New Delhi, August 8
The Reserve Bank of India has asked
banks to ensure customers’ lockers remain safe and there is “no negligence”
that could render banks liable to claims by locker holders, Parliament was
informed today.
Besides, banks are being probed by
fair trade regulator CCI for alleged cartelisation in providing locker services
to their customers.
In a written reply to the Rajya
Sabha, Corporate Affairs Minister Arun Jaitley said there is no specific
circular by the Department of Financial Services asking banks to compensate
customers for theft of articles from bank lockers.
“The banks have been advised by the RBI that
it would be the responsibility of the banks to ensure the lockers remain safe,
and there is no negligence in the matter of safeguarding the lockers that could
render the banks concerned liable to claims by locker holders,” he said.
The Competition Commission of India
(CCI), in May, received a complaint alleging cartelisation among banks in
respect of providing locker services to customers.
“The case has been registered...
arraigning 20 banks, including RBI, as opposite parties,” the minister said.
An RTI disclosure by RBI and 19 PSU
banks, in June, had said they were not liable for damage to the locker contents
by any cause, including fire or natural calamities.
Bank officials who did not want to
be identified were of the view that burglary is beyond the security cover
provided by a bank.
Consumer
rights expert Bejon Misra had said: “The government, the RBI and the banking
industry cannot wash their hands of and earn money and not be made liable or
accountable for quality of service for which the customers are paying rental.”
—PTI
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