1. Short title, local extent and commencement.—(1) This Act may be called the Indian Telegraph
Act, 1885.
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[(2) It extends to whole of India 3
***.]
(3) It shall come into force on the first day of October, 1885.
2. [Repeal and savings.] Rep. by the Repealing Act, 1938 (1 of 1938), s. 2 and the
Schedule.
3. Definitions.—In this Act, unless there is something repugnant in the subject or context,—
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[(1) “Fund” means the Universal Service Obligation Fund established under
sub-section (1) of section 9A;
(1A) “Universal Service Obligation” means the 5
[obligation to provide access to
telegraph services] to people in the rural and remote areas at affordable and reasonable
prices;]
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[
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[(1AA)] “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 8
[the Central
Government] or by a person licensed under this Act;
(3) “message” means any communication sent by telegraph, or given to a 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;
1. The Act has been extended to the Union territory of Goa, Daman and Diu, vide Notification No. S.O. 2735 dated
1-9-1962, see Gazette of India, Extraordinary, Pt. II, sec. 3(ii), p. 1991-92 (w.e.f. 1-9-1962), extended to and
brought into force in Dadra and Nagar Haveli by Reg. 6 of 1963, s. 2 and Sch. I (w.e.f. 1 -7-1965) and to the whole
of the Union territory of Lakshadweep by Reg. 8 of 1965, s. 3 and Sch. (w.e.f. 1 -10-1967).
2. Subs. by Act 45 of 1948, s. 2, for sub-section (2).
3. The words “except the State of Hyderabad” rep. by Act 3 of 1951, s. 3 and the Schedule. Earlier these
words were inserted by the A.O. 1950.
4. Ins. by Act 8 of 2004, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
5. Subs. by Act 57 of 2006, s. 2, for “obligation to provide access to basic telegraph services” (w.e.f. 30-10-2006).
6. Subs.by Act 15 of 1961, s. 2, for clause (1).
7. Clause (1) renumbered as clause (1AA) thereof by Act 8 of 2004, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-4-2002).
8. Subs. by the A.O. 1937, for “the Govt.”.
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(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 1
[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 commissioners
or other authority legally entitled to, or entrusted by 2
[the Central or any State Government] with, the
control or management of any municipal or local fund.