A purported government gazette notification had been widely shared on social media over the past few days. It claimed that all government banks, including SBI, would now remain closed every Saturday. On 1 October 2026, the Press Information Bureau’s (PIB) fact-checking unit declared the document fake and clarified that the Finance Ministry had not issued any such notification.
The viral document was dated 30 September 2026 and had been prepared to resemble an official gazette issued in the name of the Finance Ministry’s Department of Financial Services. Citing Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, it stated that every Saturday would be a public holiday for all public-sector banks.
What PIB Fact Check said
In its post, PIB Fact Check said the circulating document was fake and that the Finance Ministry had not issued any notification declaring every Saturday a public holiday at government banks. The agency has urged people to verify any government-related information through official channels before forwarding it. Suspicious posts concerning the central government can also be reported to PIB Fact Check.
What is the current rule on Saturday holidays?
On 20 August 2015, the central government issued a notification under Section 25 of the same Act, which has been in effect since 1 September 2015. Under it, the second and fourth Saturdays of every month are public holidays for banks. The remaining Saturdays—the first, third and fifth—are working days, provided no other declared holiday falls on them. PIB’s denial makes it clear that this arrangement has not changed for now.
The fake gazette circulated at a time when bank employee organisations have been demanding a five-day banking week. According to a Business Today report, the United Forum of Bank Unions, a joint platform of seven major unions representing around 8 lakh bank employees and officers, has been raising this demand since 2015. The report says the Indian Banks’ Association has formed a high-level committee on the issue, while the final decision rests with the Reserve Bank and the Finance Ministry. In other words, no government order has been issued on this demand so far.
Bank customers should therefore plan Saturday visits according to the existing rules. For accurate holiday information, consult the Reserve Bank’s holiday list, your bank’s official website or official government handles. Do not forward an unverified ‘government order’ received on WhatsApp or other social media platforms.
Representative image. Photo: Pinakpani / Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0)
