Section 23 of the Act requires prior permission of the Reserve Bank for opening new places of business. However, the proviso permits opening, without such permission, a temporary place of business on the occasion of an exhibition, conference, mela or like occasion within a city, town or village where the bank already has a place of business, for a period not exceeding:

The proviso to Section 23(1) states that nothing in that sub-section shall apply to the opening, for a period not exceeding one month, of a temporary place of business within a city, town or village (or its environs) within which the banking company already has a place of business, for affording banking facilities to the public on the occasion of an exhibition, a conference or a mela or any other like occasion. This narrow exemption recognises the temporary and event-linked nature of such facilities. Outside this exemption, opening a new place of business or relocating an existing one (other than within the same city, town or village) requires prior RBI permission.