Payments of money orders

Requirements for Payment of a Money Order (otherwise than to Banker)

  • When a Money Order is presented for payment the person presenting the Order must give the name of the remitter, and, if required produce evidence to the satisfaction of the Postmaster, that he is the payee such Order or a person duly authorized by the payee to receive the amount of the Order.
  • A receipt for the amount of the Order shall be signed by the pay( or by some person duly authorized to sign such receipt on his behalf.
  • When an Order is made payable to a firm, company or society, the receipt shall be signed by some person duly authorized to sign on behalf, of the firm, company or society as the case may be, and the name of the firm, company or society shall also be stamped or written in the space s apart for the receipt in the Order. A receipt so completed shall be a value discharge to the Postmaster General for the amount of the Order.
  • When for any reason the payee of a Money Order is unable attend in person, and sends the order by an agent to the Post Office of payment, such order should be properly signed by the payee and the Postmaster may require a letter authorizing payment to the agent, whose name should be mentioned. The name of the remitter must also be stated in the letter. An endorsement on the back of the order with the above authority and information will suffice in cases where no letter is sent. the Postmaster is satisfied that all is in order, payment may be made to the agent, who should also be required to sign the order when taking over the cash.
  • If the payee or his agent is illiterate, it will be necessary for hi: to affix his thumb impression on the Money Order in the presence of both the Paying Officer and a witness, whose signature must be obtained on the order. If the payee or his agent signs his name in other than English, Sinhalese or Tamil characters, the paying officer may require in his presence the thumb impression of the payee or his agent on the order in addition to his signature.

Requirements for Payment of a Money Order to a Banker

  • Money Orders payable at a Money Order Office in Sri Lanka may be presented for payment by a banker either at the office of payment or at the Money Order Office in Colombo or at any Office at which the payment of Money Orders presented by a banker may from time to time be autho­rized by the Postmaster General.
  • Where a Money Order is presented by or on behalf of a banker, the name of that banker written or stamped, by a way of crossing or otherwise, upon the face of the Order, shall be a valid discharge to the Postmaster General for the amount of such Order, and it shall not be necessary for such banker to give any information as to the remitter. This however does not preclude the necessity for each money order to be receipted by the payee before presentation as required by paragraphs (2) and (3) of the preceding rule.
  • Where a Money Order has been presented for payment by a banker and payment in respect of that Order has been made to such banker, and it is afterwards discovered that such payment should not have been made to such banker, the amount so paid may be deducted from any moneys which may thereafter become payable to such banker for or on account or in respect of Post Office Money Orders and no objection shall be taken by any banker to such deduction.

Refusal of Payment on Presentation

If payment of an order be refused in consequence of the remitter’s name not being furnished correctly, or in consequence of the signature on the order not corresponding with the entry on the advice, the applicant for payment should communicate with the remitter, and request him to apply, if necessary, to the Issuing Postmaster to have any correction which may be required made in the order.

Funds at the Office of Payment

Payment of an order is subject to the possession by the Postmaster of the Paying Office of sufficient funds, and delay is possible, especially in the case of orders for large amounts drawn on small offices.

Payment through a Bank

A payee may direct that all his Money Orders may be crossed at the Office of Payment, in order to secure the communication of the remitter’s name. This direction must be given in writing by the payee to the Office of Payment.

Period of Validity of a Money Order

At the end of six months after that in which it was issued a Money Order, if still unpaid, is legally void. If a claim is made within six months of the date on which the order ceased to be valid, the amount of the order shall be paid subject to the payment of a second commission equivalent to that paid at the time of issue. Claims may also be entertained undo exceptional circumstances within the second year of issue, subject to the payment of a commission equivalent to 5 per cent of the face value of the order or 20 cents whichever amount is higher.

No claim will be entertained after two years from the last day of the month of issue.

Liability for wrong Payment

After once paying a Money Order, by whomsoever presented, the Postmaster General is not legally liable to any further claim, nor is he liable to pay compensation for loss or injury arising out of delay in payment of a Money Order, or out of any other irregularity in connection with a order.