Have a look at the note below. It has a scribble on its water mark, albeit in pencil, (the days of pen marking seem to be over) of “4,88, My”. This interestingly on a a new 2000 Rupee note drawn from an ATM of the ICICI Bank. Obviously since it’s not a love story as could be seen on notes in the past, and seems to be a count, they must be the markings of a bank official either of the same bank or one of the previous banks it passed through. The RBI has discouraged this practice among bank officials time and again, starting in 2001, when it brought out its clean note policy.

The Clean Note Policy was first initiated in 2001 and was reiterated time and again by the RBI, the last time on May 10th 2013. The Circular, available on the RBI’s website is reproduced below.

RBI/2012-13/500
DCM (NPD) No.5133/ 09.39.000/2012-13
May 10, 2013
The Chairman and Managing Director / The Chief Executive Officer
All Banks (including Co-operative banks and RRBs)

Madam / Dear Sir

Clean Note Policy

In recent periods, instances of certain branches of banks continues to follow old practices like stapling, writing number of note pieces in loose packets on watermark window of notes disfiguring the watermark impression and rendering it difficult for easy recognition have come to our notice. Further, it has also been observed that certain bank branches do not sort notes into re-issuable and non-issuable, and issue soiled notes to public. Such practices are against the “Clean Note Policy” of Reserve Bank of India.

2. In this connection we invite a reference to Reserve Bank of India’s Directive DBOD No. Dir. BC. 43/13.03.00/2001-02 dated November 7, 2001 and reiterate that:
a) banks should do away with stapling of any note packet and instead secure note packets with paper bands,
b) banks should sort notes into re-issuable and non-issuable, and issue only clean notes to public; and,
c) banks should forthwith stop writing of any kind on watermark window of bank notes.

Yours faithfully
(B. P. Vijayendra)
Chief General Manager

The tradition of scribbling on currency notes, especially lovers’ names, has been around for quite some time. In fact, even Emraan Hashmi promoted this in his movie ‘Tumsa Nahin Dekha: A Love Story’ where he proclaims his love for Dia Mirza on a banknote. But it has been discouraged virulently on the social media – both on Facebook and WhatsApp – especially with regard to the new 2000 rupee note.  In fact in December of last year, exactly one year ago, a message began circulating on social media that the RBI would not accept written on currency. This like most social media messages, especially in the wake of demonetisation, turned out to be a false.

Indeed while the RBI discourages scribbling on currency, whether by bank officials or the public, it is still legal tender. The Clean Note Policy urged the public to not write on the banknotes and instructed banks exchange soiled and mutilated notes without any restriction.  The RBI also ordered the banks to give out to public only good quality banknotes and coins. From November 2001, banks were instructed to “do away with stapling of note packets and to introduce banding the packets with paper/polythene bands so that the life of the currency notes is increased.”

So it’s not illegal, and won’t get you into jail, but its best avoided. It’s like contaminating what you eat before you eat it. It’s still edible, but not as pure!