Following its Press Release of January 24, 2014, the Reserve Bank of India has extended the date for exchanging the pre-2005 banknotes to January 01, 2015. It has also advised banks to facilitate the exchange of these notes for full value and without causing any inconvenience whatsoever to the public. The Reserve Bank solicits the cooperation of the public in withdrawing these notes from circulation by exchanging them at a bank branch convenient to them.

This withdrawal exercise is in conformity with the standard international practice of not having multiple series of notes in circulation at the same time. A majority of such notes have already been withdrawn through the banks and only a limited number of notes remain with the public.

The Reserve Bank clarifies that the public can continue to freely use these notes for any transaction and can unhesitatingly receive these notes in payment, as all such notes continue to remain legal tender.

The Reserve Bank will continue to monitor and review the process so that the public is not inconvenienced in any manner.

Alpana Killawala

Principal Chief General Manager

Legal tender status preserved; exchange process extended and banks must facilitate full-value exchanges without public inconvenience. Extension of the exchange period requires banks to accept and exchange pre-2005 banknotes for full value and to facilitate such exchanges without causing public inconvenience. These pre-2005 notes continue to remain legal tender and may be freely used and received in transactions. The Reserve Bank will monitor and review the exchange process and solicits public cooperation in returning these notes to the banking system.