks working in the same Post office
$- Officer In-charge may, however, delegate the power to an officer, not below the rank of Inspector Posts/HSG-I in the same office
@ - Except for the Dak Sevaks in the offices (i) and (ii) above
%- Power may be delegated by the Divisional Head/Unit Head to an officer not below the rank of PS Group B Level
* No Leave Without Allowance (LWA) exceeding 180 days will be admissible to a GDS, except where such LWA is granted for officiating against the posts of MTS/Postman, on deputation to IPPB or any other office as may be notified by the Department from time to time, or on the grounds of genuine illness.