Banks To Remain Open In September First Week, Says Employees Union

New Delhi: Banks will largely remain open in the first week of September and there will be no impact on the functioning of ATMs, contrary to social media buzz that claimed banks across India will be closed for six days during the week. "The message going around in the social media that banks will be closed for six days in the first week of September due to holidays and bank strike is not correct," National Organization of Bank Workers, vice-president Ashwani Rana told IANS.

The WhatsApp message on bank holidays, which went viral, claimed that banks would remain closed from September 2 to 5 and then from September 8 to 9 for the weekend, a total of six days in the first week of September.

It said the week was starting with Janmashtami on Monday, September 3, and then the banks would go on strike for demands related to pension. 

It, however, turns out that the call for strike by employees of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) on September 4-5 (Tuesday and Wednesday) has been misunderstood as a strike by all bank employees.

"It's only the RBI employees who are going on mass casual leave on September 4-5 for demands related to to Provident Fund and pension. This will not have much impact on the day-to-day operations of the other public and private sector banks," Mr Rana said.

Though the banks in Delhi and Mumbai will remain open on Monday September 3, the day of Janmashtami, banks in some states would be shut. September 8 is, however, the second Saturday and thus a holiday.

"Monday, September 3, is not a pan-India holiday for banks. Banks in some states will remain closed as per the Negotiable Instruments Act. This, however, will not impact the online banking transactions nor it will affect the operation of ATMs," said an HDFC Bank official.

Of the 31 regional and sub-offices of the RBI across the country, 16 will remain closed on September 3 on the occasion of Janmashtami, as per its website.