JAMMU, Oct 31: A delegation of the State Bank of India Officers’ Association (SBIOA), Jammu Module, met Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi and sought his intervention for the early implementation of a five-day banking week across the country.
During the meeting, the delegation urged the MP to take up the long-pending demand of declaring all Saturdays as bank holidays, a move that would benefit nearly 20 lakh banking employees and their families across the country.
Shah Zaman, President, SBIOA Jammu Module, apprised the MP that the demand was aimed at introducing a modern and sustainable work pattern in the banking sector while ensuring uninterrupted access to essential banking services. He explained that bank unions had agreed to adjust working hours by extending weekday business timings to compensate for the additional holidays, ensuring that there would be no loss of working hours.
The delegation also highlighted that digital banking services, including UPI, internet and mobile banking, and ATMs, would continue functioning without interruption. Suitable arrangements could also be made for elderly people, rural customers and those with limited access to digital banking through advance public communication and adequate staffing.
The representatives pointed out that several institutions, including the Reserve Bank of India, LIC, Central Government offices, courts and financial market regulators, follow a five-day working schedule.
Referring to the issue’s administrative history, the delegation stated that the Ministry of Finance, in its reply to Rajya Sabha Unstarred Question No. 1187 on February 10, 2026, had informed the House that the Indian Banks’ Association (IBA) submitted a proposal on July 12, 2023, seeking the declaration of all Saturdays as banking holidays.
It was further pointed out that the 12th Bipartite Settlement and 9th Joint Note, signed on March 8, 2024, also recorded the IBA’s recommendation, with the proposed changes in working hours subject to government approval and necessary clearances.
The delegation welcomed the constitution of a high-level committee comprising representatives of the IBA and bank unions following industrial-relations discussions on September 27, 2026. The committee held its first meeting on October 1, 2026. However, the representatives stressed that a time-bound roadmap and a clear implementation timeline were necessary to resolve the long-pending issue.
The delegation requested MP Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi to take up the matter with the Union Finance Minister and the Department of Financial Services and seek an early decision on the IBA proposal.
It also urged him to raise the issue in Parliament through a parliamentary question, Zero Hour submission or Special Mention to seek clarity on the present status of the proposal dated July 12, 2023, and a definite timeline for the issuance of the government notification.