PIB Fact Check said on 1 October 2026 that a Saturday bank holiday order, written as a gazette, is fake. Its date is 30 September, and it names public sector banks, including the State Bank of India. Verdict: false, because no such order has been issued.
The Saturday bank holiday claim
A Gazette of India-style notice is moving on social media. It says the Centre, using Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, has declared every Saturday a public holiday for public sector banks, with immediate effect.
For example, Business Standard reported notification number S.O. 4275(E), dated 30 September 2026. It is presented as a Department of Financial Services order. Business Standard also said the page uses an official-looking file number and a purported joint secretary's name.
Readers are told this is an every Saturday bank holiday, including 3 October 2026. That date is the first Saturday of the month. A public sector bank Saturday is not a holiday just because the file says so.
What we found
PIB Fact Check banks this notice as fake. TaxGuru quoted the unit:
No such notification has been issued by the Ministry of Finance declaring every Saturday as public holiday for public sector banks.
CNBC-TV18 reported the same finding on 1 October. The Finance Ministry has not declared all Saturdays holidays for public sector banks. Instead, Business Standard said PIB asked people to flag suspicious posts rather than forward the fake bank holiday gazette.
On 20 August 2015, however, the Centre issued notification S.O. 2285(E). TaxGuru's copy says the government declares the second and fourth Saturday of every month a public holiday for banks in India. It took effect on 1 September 2015. Banks in the RBI Second Schedule and banks outside it are both covered.
Under that rule, banks close on the second and fourth Saturday. First, third and fifth Saturdays are generally working days, unless another holiday covers the date. CNBC-TV18 set the week out in those terms.
A five-day week is still a union demand, not a notified Saturday bank holiday. CNBC-TV18 reported that the United Forum of Bank Unions has asked for all Saturdays off. That demand has not been notified. Other notice checks sit on the business desk.
Timeline
- 20 August 2015: Notification S.O. 2285(E) makes the second and fourth Saturday public holidays for banks, from 1 September 2015.
- 30 September 2026: Date printed on the viral gazette. Business Standard reported the number S.O. 4275(E).
- 1 October 2026: PIB Fact Check says the Finance Ministry issued no such notification.
- 3 October 2026: First Saturday of the month. Under the 2015 rule it is a working Saturday unless another holiday applies.
Why it matters
A forged gazette changes how people plan cash, cheques and branch visits. Section 25 decides when a cheque is not due. So treating a working Saturday as a holiday can leave a payment unmade.
Also, the page copies a real order: a gazette number, the Department of Financial Services, and Section 25. PIB's answer is narrower than the rumour. Finance officials have not issued this Saturday bank holiday. The 2015 text still names which Saturdays are holidays.
Verdict
False. PIB Fact Check said on 1 October 2026 that the Finance Ministry has not declared every Saturday a public holiday for public sector banks. Second and fourth Saturday remain the holidays under S.O. 2285(E) of 20 August 2015. First, third and fifth Saturdays are generally working days.
After that check, PIB asked people to verify government claims before sharing them.
Frequently asked questions
Is every Saturday a bank holiday in India?
No. PIB Fact Check said on 1 October 2026 that the Finance Ministry has not made every Saturday a holiday for public sector banks. The viral gazette dated 30 September 2026 is fake.
Which Saturdays are bank holidays?
Second and fourth Saturdays of each month. That comes from notification S.O. 2285(E), issued on 20 August 2015, in force from 1 September 2015. First, third and fifth Saturdays are generally working days.
Did banks get a gazette holiday from 30 September 2026?
No. Business Standard and CNBC-TV18 reported PIB's finding that no such Finance Ministry notification exists. A union demand for a five-day week has not been notified as a holiday.
Is 3 October 2026 a bank holiday because it is a Saturday?
3 October 2026 is the first Saturday of October. Under the 2015 rule, the first Saturday is generally a working day for banks, unless a separate public holiday covers that date.
