HomeCirculars › RBI/2004-05/474

Underwriting Bids Move to Electronic Mode; Commission Payment Timing Changed

Live · in forceNo withdrawal recorded as of 22 Jun 2026. Reviewed by Vikram Jain; always verify against the official RBI source below.
Issued by RBI: 19 May 2005  ·  Decoded by BankPulse: 21 Jun 2026, 09:18 IST
⏱ ~2 min read
📄 Official RBI source ↗
Quick answerRBI mandates Primary Dealers to submit underwriting bids electronically via the PMO module instead of physical forms. Underwriting commission will now be credited on settlement date, not auction date. PDs not bidding must avoid submitting 'Nil' bids.

What changed

Primary Dealers must now submit underwriting bids for dated government securities electronically through the PMO module of PDO-NDS, replacing the earlier physical submission process. The underwriting commission, previously credited on auction date, will now be credited on the settlement date of the auction payment.

What it means for you

This shift to electronic bidding streamlines the underwriting process and reduces manual paperwork for PDs. The change in commission payment timing may impact cash flow planning, as PDs will receive funds later than before. PDs must ensure they do not submit 'Nil' bids since the system rejects zero amount entries.

What you must do

Who it affects

Primary Dealers in Government Securities Market, Treasury and operations teams handling government securities auctions, Back-office staff managing settlement and commission receipts

What happens if we accidentally submit a 'Nil' bid?

The system prohibits '0' amount entries, so a 'Nil' bid cannot be submitted. If you do not wish to bid, simply do not submit any bid in the PMO module.

When will we receive the underwriting commission now?

The commission will be credited to your current account on the settlement date of the auction payment, not on the auction date as before.

Does this apply to all government securities auctions?

Yes, this applies to dated government securities auctions conducted under the PMO module of PDO-NDS.

Track this rule
⏳ How this rule evolved — History Map →Full RBI rulebook crosswalk →
AI-drafted · 3-model AI consensus fact-check · under the editorial review of Vikram Jain · decoded & published by BankPulse · 21 Jun 2026, 09:18 IST
Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=2267&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by Vikram Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; never reproduces RBI text verbatim.