UAPA Section 51-A: Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for RRBs & Co-op Banks
Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/574 · issued 23 May 2012 · ~1 min read
Quick answerRBI mandates all RRBs and co-op banks to update their UNSCR 1267 Al-Qaida sanctions list, screen new accounts against it, and review existing accounts for matches. Freeze assets of designated individuals/entities as per earlier UAPA orders.
Sanctions-list safety note. This circular refers to a specific UN Security Council / UAPA designated-entities list update as it stood on the date above — sanctions lists change often, and a newer update almost certainly exists today. Never use this page, or any single dated circular, as your current screening list. Always screen against the live, current list at the official UAPA proscribed-organisations list and the UN Consolidated List, and confirm the obligations for your bank on the official rbi.org.in source below.
The rule, in the simplest words
Update your bank's sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Conduct a one-time review of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier UAPA circulars.
How it plays out — a real example
A co-operative bank branch officer in Indore, Mr. Kumar, is responsible for reviewing new account applications. He checks the updated Al-Qaida sanctions list and finds that a proposed customer's name matches one on the list. Mr. Kumar immediately freezes the customer's assets and notifies the relevant authorities, ensuring strict compliance with UAPA regulations.
What changed
RBI has circulated the latest UN Security Council 1267/1989 Committee's Al-Qaida Sanctions List updates to all Regional Rural Banks and State/Central Co-operative Banks. Banks must now use this updated list for customer screening and account monitoring.
What it means for you
Banks must immediately update their internal sanctions databases with the new Al-Qaida list. Failure to screen new and existing accounts could lead to regulatory action. The circular reinforces the strict compliance requirements under UAPA, 1967, including freezing of assets for listed entities.
What you must do
Update your bank's sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Conduct a one-time review of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier UAPA circulars.
Ensure Compliance/Principal Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular to the respective RBI Regional Office.
Who it affects
Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), State Co-operative Banks, Central Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers/Principal Officers of these banks
❓ Common questions
What is the source of the updated sanctions list?
The list is the UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee's Al-Qaida Sanctions List, available on the UN website at http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml.
What action is required for existing accounts that match the list?
Banks must freeze the funds, financial assets, or economic resources of such accounts as detailed in paragraph 6 of the earlier UAPA circulars referenced in the RBI directive.
Who needs to acknowledge receipt of this circular?
The Compliance Officer or Principal Officer of each RRB and co-op bank must send an acknowledgment to the concerned RBI Regional Office.
📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2011-12/574
RPCD.CO.RRB.RCB.AML.No.11991/07.02.12/2011-12
May 23, 2012
The Chairmen / CEOs of all Regional Rural Banks/
State and Central Co-operative Banks
Dear Sir,
Implementation of Section 51-A of UAPA, 1967-
Updates of the UNSCR 1267 (1999)/1989 (2011) Committee's
Al-Qaida Sanctions List
Please refer to our circular RPCD.CO.RRB.RCB.AML.No.11944/03.05.28 (A)/ 2011-12 dated May 22, 2012 . We have since received from Government of India, Ministry of External Affairs, UNP Division copy of note dated May 9, 2012 forwarded by the Chairman of UN Security Council's 1267/1989 Committee ( copy enclosed ) regarding changes made in the “Al-Qaida Sanctions List”, i.e. list of Individuals and entities linked to Al-Qaida.
2. All Regional Rural Banks / State and Central Co-operative Banks are required to update the list of individuals/entities as circulated by Reserve Bank and before opening any new account, it should be ensured that the name/s of the proposed customer does not appear in the list. Further, banks should scan all existing accounts to ensure that no account is held by or linked to any of the entities or individuals included in the list.
3 . Banks are advised to strictly follow the procedure laid down in the UAPA Order dated August 27, 2009 enclosed to our circular RPCD.CO.RRB.No.39/03.05.33 (E)/2009-10 dated November 05, 2009 and RPCD.CO.RF.AML. BC. No. 34/07.40.00/ 2009-10 dated October 29, 2009 and ensure meticulous compliance to the Order issued by the Government.
4. As far as freezing of funds, financial assets or economic resources or related services held in the form of bank accounts of the designated individuals/entities are concerned, action should be taken as detailed in paragraph 6 of the circulars mentioned in paragraph 3 above.
5. The complete details of the said list are available on the UN website:
http://www.un.org/sc/committees/1267/aq_sanctions_list.shtml
6. Compliance Officer/Principal Officer should acknowledge receipt of this circular letter to our concerned Regional Office.
Yours faithfully,
(I.S.Negi)
General Manager
Encl: As above
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2011-12/574 · issued 23 May 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
📜 Compliance
Update your bank's sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
Conduct a one-time review of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list.
Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier UAPA circulars.
Ensure Compliance/Principal Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular to the respective RBI Regional Office.
Grouped from the action items above — a single circular may involve more than one team.
Worked example & action-note template
Example: if you are a Compliance officer at a bank this circular applies to (Regional Rural Banks (RRBs), State Co-operative Banks, Central Co-operative Banks, Compliance Officers/Principal Officers of these banks), your first concrete step on “UAPA Section 51-A: Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for RRBs & Co-op Banks” is: “Update your bank's sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.” (RBI issued this 23 May 2012).
Circular: RBI/2011-12/574 -- UAPA Section 51-A: Update Al-Qaida Sanctions List for RRBs & Co-op Banks
Issued: 23 May 2012
Action required: Update your bank's sanctions list with the latest UNSCR 1267/1989 Al-Qaida list from the UN website.
Action required: Screen all new account applications against the updated list before opening accounts.
Action required: Conduct a one-time review of all existing accounts to identify any matches with the list.
Action required: Freeze funds and assets of any matched individuals/entities as per paragraph 6 of earlier UAPA circulars.
Action required: Ensure Compliance/Principal Officer acknowledges receipt of this circular to the respective RBI Regional Office.
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 03 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=7233&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.
Help us keep this accurate
Found an inaccuracy or have an improvement? Tell us. Every report is reviewed by our team before any change is made — nothing goes live unverified.
Public beta — plain-English informational summaries. Always verify against the official RBI source (circular number cited on every page) before making compliance, credit, treasury, audit, or operational decisions. · Join our WhatsApp channel ↗
BANKPULSE · FREE DAILY BRIEF
Get RBI updates for your role
Every important RBI update, decoded in plain English — for your career, exams & financial awareness.
We collect only your email, name and role, used solely to send your brief — never sold or shared. Withdraw anytime via the unsubscribe link in any email. Independent platform, not affiliated with the RBI. Information, not legal advice.
REPORT AN ERROR · BETA
Spotted an error? Earn 500 BankPulse Credits
Help us stay accurate. If your correction is verified true and approved by our founder, you earn 500 BankPulse Credits — redeemable when the platform monetises.
Reviewed by a human before any credit is awarded. We never change the site from crowd input without verification.
WANT A NEW FEATURE · BETA
What would make BankPulse more useful for you?
Tell us what to build next — a tool, a data view, a role page, anything. We read every suggestion.
Thank you — your ideas directly shape what we build.