RBI Tightens Rules on Shifting Securities Between Investment Categories
No longer current — withdrawn, no replacement on file yet
Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/473 · issued 07 May 2009 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI now allows StCBs and DCCBs to shift securities from permanent to current category (or vice versa) only once a year, at the start of the accounting year, with Board approval. No further shifts are permitted during the year.
What changed
Earlier, banks could shift investments between permanent and current categories with prior Board authorization at any time. The new circular restricts such shifts to once a year, at the beginning of the accounting year, with Board approval. Any further shifting during the same year is prohibited.
What it means for you
This change limits flexibility in managing the investment portfolio for SLR compliance or yield purposes. Banks must plan their permanent category holdings more carefully, as they cannot freely reclassify securities mid-year. Any sale of permanent category securities still requires loss write-offs and gain appropriation to Capital Reserve.
Historical instruction — do not use for current compliance. This is what was required at the time; it no longer reflects current RBI requirements. If no replacement rule is linked above, that only means none is recorded on our register yet — it does not prove no later applicable rule exists. Confirm on the official RBI source below.
What banks were required to do at the time
Ensure Board approval is obtained for any shift of securities to/from permanent category only at the start of the accounting year.
Review and finalize investment categorization plans before the beginning of the accounting year to avoid mid-year changes.
Place this circular before the Board for formal acknowledgment and compliance.
Acknowledge receipt of the circular to the concerned RBI Regional Office.
Who it affects
All State Co-operative Banks (StCBs), All District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs)
❓ Common questions
Regulatory timeline
Decoded by BankPulse2026-06-19 10:16 IST
repealed_by — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
Status change: withdrawn05 Aug 2026, 04:00 IST
Built from our lineage records — each fact carries its provenance; missing history simply is not shown (never guessed).
Can we shift securities from permanent to current category more than once a year?
No, as per the revised instructions, such shifting is allowed only once a year, at the beginning of the accounting year, with Board approval.
What happens if we sell a security from the permanent category?
Any loss on such sale must be written off, and any gain must first be taken to the Profit and Loss Account and then appropriated to the Capital Reserve Account.
Does this circular apply to all cooperative banks?
Yes, it applies to all State Co-operative Banks (StCBs) and District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs).
📜 This document’s life story (1 recorded event, each backed by RBI’s own words)
Repealed byRBI/2025-26/100 — Consolidation of Regulations — Withdrawal of circulars (28 Nov 2025)
RBI’s words: “Official withdrawal register entry #1939: RPCD.CO.RF.BC.No.104/07.37.02/2008-09 — "Investment Portfolio of Banks - Transactions in Securities" dated May 7, 2009”
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2008-09/473
RPCD.CO.RF.BC.No. 104 /07.37.02/2008-09
May 7, 2009
All State Co-operative Banks (StCBs) and
District Central Co-operative Banks (DCCBs)
Dear Sir,
Investment Portfolio of Banks – Transactions in Securities
Please refer to our circular RPCD No.RF.BC.17/A.4–92/93 dated September 4, 1992 read with circulars RPCD NO. BC.154/07.02.08/94-95 dated May 23, 1995 and RPCD.CO.RF.BC.14/07.02.03/2005-06 dated July 13, 2005 on the captioned subject.
2. As per extant instructions, securities are held in the permanent category for the purpose of SLR compliance or for yield or capital growth purposes and are usually intended to be held till maturity. Banks are not expected to sell securities in the permanent category freely but if they do so, any loss on such transactions has to be written off and any gain should be first taken to Profit and Loss Account and thereafter be appropriated to the Capital Reserve Account. The inter-changing of investments from permanent to current category and vice versa is to be done with the prior authorisation of the Board of Directors.
3. The matter has since been reviewed and it has been decided that banks may shift investments to / from permanent category with the approval of their Board of Directors only once a year . Such shifting may normally be allowed at the beginning of the accounting year. No further shifting to / from permanent category will be allowed during the remaining part of that accounting year.
4. The contents of this circular may be placed before the Board of your bank.
5. Please acknowledge receipt to our concerned Regional Office.
Yours faithfully,
(B P Vijayendra)
Chief General Manager
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2008-09/473 · issued 07 May 2009. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
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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=4976&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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