HomeCirculars › RBI/2012-13/82

Master Circular on Nomination for Relief/Savings Bonds

Current · Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/82 · issued 02 Jul 2012 · ~2 min read
Quick answerRBI consolidated all nomination rules for Relief/Savings Bonds into one master circular. Investors can nominate one or more persons (including NRIs for 8% Taxable Bonds) before maturity. Agency banks must issue an acknowledgement. No nomination allowed for minor-held or fiduciary accounts.
The rule, in the simplest words
How it plays out — a real example

An agency-banking (government business) officer in Indore, working at the State Bank of India, helps a customer nominate her grandson as the beneficiary of her Relief/Savings bond, ensuring that he will receive the bond and its payment in case of her passing, and then issues an 'Acknowledgement of Nomination' to confirm the nomination. The officer also explains that the customer can change or cancel the nomination at any time by making a new nomination in writing.

What changed

RBI issued a master circular (DGBA.CDD No. H-8574/13.01.299/2012-13) consolidating all prior instructions on nomination for Relief/Savings Bonds up to June 30, 2012. This replaces the earlier master circular of July 1, 2011. The key provisions remain unchanged: nomination is allowed for sole or joint holders (except promissory notes or bearer bonds), can be made before maturity, and can be varied or cancelled by a fresh nomination in writing.

What it means for you

For banks and authorized agencies, this circular simplifies compliance by providing a single reference document for nomination procedures. It ensures uniformity across all agency banks for handling nominations, including for NRIs in the 8% Savings (Taxable) Bonds scheme. Banks must update their internal manuals and train staff on the consolidated rules to avoid errors in processing nominations and payments.

What you must do

Who it affects

State Bank of India and Associates, All nationalized banks (excluding Punjab and Sind Bank & Andhra Bank), Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd. (SCHIL), Investors in Relief/Savings Bonds

❓ Common questions

Can I nominate an NRI for my 8% Savings (Taxable) Bonds?

Yes, the circular allows sole or joint holders of 8% Savings (Taxable) Bonds, 2003 to nominate an NRI. However, remittance of interest or maturity proceeds will follow the regulations applicable to NRIs.

What happens if I transfer my bond to someone else?

Any existing nomination automatically stands cancelled when the holder transfers the certificate to another party. You would need to make a fresh nomination after the transfer.

Can I nominate a minor as a nominee?

Yes, you can nominate a minor. In that case, you must appoint a person (who is not a minor) to receive the bond proceeds on behalf of the minor nominee in the event of your death during the minor's minority.

