Allahabad High Court Stays Termination of Bank of India Clerk Dismissed Over IBPS Based Verification
The Allahabad High Court has stayed the termination of a Bank of India clerk whose services were ended after IBPS detected alleged discrepancies in his recruitment records using AI-based photo verification. The Court has sought responses from the concerned parties and ordered that the bank’s termination order will remain stayed until the next hearing.
Background of the Case
The petitioner was selected for the post of Clerk through the Institute of Banking Personnel Selection (IBPS) recruitment process. Following his selection, Bank of India issued him an appointment letter on 12 June 2023, and his services were regularised with effect from 17 June 2023 through an order dated 28 February 2024.
During his service, IBPS conducted an enquiry and issued an order on 20 January 2026. According to the enquiry, the petitioner had allegedly appeared in previous IBPS Common Recruitment Process (CRP) examinations by using different personal details, including different names, father’s names and mother’s names. However, the photographs uploaded in those applications were found to be the same, identical or very similar.
Based on the IBPS findings, Bank of India issued a show-cause notice asking the employee to explain why his services should not be terminated. After considering his reply, the bank terminated his services through an order dated 26 May 2026, stating that his candidature under the IBPS CRP had been cancelled and, therefore, his appointment also stood withdrawn.
Employee Challenges AI-Based Findings
The petitioner’s senior counsel argued before the High Court that IBPS had reached its conclusions by using AI-based forensic tools for photo and image matching. According to the petitioner, such AI-based analysis alone cannot be treated as conclusive proof against him.
The petitioner also argued that even if any irregularity had occurred during the recruitment process, it would amount to gross misconduct under the applicable Bipartite Settlement governing bank employees. Therefore, before terminating his services, the bank should have conducted a regular disciplinary enquiry by following the prescribed procedure. Since no such enquiry was conducted, the termination order is legally unsustainable, the petitioner claimed.
The petitioner further submitted that the IBPS order itself did not direct or recommend that the bank should terminate his services. According to him, the bank wrongly interpreted the IBPS order while taking the decision to dismiss him.
High Court’s Order
After hearing both sides, the Allahabad High Court observed that the matter requires consideration. The Court directed that notices be issued to the remaining respondents and fixed 1 September 2026 as the next date of hearing.
The Court also directed both parties to exchange their affidavits before the next hearing. Most importantly, the Court ordered that the operation and effect of the Bank of India’s termination order dated 26 May 2026 shall remain stayed until the next date of listing.
