Kolkata, Nov 23 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court has asked banks to file reports in connection with abiding by an RBI circular to publish necessary documents at branches in trilingual languages, including the regional dialect.

The court noted that the State Bank of India and a few other lenders have already filed the reports over use of English, Hindi and the regional language concerned.

‘Bangla Pokkho Charitable Trust’, an NGO, had moved the high court seeking direction upon the banks to abide by the RBI circular, and use the regional language Bengali in all their branches in West Bengal.

A division bench presided by Acting Chief Justice Sujoy Paul directed that the matter will appear for hearing again in the first week of December, while asking the banks, which are yet to file their reports, to do so in the meantime.

The Punjab National Bank, in its report, had on September 15 stated before the court that it will follow the RBI circular and publish the necessary documents in trilingual languages.

The RBI advised lenders through a circular dated July 1, 2014, on customer service regarding use of regional languages in public and private sector banks to ensure displaying indicator boards at all the counters in English, Hindi as well as in the regional language concerned.

The central bank said in the circular that in order to ensure banking facilities percolate to the vast sections of the population, banks should make available all printed material used by retail customers in trilingual form.

It asked banks to provide customers with booklets consisting of all details of services and facilities in Hindi, English and the regional languages concerned. PTI AMR RBT

Banks must report on use of regional language at branches under trilingual publication guidance to improve customer access. Banks were directed to file reports on compliance with a circular requiring publication and display of customer-facing materials in English, Hindi and the regional language; the requirement covers indicator boards at counters, printed retail-customer materials and booklets in trilingual form, and banks yet to file reports were ordered to submit them before the next hearing to document adherence to the trilingual publication requirement.