New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday (February 11) set aside an order of the Gauhati High Court directing banks to deploy security guards round the clock at all ATMs to ensure one customer entry at a time.
A bench comprising Justice Justice BR Gavai and Justice K Vinod Chandran set aside the High Court order while hearing an appeal filed by several banks, including State Bank of India and Punjab National Bank.
Apex court agreed with the submissions made by banks
The bench agreed with the submissions of banks that it was not practical to depute security guards round the clock at all ATMs.
The top court had, while hearing the appeals of the bank, earlier in December 2016 stayed the High Court order.
What did the banks submit?
Solicitor General of India Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the appellant banks requested the bench to make its 2016 interim order absolute, submitting that the direction by the High Court to deploy security guards in all ATMs was not practical.
“In Assam, we have around 4,000 ATMs. We cannot have one security guard at all the ATMs. The worldwide recognised system is to have CCTVs,” Mehta said and added that the banks had no grievance in following the other December 2013 directions issued by the high court concerning security protocols for proper functioning of ATMs.
The apex court, after hearing submissions, allowed the petition by appellants and set aside the direction issued by the high court.
High Court order was passed on a suo motu cognisance
The direction by the High Court was passed on a suo motu cognisance taken on the basis of a newspaper report over an alleged ATM fraud in which a person lost Rs 35,000.
“Place security guards round the clock at all ATMs so that proper queues are enforced and to ensure that only one customer can enter for one ATM, at a time,” the High Court order said.
