Serious allegations have emerged regarding an internal savings account-opening competition in the Northern Postal Circle of the Department of Posts, with claims that departmental guidelines were bypassed to create thousands of accounts in the names of single individuals. The exercise was reportedly undertaken to secure the top position in a nationwide performance drive during the financial year 2025-26. A formal complaint submitted to the Prime Minister’s Office, the Union minister concerned, and senior postal officials alleges that bulk accounts were opened with minimal initial deposits of ₹100 and subsequently closed once the competition concluded. Acharya Chandrakishore Parashar, an RTI activist and president of the North Bihar Philatelist Society, has called for a high-level inquiry into the alleged irregularities and potential financial impropriety.
Pressure from PMG Office to Boost Rankings
The Department of Posts had rolled out a multi-stage contest across national, circle, and divisional tiers to expand the reach of post-office savings schemes. All nine divisions under the Northern Postal Circle were part of the drive. The complaint states that the circle initially lagged behind in performance, prompting administrative pressure from the Postmaster General’s office on local postmasters to rapidly generate new entries. It is alleged that staff complied by setting up multiple small-deposit accounts under the same names, which artificially boosted numbers and pushed the Northern Postal Circle to the top rank nationally.
Thousands of Accounts Created Under Few Names
Data highlighted in the complaint points to widespread clustering of accounts in select branches. At the Sugauli Post Office in Motihari division, 22,242 out of 23,881 newly created accounts were reportedly opened in the names of just 93 individuals, each with a ₹100 deposit. Similar patterns were reported at the Laheriasarai Head Post Office in Darbhanga division, where 24,300 recurring deposit accounts were allegedly opened under the names of only 36 persons out of a total of 26,383 new accounts. The complainant noted that an estimated 70% of these competition-linked accounts were shut down within two to three months, raising concerns over departmental resource misuse and the disbursement of commissions to agents for non-viable accounts.
Postal Circle Assures Probe if Complaint Received
Addressing the allegations, Pawan Kumar Singh, Postmaster General of the Northern Postal Circle, stated that the department has consistently worked to improve its services and achieved positive results across the country. He noted that certain elements within and outside the postal service were attempting to tarnish its reputation. Singh added that an inquiry would be initiated if an official complaint regarding the matter is formally received. An official investigation will be required to confirm the precise volume of duplicate accounts opened during the drive, review the timeline of subsequent closures, and determine if regulatory guidelines were breached to inflate performance statistics.
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