December 28, 2006

The Chief Executive Officer of
All Primary (Urban) Co-operative Banks

Dear Sir/Madam,

Reserve Bank of India / Banking Ombudsmen have been receiving complaints that many bank branches are not accepting cheques at the counters and are compelling the customers to drop the cheques in the cheque drop boxes.

2. Banks are advised in the above context that their customers should not be compelled to drop cheques in drop boxes. While the cheque drop box facility may also be made available to the customers, the facility for acknowledgement of cheques at the regular collection counters should not be denied to them. No branch should refuse to give an acknowledgement on cheques being tendered by customers at their counters.

3. Wherever the cheque drop box facility has been introduced, it is necessary that customers are made aware of both the options available to them i.e., dropping cheques in the drop box or tendering them at the counters so that they can take an informed decision in this regard. Banks are, therefore, advised to invariably display on the cheque drop-box itself that :

The above message may be displayed in English, Hindi and the concerned regional language of the State.

4. Please acknowledge receipt to the Regional Office concerned.

Yours faithfully,

(N.S.Vishwanathan)
Chief General Manager-in-Charge