Diwali 2026 Banking Status at a Glance
- Main Diwali Date: Sunday, November 8, 2026 (All branches closed nationwide)
- Saturday, November 7 (Choti Diwali): OPEN across most states (1st Saturday of the month); CLOSED in Tamil Nadu
- Monday, November 9 (Govardhan Puja / Balipratipada): CLOSED in Maharashtra, Gujarat, UP, Rajasthan, Karnataka, Uttarakhand; OPEN in Delhi, West Bengal, Kerala, Tamil Nadu
- Digital Payment Rails (UPI, IMPS, NEFT, RTGS): Fully functional 24/7/365 without holiday pause
- Paper Cheque Clearing (CTS): Paused on Sunday and state-declared holiday dates
- BSE & NSE Stock Exchanges: Closed for regular daytime trading; open for evening 1-hour Muhurat Trading
If you plan to deposit festival cash, obtain banker's drafts, or settle high-value commercial transactions around Diwali 2026, understanding branch schedules is critical. In 2026, the central festival of Diwali falls on Sunday, November 8, 2026. While that ensures nationwide branch closures on Sunday, the operational status of bank branches on the flanking days—Friday, Saturday, and Monday—varies considerably across India's 28 states and 8 union territories.
Because bank holidays in India are governed at both central and state levels under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, a customer in New Delhi will experience an entirely different banking schedule on the Monday following Diwali than a customer in Mumbai or Ahmedabad.
The 5-Day Festive Timeline (Nov 6–10, 2026)
Diwali is not a single calendar event; it represents a five-day sequence of cultural celebrations beginning with Dhanteras and concluding with Bhai Dooj. The operational status of banking institutions across this five-day period lays out as follows:
| Date | Day | Festive Occasion | National Banking Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| November 6, 2026 | Friday | Dhanteras / Dhantrayodashi | Open nationwide (Regular business hours) |
| November 7, 2026 | Saturday | Choti Diwali / Naraka Chaturdashi | Open in most states (1st Saturday); Closed in Tamil Nadu |
| November 8, 2026 | Sunday | Diwali / Lakshmi Puja / Kali Puja | Closed nationwide (Standard Sunday holiday) |
| November 9, 2026 | Monday | Govardhan Puja / Balipratipada / New Year | Closed in select states; Open in others |
| November 10, 2026 | Tuesday | Bhai Dooj / Yama Dwitiya / Chitragupt Puja | Closed in select northern/eastern states; Open elsewhere |
State-by-State RBI Holiday Matrix
Under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) notifies public holidays in coordination with state government gazettes. Because regional traditions celebrate different days of the festival sequence, consult this verified state-wise operational table for Monday, November 9, and Tuesday, November 10, 2026:
| State / Territory | Saturday, Nov 7 | Sunday, Nov 8 | Monday, Nov 9 | Tuesday, Nov 10 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maharashtra | Open | Closed | Closed (Balipratipada) | Open |
| Gujarat | Open | Closed | Closed (Bestu Varas) | Closed (Bhai Bij) |
| Delhi (NCT) | Open | Closed | Open (Regular Hours) | Open (Regular Hours) |
| Uttar Pradesh | Open | Closed | Closed (Govardhan Puja) | Closed (Bhai Dooj) |
| West Bengal | Open | Closed | Open | Closed (Bhatridwitiya) |
| Karnataka | Open | Closed | Closed (Balipadyami) | Open |
| Tamil Nadu | Closed (Deepavali) | Closed | Open (Regular Hours) | Open |
| Rajasthan | Open | Closed | Closed (Govardhan Puja) | Closed (Bhai Dooj) |
You can track date-specific holiday circulars across all regions on our comprehensive India Public Holidays Calendar.
Is Saturday, November 7 a Bank Working Day?
Under the formal bipartite settlement between the Indian Banks' Association (IBA) and the Reserve Bank of India, Indian commercial banks observe mandatory closures on the second and fourth Saturdays of every calendar month. Conversely, the first, third, and fifth Saturdays are standard full working days.
Because November 1, 2026 lands on a Sunday, Saturday, November 7, 2026, is the first Saturday of the month. Therefore, bank branches across India are officially open on Choti Diwali for regular counter operations.
The notable exception is Tamil Nadu, where the state government gazette designates Naraka Chaturdashi (Saturday, November 7) as the primary public holiday for Deepavali, meaning branches across the state will be closed on Saturday.
UPI, NEFT, RTGS & ATM Cash Logistics
A physical branch closure does not equate to a pause in India's electronic payment ecosystem. The National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) and the RBI maintain round-the-clock digital infrastructure:
- Unified Payments Interface (UPI): Services like Google Pay, PhonePe, and Paytm operate 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year without delay.
- NEFT and RTGS Settlements: National Electronic Funds Transfer (NEFT) and Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) operate on a round-the-clock basis every calendar day, enabling corporate and retail fund transfers across bank holidays.
- ATM Cash Depletion Risk: While ATM kiosks and cash recycling machines (CRMs) remain open, cash-in-transit (CIT) logistics agencies observe reduced operating staff over festival weekends. Heavy festive cash withdrawals for shopping and gifts often lead to cash runouts at popular market ATMs by Sunday afternoon. Customers needing physical cash should complete ATM withdrawals by Friday afternoon, November 6.
Cheque Clearance (CTS) & BSE/NSE Muhurat Trading
Financial clearing and market operations follow specific constraints during Diwali week:
- Cheque Truncation System (CTS): Paper cheque clearing batches pause on Sundays and state-notified bank holidays. Any cheque deposited into a drop box after Friday, November 6, will not be presented to clearinghouses until Tuesday, November 10 (or Wednesday, November 11 in states observing extended holidays).
- Stock Exchange Muhurat Trading: The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) and National Stock Exchange (NSE) close for regular trading on Sunday, November 8. However, both exchanges conduct the prestigious annual Muhurat Trading session—a ceremonial one-hour evening trading window to commemorate the dawn of the new Hindu financial year, Samvat 2083.
Private Banks vs. PSU Banks: Do Rules Differ?
A common misconception among retail customers is that private sector banks—such as HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank, Axis Bank, and Kotak Mahindra Bank—might keep branch doors open during public sector closures (like SBI, PNB, or Bank of Baroda). This is incorrect.
All scheduled commercial banks operating in India are bound by the Reserve Bank of India's holiday directives under the Negotiable Instruments Act. When a date is declared a gazetted bank holiday within a state, private commercial banks are legally mandated to suspend branch teller and counter operations in that jurisdiction.
Sources & Statutory Methodology
Diwali banking schedules are compiled from annual holiday circulars issued by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, state government gazette notifications, and Indian Banks' Association (IBA) bipartite guidelines. CTS clearing timings follow NPCI operational guidelines.
Written by Sahin Choudhury
Founder & independent publisher at HolidayExplore. Researching statutory calendars, banking settlement systems, and labor holiday rules.