RBI rejects India Bulls-Lakshmi Vilas Bank merger

Mumbai: The Reserve Bank of India on Wednesday rejected the merger of Lakshmi Vilas Bank and India Bulls Housing Finance Ltd, months after the bank had sought its approval on May 7.

"The RBI vide their letter dated October 9, 2019, informed that the application for voluntary amalgamation of Indiabulls Housing Finance Ltd and Indiabulls Commercial Credit Ltd with the Lakshmi Vilas Bank (LVB) cannot be approved," Lakshmi Vilas Bank said in a statement.

The crucial merger was for Indianbulls was to diversify its asset while for Lakshmi Vilas Bank, running in loss for five successive quarters, it was to raise capital to come out of the lending curbs.

The board of directors of the bank on April 5 had approved a scheme of amalgamation with Indiabulls Housing Finance.