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Bank Cheque Rules: In today's digital age, even though the trend of online transactions has increased, the importance of cheques has not diminished even today. Cheques are used a lot in business as well as personal transactions. You, too, must have given a cheque to someone at some time or taken it from someone. While filling in a cheque, we keep many things in mind, such as the name, account number, and amount. But there is one thing that almost everyone does. After writing the amount, write 'Only' (Keval/Maatra) and then draw a slanting line (/-). Have you ever wondered why this is done?

What is the secret of writing 'Only' on a cheque?

First of all, it is important to understand that writing 'Only' or 'Maatra' in Hindi after the amount on the cheque is not a mandatory rule of the bank. Even if you do not write this, your cheque will not bounce and the bank will accept it. But then the question arises, why have people been doing this for years? How much import-export between India and the USA? Which shares will be affected?

A small word of security

This small word makes your cheque very secure. When you write 'Only' after writing the amount in words, it means that the amount ends there and nothing more can be added after that. This reduces the scope of fraud to a great extent. 12 things changed from 1 August 2025, direct impact on your pocket!

Understand with an example.

Suppose you gave someone a cheque of 'Twenty Thousand' (twenty thousand). If you left a blank space after writing the amount in words, then anyone can cleverly make it 'Twenty Thousand Nine Hundred' by adding 'Nine Hundred' or something else before it. But if you have written 'Twenty Thousand Only', then there is no space left to add anything else.

What is the use of the oblique line (/-)?

Similarly, when you write an amount in digits, like 20,000/-, then a slanting line is drawn after it. This line has the same function as the word 'Only'. It prevents any kind of change after the digits. VIDEO- NSDL IPO Allotment: When and how to check the status?

How is fraud prevented?

If you write 20,000 and leave a blank space, then anyone can make it 2,00,000 by putting another '0' in front of it. But after writing 20,000/-, it becomes almost impossible to add any additional digit due to that line. This small precaution can save you lakhs of rupees.

Some more tips for the security of a cheque

Apart from 'Only' and slanting line, there are many ways to make the cheque secure. One of these is an 'Account Payee' cheque. You must have seen that many people draw two parallel diagonal lines on the upper left corner of the cheque.

What is the meaning of drawing two lines?

Drawing these two lines means that the cheque has become 'account payee'. This simply means that the money from this cheque will not be available at the cash counter. The money will be deposited only in the bank account of the person in whose name the cheque has been drawn.

Why is it beneficial to write 'Account Payee'?

Many times, people also write 'Account Payee' or 'A/C Payee' between these two lines. This adds another layer of security. Even if such a cheque is ever lost, the person who gets it will not be able to deposit it in their account, because the name on the cheque is of someone else. This keeps your money completely safe.

When do you get the cheque signed on the back?

You might have also seen that when someone else goes to encash your bearer cheque in the bank, the bank employees get him to sign on the back of the cheque. This is done so that the bank has a record of who the money has been given to. It protects the bank from any kind of liability.

Is it legally mandatory to write 'Only'?
As mentioned earlier, the use of 'Only' or the slanted line is not legally mandatory. It is a good practice adopted in financial transactions, which has been followed for decades to make the transaction secure. The bank does not force you to do this, but it is always better to do so for your own safety.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from Zee Business. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.