Banks are closed today in several states across the country, including Punjab and Himachal Pradesh, requiring customers to plan their financial activities accordingly. Today, on October 26, bank branches will remain completely closed in various regions due to auspicious occasions such as Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day, and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. So, if you're planning to visit a bank, it's essential to check the bank holiday status in your respective city and state before leaving your home, so that you don't have to return empty-handed from the bank branch and can save your valuable time.
If you're planning to visit the bank today to deposit money, handle cheque-related work, or avail of any other essential personal or business service, this information is extremely important for you. On Monday, October 26, 2026, bank branches are scheduled to remain closed in many states and regions across the country due to major festivals and historical days like Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day, and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. These affected regions include Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka, and Tripura, among several other areas, while however, under the Indian banking system, bank holidays aren't uniform across the entire country, but rather depend entirely on regional festivals and state government holiday calendars, making it always wise to gather accurate information according to your own state and city.
Where banks will remain closed on October 26
According to the bank holiday list issued by the Reserve Bank of India, bank branches will remain closed on October 26 in the following states and regions, which include Punjab, Himachal Pradesh, Haryana, Jammu, Srinagar, Karnataka, and Tripura. There will be a local holiday in different regions on this day due to Lakshmi Puja, Accession Day, and Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti. Before visiting the bank, customers are strongly advised to thoroughly confirm the applicable holiday for their specific city and bank branch, as local variations can sometimes occur.
Services that will remain operational despite bank closure
The closure of bank branches doesn't mean at all that all financial and banking operations of customers will come to a complete halt. In today's digital era, modern banking services such as mobile banking, internet banking, Unified Payments Interface known as UPI, and ATMs generally remain fully available. Through these digital channels, customers can easily transfer money from one account to another, check their account balances, and withdraw cash from the nearest ATM in case of any emergency or necessity. However, traditional tasks such as cheque clearance, direct cash deposit or withdrawal at bank branches, and issuance of demand drafts may be temporarily affected. Customers may have to wait until the bank branches reopen for such physical services.
Bank holidays on October 29 and October 31
In the final week of the month of October, banks will remain closed in some other states going forward as well. On Thursday, October 29, a bank holiday is recorded in the state of Himachal Pradesh on the auspicious occasion of Karwa Chauth. Immediately following that, on Saturday, October 31, banks will remain closed in the state of Gujarat to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, who is famously known as the Iron Man of the country. That's why, if you need to complete any physical work related to the bank during the last days of October, you should keep these dates in mind.
Important steps to take before visiting the bank
If you need to visit a bank branch for any unavoidable reason to complete essential financial work, make sure to plan your travel and schedule by keeping all these holidays in mind. To avoid any inconvenience, you can officially confirm the holiday status from the official website of the bank or the state-wise holiday list provided by the Reserve Bank of India. Doing so will prevent you from visiting the bank unnecessarily and wasting your precious time, allowing you to complete your work at the right time.