The Reserve Bank of India has issued the Reserve Bank of India (Payments Banks – Internal Ombudsman) Directions, 2026 to strengthen customer grievance redress mechanisms in Payments Banks. The Directions focus on ensuring fair, transparent, and timely resolution of complaints in a digital and transaction-intensive banking environment.
Applicability
These Directions apply to Payments Banks having ten or more banking outlets in India as on March 31, 2025. Payments Banks meeting the criteria after this date will be required to comply within six months.
Amendments
The Directions introduce a separate and dedicated Internal Ombudsman framework for Payments Banks, replacing their earlier coverage under the common 2023 framework. Independent review of all partially resolved and rejected complaints has been made mandatory prior to closure. The framework also prescribes tenure and independence norms for Internal Ombudsman, strengthens Board oversight, and standardised reporting and escalation mechanisms.
Link – https://www.rbi.org.in/Scripts/NotificationUser.aspx?Id=13273&Mode=0
