A purported government notification circulating widely across multiple social media platforms claiming that all public sector banks will now remain closed on every Saturday has been exposed as completely fabricated. The viral post, falsely shared under the name of the Department of Financial Services under the Ministry of Finance, suggested that the central government had officially approved a five-day working week for state-owned lenders, including the State Bank of India. Official scrutiny has established that no such directive has been cleared by the authorities, and the existing schedule of bank operations continues without any modification.
Origin Connected to Recently Deferred Nationwide Bank Strike
The circulation of the false claim follows recent developments surrounding bank employee representative bodies. The United Forum of Bank Unions (UFBU) had called for a continuous three-day nationwide strike from September 28 to September 30 to press for their long-standing demand of two weekly offs for bank personnel. However, following assurances given by the Indian Banks Association (IBA) regarding the consideration of union demands, the UFBU decided to defer the proposed three-day industrial action. Taking advantage of the environment surrounding the deferred protest, misleading posts began appearing online suggesting that the government had accepted the demands and mandated holidays on all Saturdays.
Fabricated Gazette Notification Circulated Online
The miscreants behind the viral campaign circulated a forged document designed to resemble an authentic official gazette notification issued by the central administration. The document falsely declared a blanket public holiday on every Saturday across all public sector banks, specifically citing the State Bank of India. Due to the critical nature of branch banking operations for individuals, merchants, and commercial enterprises, the fraudulent notification quickly spread across messaging channels, triggering widespread confusion among account holders regarding branch availability.
Fact Check Clarification on Social Media
Verification across the official channels of the Ministry of Finance and affiliated departments revealed no trace of any such circular, resolution, or announcement. Subsequently, the official verification unit, PIB Fact Check, intervened to put an end to the speculation. Clarifying the reality behind the document on X, PIB Fact Check announced that the circulating file declaring a weekly Saturday holiday for banks is fake. The agency explicitly stated that the Ministry of Finance has released no notification declaring public holidays on all Saturdays for government-run banks.
No Change in Current Operational Guidelines
The official dismissal confirms that banking operational days remain unaltered and that the finance ministry has not authorized any transition to a universal five-day schedule. Authorities highlighted that the fabricated gazette was circulated deliberately by mischievous elements seeking to misinform the public and disrupt normal financial planning. Account holders and professionals are advised to disregard unverified forwarded documents and rely exclusively on legitimate departmental announcements for banking-related schedules.
