🚨 Forced Late Sittings in the Garb of Compliance?
AIBOBOU Raises the Alarm on “Day-End Restriction” Policy in Bank of Baroda
Date: 31 October 2025
Source: All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union (Affiliated to AIBOA)
Â
⚠️ A Cry Against “Compliance Through Coercion”
In a strongly worded representation to the Chief General Manager (HRM) of Bank of Baroda, the All India Bank of Baroda Officers’ Union (AIBOBOU) has expressed serious apprehension over a new directive that ties “Day-End restrictions” in CBS branches to CKYC compliance pendency.
Under this policy, branches with unresolved CKYC cases face automatic system lockouts — effectively compelling officers to remain in office late into the evening to clear technical backlogs.
While the move is being portrayed as a push for regulatory discipline, the Union warns that it has transformed into a form of coercive working condition, jeopardizing work-life balance, morale, and mental health of bank officers.
đź“Ś The Core Issue
The “Day-End restriction” locks CBS operations until CKYC pending uploads are cleared.
On paper, the restriction lifts automatically after compliance.
In reality, however, the process depends on a web of systems outside the officer’s control:
CKYC registry downtime and poor bandwidth—especially in rural branches.
Image scanning, syncing, and data mismatch delays.
Technical errors requiring customer re-verification, impossible after branch hours.
AIBOBOU calls the move punitive rather than facilitative, arguing that compliance cannot be enforced through fear.
🧩 Ground-Level Complications
Through feedback from the field, the Union highlights several structural and infrastructural hurdles:
Bandwidth failures in rural and semi-urban centers.
Manpower shortages, with officers juggling multiple roles.
Frequent CKYC rejections for reasons beyond officer control.
Unfair accountability norms requiring officers to justify “delayed” uploads to higher offices.
The letter urges management to recognize these as systemic issues — not individual negligence.
⚖️ HR & Industrial Relations Fallout
AIBOBOU warns that the directive, in its current form, institutionalizes forced late sittings and breaches established HR frameworks under the IBA service conditions.
“It erodes morale and creates the impression that regulatory compliance is achieved through coercion rather than coordination,”
the Union writes.
The letter also questions whether the Competent Authority’s decision (dated 26 June 2025) fully assessed the human impact of the policy.
🕊️ The Union’s Demands
The AIBOBOU has proposed a constructive 5-point roadmap to resolve the issue:
Immediate suspension of the Day-End restriction until a fair system study is conducted.
Constitution of a Joint Working Group with HRM, Operations, and Union representatives.
Manpower and infrastructure support in chronically affected branches.
Alternative monitoring tools such as MIS dashboards instead of system lockouts.
Clear HRM directives ensuring no officer is forced to stay beyond working hours for CKYC compliance.
💬 “Compliance Must Be Collaborative, Not Coercive”
The Union reiterates its full commitment to regulatory compliance and integrity but insists that the burden of system inefficiencies cannot be shifted onto individual officers.
“Our call is for compliance through support, not suppression,”
said Com. K. Srinivasarao, General Secretary, AIBOBOU.
The letter concludes with an appeal to the Bank’s top management to review the directive urgently, before it damages industrial relations and staff morale further.
🧠Why This Matters
This episode reflects a larger debate across public sector banks — balancing regulatory stringency with humane HR practices. While digital compliance is non-negotiable, enforcing it through system-based lockouts risks alienating the very workforce that sustains the institution’s credibility.
#BankofBaroda #AIBOBOU #OfficerRights #WorkLifeBalance #CKYC #HRReform #PublicSectorEthos #BankingCompliance #AIBOA #StopForcedLateSittings