Fact check: Writing on Indian currency notes does not make them invalid
A whatsapp image is going viral, according to which if anything is written on the bank notes, they will no longer be valid under the Reserve bank of India guidelines. The image which has text on it has a heading
A whatsapp image is going viral, according to which if anything is written on the bank notes, they will no longer be valid under the Reserve bank of India guidelines. The image which has text on it has a heading “Reserve bank of India” along with VV IMP written in Red, the text on it goes as “As per new guidelines of Reserve bank of India, writing anything on new notes makes the note invalid and it will no longer be a legal tender. Just like US dollars. If you write anything on US Dollars it is not accepted by anyone. Just forward to maximum people, so that the Indian public understands the importance of this message.”
This claim is shared on several other social media platforms too.
Fact Check:
The claim is FALSE. RBI did not release any such guidelines recently. When searching the RBI website, we did not not find any such new guidelines.
The Reserve Bank of India is the sole authority for issuing currency in India. It is also responsible for providing adequate supply of currency notes for all financial transactions in the country. Several steps have been taken by the RBI to increase the supply of currency notes since 1999.
According to the Clean note policy released by the RBI “The members of the public were urged not to write on the currency notes and banks were instructed to provide unrestricted facility for exchange of soiled and mutilated notes.
As per the Reserve Bank instructions, currency chest branches of the banks must offer, even to non-customers, good quality notes and coins in exchange for soiled and mutilated notes. Complaints, however, continue to be received in this regard from the public and trade bodies that these instructions have not been given full effect.”
https://www.rbi.org.in/
PIB fact check refuted the claim made in the viral image. It tweeted that “Does writing anything on the bank note make it invalid. #PIBFactCheck
NO, Bank notes with scribbling are not invalid & continue to be legal tender. Under the Clean Note Policy, people are requested not to write on the currency notes as it defaces them & reduces their life”
As per RBI’s “Master Circular – Facility for Exchange of Notes and Coins” dated 1st July 2020, all branches of banks in all parts of the country have to issue fresh notes and coins of all denominations on demand, exchange soiled or mutilated or defective notes. Accept coins and notes either for transactions or exchange.
Therefore, the claim that writing on the currency notes can make them invalid is FALSE. Though the notes still stay legal tender, under clean note policy RBI encourages the public not to write anything on the bank notes.