Are All Government Banks Closed Every Saturday from September 30

A circulating circular purportedly issued by the Ministry of Finance has triggered widespread confusion across social media platforms, alleging that the central government has mandated a permanent five-day working week for all public sector banks, including the State Bank of India (SBI), effective September 30, 2026. The fabricated document, cited under notification number SO 4275(E) attributed to the Department of Financial Services (DFS), claims that every Saturday has been declared a statutory weekly holiday under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. However, an independent fact-check of government gazettes, Press Information Bureau (PIB) releases, and Reserve Bank of India (RBI) directives confirms that this viral notification is entirely bogus, unverified, and misleading.The Anatomy of the Viral Hoax: Fake Circular SO 4275(E) ExposedThe misleading claim spread rapidly across messaging applications and digital forums following recent trade union discussions:Fabricated DFS Order: The viral graphic displays an official-looking notification attributed to the Department of Financial Services, claiming all nationalized commercial banks would shutter operations on every Saturday with immediate effect.Misuse of the Negotiable Instruments Act: The circular references Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (erroneously referred to in posts as the Exchange Act), which governs declarations of public banking holidays.Absence from Official Gazettes: Comprehensive cross-checks against official repositories maintained by the Ministry of Finance, the Department of Financial Services, and the e-Gazette portal confirm that no such notification was ever issued or enacted into law.Five-Day Banking Week: Where Does the Union Demand Actually Stand?While a transition to a universal five-day banking week remains an active talking point within the financial industry, no regulatory approval has been signed:Pending Demand of Bank Unions: The implementation of a five-day working week was a core demand during September 2026 negotiations between bank employee unions and government representatives.High-Level Committee Formed to Avert Strike: To call off a proposed three-day nationwide bank strike slated for September 28 to 30, the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) agreed to set up a high-level joint committee to evaluate the feasibility of declaring remaining Saturdays as holidays.No Final Implementation: The formation of a deliberative committee confirms that five-day banking has merely been placed under formal review and was never approved for immediate rollout on September 30.Special Sunday Operations: Underscoring that standard schedules remained active, the Finance Ministry had earlier directed public sector banks and Regional Rural Banks (RRBs) to function normally on Sunday, September 27, to prevent public transaction backlogs ahead of the union talks.Current Operating Norms: The Official RBI Saturday Holiday ScheduleThe regulatory framework established by the Reserve Bank of India in 2015 remains fully operational across all public and private banking institutions in India:Saturday of the MonthBranch StatusRegulatory Classification1st SaturdayOpenFull Regular Working Day2nd SaturdayClosedMandatory Public Holiday3rd SaturdayOpenFull Regular Working Day4th SaturdayClosedMandatory Public Holiday5th Saturday (when applicable)OpenFull Regular Working DayIn an official statement released via PIB on September 21, 2026, the Ministry of Finance reiterated that statutory branch closures are strictly restricted to the second and fourth Saturdays, designating the first, third, and fifth Saturdays as essential customer-service working days.Final Verdict: Viral Post Is Entirely FalseThe claim that all public sector banks, including SBI, will remain closed on every Saturday starting from September 30, 2026, is completely false. Customers and account holders are advised to ignore unverified social media forwards and consult official updates directly from the Reserve Bank of India or their respective bank websites for authorized holiday announcements.