The RBI will release the new Rs 50 and Rs 200 denomination notes on Friday, August 25. (Express photo by Amit Chakravarty)

In what can be considered a serious security breach, a man in Mumbai has been found in possession of the Rs 50 note which is yet to be released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). The Indian Express has put up an image of the man along with the Rs 50 note. How and where he procured the note is unclear as it has not even been released to the public yet! Government officials have confirmed to the Indian Express that the new Rs 50 note of the Mahatma Gandhi (new) series will be issued by the RBI soon. The new bank notes will have the signature of the incumbent RBI Governor Urjit Patel. The new note has the motif of Hampi with Chariot on the reverse, depicting the country’s cultural heritage. RBI has kept the base colour of the note Fluorescent Blue and it also has other designs, geometric patterns aligning with the overall colour scheme, both at the obverse and reverse and the note will have a dimension of 66 mm x 135 mm, according to the Reserve Bank of India.

The RBI will release the new Rs 50 and Rs 200 denomination notes on Friday, August 25. All old Rs 50 banknotes will continue to be legal tender. The new notes will be available in ATM machines from that day onwards. The new Rs 200 note has been introduced to aid in the day-to day transactions and to help replenish the reduction of the new Rs 500 notes which were introduced post demonetisation. These Rs 200 notes will have bright yellow base colour and a motif of Sanchi Stupa, as per the RBI.