Bank Holiday Today, October 20, for Dussehra 2026? Know if Banks Are Open or Closed

Banks across most parts of India will remain closed today, Tuesday, October 20, 2026, on account of Dussehra (Vijaya Dashami), according to the holiday schedule notified by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI). Tuesday marks the most widespread closure of the week as states observe Dasara, Dussehra, Vijaya Dashmi, Maha Navami, Ayudha Pooja, and Durga Puja.

The shutdown halts all in-person branch operations across major metropolitan banking circles, including public and private sector bank branches. Customers requiring physical transactions such as cheque clearances, administrative submissions, or demand draft issuances will need to wait until branches resume regular operations on Wednesday. Dussehra 2026: Date, Muhurat & Regional Celebrations Across India.

State-Wise Bank Closures Across Major RBI Circles

According to the RBI calendar, bank branches are shut today across the vast majority of designated regional offices, including:

• Mumbai, New Delhi, Ahmedabad, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, and Jaipur

• Bhopal, Chandigarh, Dehradun, Panaji, Patna, Raipur, Ranchi, and Shimla

Gangtok in Sikkim and Imphal in Manipur are the primary exceptions in the RBI calendar for this date, where branches follow different regional holiday schedules. Customers in other regions are advised to check local administrative notifications to confirm branch statuses.

Consecutive Holidays in Select States

In several eastern and northeastern states, the Dussehra closure forms part of an extended festive break. Banks were closed on Monday, October 19, for Maha Ashtami and Durga Puja across Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Jharkhand, Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram, Nagaland, Odisha, Tamil Nadu, Tripura, and West Bengal.

Following Tuesday's holiday, banks will continue to remain closed on Wednesday, October 21, in Assam, Karnataka, Kerala, Sikkim, Tripura, and West Bengal for Vijaya Dashami and Durga Puja. In Sikkim, financial institutions will observe further holiday closures on October 22 and October 23.

Later this week, banks nationwide will also stay closed on Saturday, October 24 (the fourth Saturday of the month) and Sunday, October 25.

Digital Banking Channels Remain Operational

While brick-and-mortar branches remain shut, electronic and digital banking networks continue to function without interruption. Customers can access:

• Mobile banking and internet banking platforms for fund transfers and balance checks

• Unified Payments Interface (UPI) services for merchant and peer-to-peer payments

• Automated teller machines (ATMs) and cash deposit machines for withdrawals and cash deposits

Banking authorities note that while cash dispensers remain active, ATMs in high-density areas may experience intermittent cash shortages during multi-day holiday stretches, and customers should plan major cash requirements accordingly.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 20, 2026 07:00 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).