Cut-off time for government e-payment transactions extended to all systems
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-08/275 · issued 03 Apr 2008 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI, with the Controller General of Accounts, has extended the 8:00 PM cut-off for e-payment transactions to all government receipts, including EASIEST and OLTAS. Banks must apply this uniform deadline across all government payment channels.
The rule, in the simplest words
Banks must apply an 8:00 PM cut-off for all government e-payment transactions.
This uniform deadline applies to all government payment channels, including EASIEST and OLTAS.
Banks must ensure all government revenue e-payments are completed by 8:00 PM to avoid reconciliation issues.
How it plays out — a real example
Rahul, a branch operations officer in Indore, ensures that all government e-payment transactions are completed by 8:00 PM to avoid any reconciliation issues. He communicates the revised cut-off to his team and monitors transaction timestamps to ensure compliance.
What changed
The earlier cut-off time of 8:00 PM for e-payment transactions, previously applicable only to certain government receipts, has now been extended to cover all government transactions, including those processed through EASIEST and OLTAS systems. This was decided in consultation with the Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance.
What it means for you
Banks must ensure that all government revenue e-payments—whether via EASIEST, OLTAS, or other channels—are completed by 8:00 PM. This uniform cut-off simplifies operations but requires strict adherence to avoid reconciliation issues with government accounts. Non-compliance could lead to delays in government revenue booking.
What you must do
Update internal systems to enforce the 8:00 PM cut-off for all government e-payment transactions, including EASIEST and OLTAS.
Communicate the revised cut-off to all branches handling government receipts.
Monitor transaction timestamps to ensure no government e-payment is processed after 8:00 PM.
Coordinate with your IT team to align batch processing schedules with the new cut-off.
Who it affects
State Bank of India and its Associates, All Nationalised banks, Axis Bank Ltd, HDFC Bank Ltd, ICICI Bank Ltd, IDBI Ltd, J&K Bank Ltd, Branches handling government revenue e-payments
❓ Common questions
Does this cut-off apply to all government e-payments or only specific ones?
It applies to all government e-payment transactions, including those through EASIEST and OLTAS systems, as decided in consultation with the Controller General of Accounts.
What happens if a government e-payment is initiated after 8:00 PM?
Such transactions should not be processed; banks must enforce the cut-off strictly to avoid reconciliation issues with government accounts.
Are there any exceptions to this cut-off time?
No exceptions are mentioned in the circular. The cut-off is uniform for all government revenue e-payments.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2007-08/275
DGBA.GAD.No.10577 / 42.01.038 /2007-08
April 3, 2008
The Chairman & Managing Director/Managing Director
State Bank of India and its Associates/
All Nationalised banks/ Axis Bank Ltd/
HDFC Bank Ltd/ ICICI Bank Ltd/ IDBI Ltd/
J&K Bank Ltd.
Dear Sir,
Cut-off time for e-payment transactions pertaing to Government Revenue
Please refer to our circular RBI /2007-08/256 (ref.DGBA.GAD. No. H9561 /41.07.003/ 2007-08) dated March 5, 2008 on the above subject.
2. We further advise that It has been decided in consultation with the Controller General of Accounts, Ministry of Finance, Government of India that the cut-off time of 8.00 p.m. fixed for e-payment transactions would be applicable for all Government transactions including EASIEST and OLTAS. The other instructions contained in para 1 of our circular would remain unchanged.
3. Necessary instructions may be issued to your concerned branches.
Yours faithfully
(A. S. Kulkarni)
Deputy General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2007-08/275 · issued 03 Apr 2008. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Communicate the revised cut-off to all branches handling government receipts.
💻 IT / Systems
Update internal systems to enforce the 8:00 PM cut-off for all government e-payment transactions, including EASIEST and OLTAS.
Coordinate with your IT team to align batch processing schedules with the new cut-off.
📜 Compliance
Monitor transaction timestamps to ensure no government e-payment is processed after 8:00 PM.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are an IT/Systems lead at a bank this circular applies to (State Bank of India and its Associates, All Nationalised banks, Axis Bank Ltd, HDFC Bank Ltd, ICICI Bank Ltd, IDBI Ltd, J&K Bank Ltd, Branches handling government revenue e-payments), your first concrete step on “Cut-off time for government e-payment transactions extended to all systems” is: “Update internal systems to enforce the 8:00 PM cut-off for all government e-payment transactions, including EASIEST and OLTAS.” (RBI issued this 03 Apr 2008).
Circular: RBI/2007-08/275 -- Cut-off time for government e-payment transactions extended to all systems
Issued: 03 Apr 2008
Action required: Update internal systems to enforce the 8:00 PM cut-off for all government e-payment transactions, including EASIEST and OLTAS.
Action required: Communicate the revised cut-off to all branches handling government receipts.
Action required: Monitor transaction timestamps to ensure no government e-payment is processed after 8:00 PM.
Action required: Coordinate with your IT team to align batch processing schedules with the new cut-off.
Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
Evidence filed in compliance register on: ____________
Built only from this circular’s own published fields — not legal advice; always confirm against the official RBI source.
💬 Banker Discussion
Discuss this circular with fellow bankers — reply, upvote what helps, report what doesn’t belong. Be professional; no client data. Views are the commenter’s own, not BankPulse’s.
BankPulse Compliance Evidence Pack — generated 05 Aug 2026 · status cross-checked against RBI’s official withdrawal register (refreshed weekly). Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=4097&Mode=0 — Plain-English summary by BankPulse (bankpulse.ai), reviewed by our expert reviewer, CA Amit Jain. Independent platform, not affiliated with the Reserve Bank of India; is our own plain-English paraphrase, not RBI’s original wording.
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