Banking operations across the country have come to a scheduled standstill today, Saturday, September 26, 2026, as all commercial, public, and private lending institutions observe their mandatory fourth Saturday holiday. Under established Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday guidelines, banking establishments throughout all states and union territories remain fully closed on the second and fourth Saturdays of every calendar month. Major lenders including State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, and regional rural banks have suspended all physical branch-level operations, check clearances, and over-the-counter transactions for the day, leaving digital mobile banking apps, UPI gateways, and automated teller machine (ATM) networks functional for retail electronic cash flow.

Special Sunday Opening: Branches to Function Normally on September 27

In an unusual operational adjustment designed to safeguard retail customers and commercial enterprises, the Department of Financial Services has mandated that bank branches open and operate normally on Sunday, September 27. The weekend branch opening provides a critical window for individuals, small traders, and corporate account holders to process high-value drafts, cash deposits, and urgent physical paperwork that would otherwise be delayed. Both public sector undertakings and regional rural lenders will deploy staff across frontline counters on Sunday, ensuring regular business hours so that depositors do not face disruptions ahead of an extended disruption next week.

UFBU Calls 3-Day Nationwide Strike from September 28 to 30

The decision to keep branches active on Sunday comes directly in response to a massive, three-day nationwide strike announced by the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU), running from Monday, September 28 through Wednesday, September 30. Representing a vast coalition of officer associations and employee unions across nationalized banks, the UFBU has called for a total cessation of administrative work to press for long-standing charter demands. Because the planned three-day strike immediately follows the fourth Saturday holiday, bank management and regulatory authorities arranged the Sunday operational window to clear pending clearinghouse backlogs and prevent a paralyzing five-day liquidity freeze for the public.

RBI Calendar and Weekend Regulations for Indian Banking

Under the standard framework governing Indian financial institutions, bank branches are open for regular commercial activity on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of any given month, while the second and fourth Saturdays are recognized statutory closures under the Negotiable Instruments Act. Although physical branch counters remain locked today, online real-time gross settlement (RTGS), national electronic funds transfer (NEFT), immediate payment service (IMPS), and UPI applications continue to function uninterrupted without weekend downtime, allowing account holders to complete digital payments seamlessly until physical branch counters reopen on Sunday morning.