Banks stay open on 29 August because it is the month's fifth Saturday

Searches for bank timings jumped on Saturday, 29 August 2026, as customers checked whether branches would be working. Under the Reserve Bank of India's rules, bank branches across the country close on the second and fourth Saturday of every month, along with every Sunday. All other Saturdays are normal working days.

August 2026 has five Saturdays, and 29 August is the fifth. That means branches of SBI, HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and other lenders were open for regular counter services, subject to any state-specific holiday. The confusion partly followed the previous day, 28 August, when several states observed a Raksha Bandhan holiday and branches in those states stayed shut.

Digital services are not affected by branch holidays. Net banking, mobile apps, UPI and ATMs continue to work on weekends and gazetted holidays, so most routine transfers and payments can be completed without a branch visit. Customers who need cheque clearing, locker access, or in-person paperwork are the ones who need to track the Saturday calendar, and RBI publishes a state-wise holiday list each year for exactly that reason.