The Reserve Bank of India on Monday denied reports claiming that the photos of Nobel laureate Rabindranath Tagore and former President APJ Abdul Kalam will be added alongside Mahatma Gandhi in existing currency notes.

Media reports, citing government sources, had said that the Union finance ministry and the Reserve Bank of India were considering using pictures of Tagore and Kalam on banknotes of certain denominations.

The reports had claimed that the design of three new watermark samples consisting of pictures of Gandhi, Tagore and Kalam had received official approval.

“There are reports in certain sections of the media that the Reserve Bank of India is considering changes to the existing currency and banknotes by replacing the face of Mahatma Gandhi with that of others,” the central bank said on Monday. “It may be noted that there is no such proposal in the Reserve Bank.”

The Reserve Bank of India has printed Indian currency with Mahatma Gandhi’s image since 1996, when the “Gandhi Series” of notes was issued.