Allahabad High Court seeks RBI and government guidelines for coma patients' bank accounts

The Allahabad High Court has directed the Indian Central Government and the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to propose legislation or regulatory guidelines to manage bank accounts held by individuals in a coma. A bench comprising Justice Ajit Kumar and Justice Garima Prasad expressed concern that dependents of such patients are left “absolutely remediless,” often lacking the necessary funds to cover hospital expenses or household needs.

The court's intervention follows a petition filed by Parveen Jahan, who sought to access funds from her husband's account while he was in a comatose state; the account holder passed away during the legal proceedings. The court noted the need for a mechanism to release savings to dependents and suggested that the state could consider enforcing existing guidelines used in Kerala in the interim.

The Central Government and the RBI are required to file affidavits disclosing their positions or existing frameworks. The court warned it may summon responsible officers if responses are not provided. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on November 6.