HC orders notice to Centre, RBI on plea for security at ATMs

MADURAI: The Madras High Court Bench here has ordered issuance of notice to Union Home Secretary and the RBI among others on a PIL seeking posting of security guards, aged not more than 45, in all ATM kiosks in view of robberies, including the recent brutal attack on a woman in Bangalore.

Chief Justice Rajesh Kumar Agrawal and Justice M Jeychandran also ordered notice to Reserve Bank of India Governor, Union Finance Secretary and state officials on the petition by law student C Anandraj.

The petitioner also sought a direction to install Closed Circuit TV (CCTV) cameras, burglar alarms with sensors linking to the nearest police station and the bank branches.

The petitioner submitted that in Chennai alone 40 per cent of the ATM kiosks did not have security guards and more than 60 banks had not installed CCTV cameras. So far 38 ATM robberies had taken place.

He contended that in Bangalore where a woman manager of Corporation Bank was attacked in an ATM kiosk, as many as 600 ATM kiosks did not have security guards.

Quoting huge profits earned by banks including the Corporation bank, he wondered why they were not spending money for providing security to the ATMs.

The Reserve Bank should direct the banks to appoint trained security guards below the age of 45 years and install CCTV cameras and burglar alarms, the petitioner said.

It was the duty of the banks to provide security to the customers visiting the ATMs, he said and sought the court's direction.