Is SBI Open on Sunday, 27 September? Here Is Every Bank That Will Be Open With It
SBI branches are open on Sunday, 27 September, on Finance Ministry orders ahead of a three-day strike. Which banks are open, which are not, and what to finish.
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Yes, SBI is open on Sunday, 27 September 2026. The Finance Ministry directed all public sector banks and regional rural banks to function normally that day, and the RBI has approved branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests to operate. SBI's own circular treats it as a normal working day. The reason is a three-day nationwide bank strike from 28 to 30 September, which would otherwise have left branches shut for five consecutive days. Private banks including HDFC, ICICI, Axis and Kotak are not covered by the order. Sunday is effectively your last branch day until 1 October.
Which banks are open on Sunday, 27 September
Open — all public sector banks. State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab & Sind Bank.
Open — all regional rural banks. Every RRB across the country is covered by the same directive.
Not covered by the order — private banks. HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, IndusInd, IDFC First, Yes Bank and other private lenders were not included in the Finance Ministry's instruction, which applies specifically to PSBs and RRBs.
This distinction matters and some coverage has blurred it. Private banks are not participating in the strike, so their branches will be open as normal from Monday to Wednesday. But they have not been directed to open on Sunday, and Sunday is not ordinarily a working day for them. If you bank with a private lender, check with your own branch before travelling.
Why banks are open on a Sunday at all
Because of the arithmetic of the calendar.
Saturday 26 September is the fourth Saturday of the month, a nationwide bank holiday. Sunday 27 September follows. The United Forum of Bank Unions has called a three-day nationwide strike for Monday 28, Tuesday 29 and Wednesday 30 September.
Stacked together, that is five consecutive days without branch banking landing at month-end and the close of the second quarter, when documentation, disbursements and business paperwork are heaviest.
The Finance Ministry issued a press note on 23 September stating that all public sector banks and regional rural banks would function normally on Sunday 27 September. The Reserve Bank of India approved bank branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests remaining operational that day, specifically to give customers one more banking day before the strike.
The government and bank managements have also asked the unions to postpone the strike.
The complication nobody else is reporting clearly
Branches are ordered open. Whether every branch will be fully staffed is a separate question.
The All India Bank Officers' Association has advised its members not to report for work on 27 September, describing the day as a holiday under the Industrial Disputes Act. AIBOA is one of the seven constituent unions of the UFBU, alongside AIBEA, AIBOC, NCBE, BEFI, INBEF and INBOC.
Do you have any banking work this Sunday? We’re open for you!
— State Bank of India (@TheOfficialSBI) September 24, 2026
All SBI branches will remain open on Sunday, 27 September 2026, offering essential banking services for your convenience.
Visit your nearest SBI branch and take care of your banking needs.
We’re always ready to… pic.twitter.com/RAY9YOnxp1
The UFBU itself had not, at the time of reporting, taken a decision on whether to instruct members to work that Sunday.
What this means practically is that a branch may be open with reduced staff. Simple counter transactions should be fine. Anything requiring an officer's authorisation large withdrawals, locker access, loan documentation, account modifications may take longer or may not be possible at every branch.
Call your branch before travelling if your business is anything other than routine.
What this means for you
If you have branch work to do, do it on Sunday. This is the operative point. Cash deposits and withdrawals, cheque presentation, demand drafts, locker access, KYC updates, account documentation, loan paperwork. Sunday 27 September is your last opportunity until Thursday 1 October.
If your work is routine, you are fine. Deposits, withdrawals, passbook updates and standard counter services should run normally.
If your work needs an officer, call ahead. Loan disbursements, locker operations, signature verification, account closures and anything requiring authorisation depend on officer-grade staff being present, and one officers' union has told its members to stay away.
If you bank with a private lender, check first. HDFC, ICICI, Axis, Kotak and others are not covered by the directive. Their branches will be open as usual on Monday to Wednesday, since they are not striking.
If you are a central government employee or pensioner. The Department of Expenditure has said salaries and pensions due at month-end will be processed on 25 September, and transactions scheduled for late September may be processed in advance where feasible. Check your account the money may already be there.
If you only need to move money. Nothing stops at any point. UPI, internet banking, mobile banking, YONO, NEFT, RTGS and IMPS all continue through the strike, because they do not depend on branch staff.
What works and what does not during 28-30 September
Working: UPI, internet banking, mobile banking, YONO, ATMs, Automated Deposit and Withdrawal Machines, Customer Service Points, NEFT, RTGS and IMPS. SBI has specifically advised customers to use these channels.
