HC asks banks to sensitise staff for good conduct, terms arrogance as threat

The Madras High Court has impressed upon the need for nationalised institutions such as the State Bank of India (SBI) to sensitise its staff towards the need to maintain good conduct with its customers. “The employees must be reminded that their salaries are paid from and out of the transactions made by the customers,” the court has said.

Justice S.M. Subramaniam made the observations after he came across a counter-affidavit filed on behalf of the SBI stating that stamp vendors can approach any other bank if they were not willing to pay cash-handling charges levied at the Treasury branch at Thousand Lights in Chennai for depositing money in the State government treasury.

“The above statement in the counter filed by the SBI is to be construed as an irresponsible statement. The SBI is a public sector bank and the authorities are public servants. The petitioners are depositing cash in the government accounts on behalf of the government through treasury challans issued to them.

“The statement portrays the administrative arrogance on the part of the authorities and the tenor of the statement is a threat to public administration as the stamp vendors have no option but to deposit money only in government accounts at SBI branches. Thus, this court is inclined to direct the Assistant General Manager, SBI, to initiate appropriate disciplinary proceedings,” the judge ordered.

Source : The Hindu