📜 Read the original circular — full text as issued by RBI
RBI/2012-13/82 DGBA.CDD No. H –8574/13.01.299/2012-13 July 2, 2012 Ashadha 10, 1934 (S) The Chairman /Managing Director Head Office (Government Accounts Department) State Bank of India and Associates All Nationalized banks (Excluding Punjab and Sind Bank & Andhra Bank) Axis Bank Ltd./ICICI Bank Ltd./HDFC Bank Ltd./ Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd.(SCHIL) Dear Sir/Madam, Master Circular on Nomination facility in Relief/Savings bonds Please refer to our Master Circular No. RBI/2011-12/96 dated July 1, 2011 on the above subject. 2. In order to facilitate availability of all the current operative instructions on the above subject at one place, a Master Circular incorporating instructions issued up to June 30, 2012 is enclosed. The same has also been placed on RBI website http:// www.rbi.org.in Yours faithfully, (Sangeeta Lalwani) General Manager Encl. Three sheets MASTER CIRCULAR RELIEF/SAVINGS BOND SCHEMES NOMINATION FACILITY A sole holder or all the joint holders (investors) of a Relief/Savings bond other than in the form of promissory note or bearer bond may nominate one or more persons who in the event of death of the sole holder/all the joint holders, as the case may be, would be entitled to the Relief/Savings bond and to the payment thereon, provided that the person or each of the persons nominated is himself/herself competent to hold a similar bond. The nomination should be made before maturity of the bond. When nomination has been made in favour of two or more nominees, in the event of the death of either or any of them, the surviving nominee or nominees, as the case may be, shall be entitled to the Relief/Savings bond and payment thereon. A nomination made by the holder(s) of a Relief/Savings bond may be varied or cancelled by making a fresh nomination in the prescribed manner and intimating the same in writing to the designated branch of the authorised public/private sector bank. If the nominee is a minor, the holder(s) of the Relief/Savings bond may appoint any person, not being a minor, to receive the proceeds of a Relief/Savings bond on behalf of the nominee in the event of his/her/their death during the minority of the nominee. The investor(s) can make separate nomination for each investment in a Bond Ledger Account (BLA) (subject to 2 above). Agency banks to issue ‘Acknowledgement of Nomination.' In case of 8 % Savings (Taxable) Bonds, 2003 (currently the only scheme open for subscription) the sole holder or all the joint holders can also nominate a Non-resident Indian (NRI) as his/her/their nominee(s) and remittance of interest payment and/or maturity value, as the case may be, will be governed by the regulations as applicable to NRIs. Exceptions – No nomination is permissible in the following cases When the BLA is held by an adult on behalf of a minor; When the holder has no beneficial interest in the BLA but holds it in an official or fiduciary capacity. Cancellation of Nomination - A nomination previously made will stand automatically cancelled - If the holder(s) applies to the agency banks for substitution or cancellation of the nomination and the substitution or cancellation is duly registered by the office; If the holder(s) transfers the Certificate to another party. The various circulars/instructions issued by RBI based on which the above Master Circular is prepared are listed below: Ref. 'Memorandum of Procedure' for Relief bonds. Ref.CO.DT.13.01.201/4087/2000-01 dated 16.2.2001 Ref.CO.DT.13.01.201/4854/2000-01 dated 19.3.2001 Ref.CO.DT.13.01.298/H-3410/2003-04 dated 20.12.2003 Ref.CO.DT.13.01.299/H-3426/2003-04 dated 20.12.2003 Ref. DGBA.CDD. No.H-2173/13.01.299/2008-09 dated 2.9.2008 (In case detailed clarifications are required on specific issues, the circulars indicated above may please be referred to)
Reproduced for reference with acknowledgment — Source: Reserve Bank of India · RBI/2012-13/82 · issued 02 Jul 2012. The plain-English explanation above is BankPulse’s own independent summary.
🧰 Tools — save, print, templates & related
Who does what — compliance checklist
🏦 Branch Manager
  • Ensure all agency bank branches issue an 'Acknowledgement of Nomination' to investors as required.
📜 Compliance
  • Update internal operating manuals with the consolidated nomination rules from this master circular.
  • Train staff on the specific provisions for NRI nominations in 8% Savings (Taxable) Bonds and the automatic cancellation of nomination upon transfer or substitution.
  • Verify that no nomination is accepted for Bond Ledger Accounts held by an adult on behalf of a minor or in a fiduciary capacity.
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 (State Bank of India and Associates, All nationalized banks (excluding Punjab and Sind Bank & Andhra Bank), Axis Bank, ICICI Bank, HDFC Bank, Stock Holding Corporation of India Ltd. (SCHIL), Investors in Relief/Savings Bonds), your first concrete step on “Master Circular on Nomination for Relief/Savings Bonds” is: “Update internal operating manuals with the consolidated nomination rules from this master circular.” (RBI issued this 02 Jul 2012).

  1. Circular: RBI/2012-13/82 -- Master Circular on Nomination for Relief/Savings Bonds
  2. Issued: 02 Jul 2012
  3. Action required: Update internal operating manuals with the consolidated nomination rules from this master circular.
  4. Action required: Ensure all agency bank branches issue an 'Acknowledgement of Nomination' to investors as required.
  5. Action required: Train staff on the specific provisions for NRI nominations in 8% Savings (Taxable) Bonds and the automatic cancellation of nomination upon transfer or substitution.
  6. Action required: Verify that no nomination is accepted for Bond Ledger Accounts held by an adult on behalf of a minor or in a fiduciary capacity.
  7. Owner: ____________ Target date: ____________
  8. Board/committee approval needed? Y / N
  9. 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.

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Official RBI source: https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=7343&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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