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Deadline to exchange defaced currency notes extended by 3 months, says CBSL
View(s):The deadline to hand over intentionally mutilated, altered or defaced currency notes has been extended till March 31,the Central of Bank of Sri Lanka (CBSL) announced last evening. The earlier deadline was today.
The Central Bank had warned that no bank would accept such currency notes after the expiration of the deadline and urged the public to exchange any damaged or altered notes at the nearest branch of a licensed commercial bank.
Superintendent of Currency, Deepa Seneviratne yesterday told the Sunday Times that the CBSL decided to extend the deadline due to appeals made by the public. The Central Bank’s announcement that banks will not accept such currency notes after December 31, saw many people these past few days at banks trying to exchange their damaged and altered notes. A large number, however, had been unable to exchange their notes in time and had wanted the deadline extended, she said.
Banks too had found it difficult to cope with the large numbers of people who had come to exchange their notes in a last minute panic.
“Given these factors, the CBSL has decided to extend the deadline by a further three months. We urge the public to make full use of this opportunity and exchange any mutilated, altered or defaced currency notes at the nearest bank branch as soon as possible without waiting till the last minute,” Ms Seneviratne added.