A viral Gazette-style notification claiming that the Central Government has declared every Saturday a public holiday for all Public Sector Banks, including SBI, is fake. The purported notification, shown as S.O. 4275(E) dated September 30, 2026, has not been issued by the Ministry of Finance. The existing arrangement of bank holidays on the second and fourth Saturdays continues, while the demand for a five-day banking week remains under discussion.
A purported Gazette of India notification circulating widely on social media claiming that the Government has declared every Saturday a public holiday for Public Sector Banks, including State Bank of India, is fake.
The viral document has been designed to resemble an official Gazette notification of the Ministry of Finance, Department of Financial Services. It carries the date September 30, 2026 and purported notification number S.O. 4275(E).
The document claims that, by exercising powers under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, the Central Government has declared every Saturday a public holiday for all Public Sector Banks, including SBI, with immediate effect.
However, no such notification has been issued by the Ministry of Finance, and the claim circulating with the purported Gazette has been debunked.
At present, the existing banking arrangement continues under which the second and fourth Saturdays of every month are bank holidays, while other Saturdays remain working days, subject to applicable local holidays. The Government had earlier clarified the existing Saturday-holiday arrangement while discussions surrounding the demand for a five-day banking week continued.
The issue of making all Saturdays bank holidays has been under discussion between bank employee organisations and the Indian Banks' Association. A high-level committee was constituted to consider issues connected with the demand, but the constitution of such a committee does not amount to Government approval of a five-day banking week.
Important Advisory
Bank customers, professionals and businesses should not rely on the viral Gazette image for planning banking transactions. Any change of this nature should be verified through an official Government notification or communication from the Ministry of Finance/Department of Financial Services.
Current position: There is no Government notification making every Saturday a bank holiday, and the viral notification dated September 30, 2026 should not be treated as genuine. CA Sansaar