The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has proposed new draft guidelines for bank dividend payouts, inviting public comments by February 5. The central bank suggests raising the dividend payout cap for commercial banks to 75% of net profit, from the current 40%, with payouts linked to capital adequacy ratios. Banks must meet regulatory capital requirements both before and after dividend distribution. The proposed rules, effective from FY 2026-27, also aim to ensure dividends are not paid from exceptional income and exclude certain bank types from the main framework.