The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) vide its Notifications No. RBI/2025-26/21 DOR.CO.SOG(Leg) No.S248/09.08.024/2025-26 dated April 08, 2025, titled "Review of Regulatory Guidelines – Withdrawal of Circulars", has announced the withdrawal of 20 circulars related to cheque processing and customer service guidelines.
This move follows a continued review under the recommendations of the Regulation Review Authority (RRA) 2.0, aimed at simplifying regulatory compliance and removing outdated instructions.
The withdrawn circulars, dating from 1972 to 2002, covered various operational aspects such as temporary credit limits during suspended clearing, introduction of MICR technology, immediate credit for local and outstation cheques, payment of interest for delayed collections, and procedures for dishonoured cheques.
The decision affects all Scheduled Commercial Banks and Co-operative Banks, and the circulars listed in the annex are considered withdrawn with immediate effect.
The RBI's move is part of its broader initiative to streamline the regulatory framework, reduce redundancy, and improve operational efficiency in banking services. The withdrawn circulars primarily relate to practices that have since been updated or made redundant due to technological advancements and newer regulatory measures.
This step is expected to reduce compliance burdens on banks and help focus on current, relevant regulations. The list of withdrawn circulars includes instructions on customer service protocols for cheque collection, interest rates for delays, and measures to counter cheque related fraud.
The communication was issued under circular number RBI/2025-26/21 by the Department of Regulation.
Link - https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=12830&Mode=0
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