RBI goes live with Ombudsman Scheme for redressal of complaints against payment players

The RBI Scheme will provide a free-of-cost and expeditious complaint redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in customer services in digital transactions.

The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on Thursday announced that it has launched the Ombudsman Scheme for Digital Transactions (OSDT) for redressal of complaints regarding digital transactions undertaken by customers of system participants.

Under the scheme, the RBI describes a system participant as any person/entity other than a bank participating in a payment system. The apex bank first announced the scheme as a part of its Monetary Policy Statement on December 5, last year.

Explaining the scheme in the current notification, the apex bank said,

“The Scheme, launched under Section 18 of the Payment and Settlement Systems Act, 2007, will provide a cost-free and expeditious complaint redressal mechanism relating to deficiency in customer services in digital transactions conducted through non-bank entities regulated by the RBI.”

The RBI also said that the complaints relating to digital transactions conducted through banks will continue to be handled under the Banking Ombudsman Scheme.

Further, the offices of Ombudsman for Digital Transactions will function from the existing 21 offices of the Banking Ombudsman, and will handle complaints of customers from their respective territorial jurisdiction.

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As a part of the scheme, the RBI is expected to appoint one or more of its officers in the rank of Chief General Manager or General Manager to be known as Ombudsman for Digital Transactions to carry out the functions entrusted to them. The appointment of Ombudsman for Digital Transactions under the above Clause may be made for a period not exceeding three years at a time.

The office of the Ombudsman for Digital Transactions shall be located at such places as may be specified by the Reserve Bank.

In this regard, the Reserve Bank notification stated,

“In order to expedite disposal of complaints, the Ombudsman for Digital Transactions may hold sittings at such places within his or her area of jurisdiction as may be considered necessary and proper by him/her with respect to a complaint or reference before him or her.”

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