The following provisions will apply for opening the Bank Account and withdrawal of pension by old, sick, incapacitated and handicapped pensioners :-

1. Opening the Account :

In case of a pensioner who has lost both his hands and, therefore, cannot sign, his signature can be obtained by means of a mark. This mark can be placed by the persons in any manner. It could be toe impression. It can be by means of mark which anybody can put on pensioner’s behalf, the mark being put by an instrument which has had a physical contact with the person who has to sign.

2. Withdrawal of money from the account :

The following method will be adopted in case of sick, incapacitated handicapped pensioners :-

• Pensioner who is too ill to sign a cheque and can not be physically present in the bank to withdraw money from his account, but can put his thumb/toe impression on the cheque /withdrawal form. In this case, the thumb or tow impression should be identified by two independent witnesses known to the bank, one of whom should be responsible bank official.
• Pensioner who is not only unable to be physically present in the bank, but is also not even able to put his thumb/toe impression on the cheque/withdrawal form due to certain physical defect/ incapacity. In this case a mark can be obtained on the cheque/withdrawal form in the same manner as described in sub- para (1) above. That mark should be identified by two independent witnesses one of whom should be a responsible bank official.
• In both the cases mentioned above, the pensioner might also be asked to indicate to the Bank as to who would withdraw pension amount from the bank on the basis of cheque/ withdrawal form as obtained above and that person should be identified by two independent witnesses. The person who is actually drawing the money from the bank should be asked to furnish his signatures to the bank.

RBI Guidelines on the operation of Bank Accounts by Sick & Disabled