Likely disrupted: over-the-counter transactions, cheque clearing, demand drafts, locker access, KYC and documentation, loan processing, and anything requiring staff assistance or physical documents.
Cheque clearing is the one to plan around. It is a branch-side process and it stops when branches do. A cheque presented late this week may not clear until well into the following week.
ATMs will work but may run dry. Replenishment depends on branch staff. Machines in high-traffic areas can empty during extended closures, so withdraw before the weekend rather than during the strike.
SBI has asked branches to request enhanced police patrolling on 27 September and to maintain security arrangements through the strike period, which is a reasonable indicator of how seriously the bank is treating the week.
What the strike is about
The UFBU's demands include immediate implementation of a five-day working week, resolution of pending wage issues, changes to performance-linked incentive schemes, improved pension benefits, a uniform dearness allowance formula for pensioners, an option for employees under the National Pension System to move to the Old Pension Scheme, and adequate recruitment across all cadres.
This is the second phase of the agitation. A one-day strike was held on 11 September and did not resolve the demands. A conciliation meeting with the government and bank managements was inconclusive, and the strike call stands.
The strike notice also includes an indefinite strike from 26 October 2026.
Could the strike still be called off?
It is possible. Indian bank unions have called and deferred strikes several times, including a two-day nationwide strike in March 2025 that was withdrawn shortly before it began following assurances at a conciliation meeting convened by the Chief Labour Commissioner.
The government and bank managements have asked the unions to postpone. As things stand, the strike is going ahead.
Either way, Sunday's opening is confirmed and worth using.
Your checklist for Sunday
Cash. Draw enough for five days, not two.
Cheques. Present anything time-sensitive on Sunday, and expect clearing delays regardless.
Documentation. KYC, address updates, nomination changes, signature updates.
Locker access, if you need it and call first, because this needs an officer.
Loan and disbursement paperwork, particularly anything with a month-end or quarter-end deadline.
Check your salary or pension credit if you are a central government employee.
Questions readers ask
Is SBI open on Sunday, 27 September 2026?
Yes. The Finance Ministry issued a press note on 23 September directing all public sector banks and regional rural banks to function normally on Sunday 27 September, and the Reserve Bank of India approved branches, offices, ATM-linked branches and currency chests to remain operational. SBI's own circular treats the day as a normal working day across all branches, offices, administrative offices and verticals.
Which banks are open on Sunday, 27 September?
All public sector banks, including State Bank of India, Punjab National Bank, Bank of Baroda, Canara Bank, Union Bank of India, Indian Bank, Bank of India, Central Bank of India, Indian Overseas Bank, UCO Bank, Bank of Maharashtra and Punjab & Sind Bank, along with all regional rural banks. The directive applies specifically to PSBs and RRBs.
Is HDFC Bank or ICICI Bank open on Sunday, 27 September?
Private banks including HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank and Kotak Mahindra Bank are not covered by the Finance Ministry directive, which applies to public sector banks and regional rural banks. Sunday is not ordinarily a working day for them. They are not participating in the strike, so their branches are expected to operate normally from Monday to Wednesday. Customers should check with their own branch before travelling on Sunday.
Why are banks open on a Sunday?
Because of a three-day nationwide bank strike called by the United Forum of Bank Unions from 28 to 30 September. With the fourth Saturday falling on 26 September and Sunday on the 27th, branch banking would have been unavailable for five consecutive days at month and quarter end. The government opened Sunday to provide one additional banking day.
Will all SBI branches be fully staffed on Sunday?
Not necessarily. The All India Bank Officers' Association, one of the seven unions within the UFBU, has advised its members not to report for work on 27 September, describing it as a holiday under the Industrial Disputes Act. Routine counter services should be available, but work requiring officer-grade authorisation may be slower or unavailable at some branches. Customers with non-routine business should call their branch first.
What bank services will be affected during the strike?
Over-the-counter transactions, cheque clearing, demand drafts, locker access, KYC and documentation, loan processing and anything requiring staff assistance or physical documents are likely to be disrupted between 28 and 30 September.
Will UPI and internet banking work during the bank strike?
Yes. UPI, internet banking, mobile banking, YONO, ATMs, Automated Deposit and Withdrawal Machines, Customer Service Points, NEFT, RTGS and IMPS are expected to continue operating, as they do not depend on branch staff being present. SBI has specifically advised customers to use these channels.
