ADOPTION OF UNIFORM HOLIDAYS CALENDAR –                            GRID BASED CHEQUE TRUNCATION SYSTEM

Circular issed by BEFI:

Dear Comrades,                                                                     02.10.2013

Curtailment of Holidays in the name of Adoption of Uniform Holiday Calender under CTS. 

Following is the text of our letter dated 01st October, 2013 addressed to the Governor, Reserve 

Bank of India, copy to the Chairman, IBA, on the captioned subject; the letter is self explanatory. 

Incidentally we like to inform you all that, opposing RBI decision to keep banks open during the 

Onam Festival on 15th September last, Kerala State UFBU gave a call to boycott attending office on 

that day which received all out response from all sections of employees and officers. 

We advise all our Units to take initiative for taking similar stand under the banner of local UFBU on 

similar occasions. 

TEXT OF OUR LETTER TO RBI WITH COPY TO IBA 

Quote: “We are very much perturbed, and agitated too, that a culture of unilateralism is being 

sought to be injected in the Banking Sector in recent years, where bilateralism prevailed till a few 

years back. The recent RBI instruction cancelling the holidays declared under N.I. Act by respective 

State Governments in order to adopt Uniform Holiday Calender under Cheque Truncation System 

(CTS) with effect from October 7, 2013, is the latest pointer. 

You shall please appreciate that festivals observed by our countrymen in different states during a 

calendar year over decades or even more, acquired social dimension obliterating the erstwhile 

(original) religious fervour. These are social festivals participated and enjoyed by the whole 

community of the locality/area concerned; Bank Employees, including Officers, are very much part 

of the respective communities. The impugned RBI instruction seeks to uproot the Bank Employees 

from their community, as if they belong to some secluded island. This is an affront to the social 

identity of the employees, reminiscent of the colonial rule during British Raj. 

Please take note that there is no “one way traffic” in the Industrial Relations domain. Any 

unilateralism is likely to be reciprocated with counter- unilateralism; unilateral administrative fiats 

would be countered by unilateral industrial action. Industrial peace and harmony would be the only 

casualty. Purchasing a costly industrial strife would be an ill advised modus operandi in the present 

juncture of our national economy. Wisdom should be allowed to prevail for seeking an amicable 

solution to every problem. 

In the circumstances, we urge upon your intervention in ensuring that Bank Employees and Officers 

are allowed the benefit of Holidays declared by the State Governments under the Negotiable 

Instruments Act.” Unquote 

With Greetings, 

 Comradely yours, 

PRADIP BISWAS

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Circular issued by AIBEA  Dt.04.10.2013

Dear Comrades,

Consequent to introduction of common grid system for clearance of cheques covering multi-States, RBI has been trying to introduce uniform holidays under which even if one of the State covered by the Grid is functioning, then all the other States also have to function on that day.  

In our country with diverse cultural and religious festivals, there are different holidays in different States and adopting a uniform holiday calendar would result in curtailment of festival holidays declared as such under the N I Act by the concerned State Government. 

For example, Puja holiday on 12^th October would be a working day for West Bengal and Tamilnadu, Deepavali day will be working day in Tamilnadu, etc.  Hence UFBU has taken up the matter with IBA, RBI and CLC.  The UFBU’s letter in this regard is furnished herein.

With greetings,

Yours Comradely,

C.H. VENKATACHALAMGENERAL SECRETARY