The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has released the list of bank holidays for May 2026, which includes closures for Bakrid (Eid-ul-Adha) on May 27 and May 28. Banks will remain closed in several cities across the country during this period.
Bakrid Bank Holidays 2026
Eid-ul-Adha, also known as Bakrid or Id-ul-Zuha, is one of the most significant festivals in the Islamic calendar. In 2026, the festival is expected to be observed on May 27 and May 28, depending on the sighting of the moon. Consequently, banks will be closed in many states and union territories.
List of Cities Where Banks Will Be Closed
According to the RBI calendar, banks will remain shut in the following cities on May 27 and/or May 28:
- Amaravati
- Belapur
- Bhubaneswar
- Chandigarh
- Chennai
- Dehradun
- Gangtok
- Guwahati
- Hyderabad
- Imphal
- Itanagar
- Jaipur
- Jammu
- Kanpur
- Kochi
- Kolkata
- Lucknow
- Mumbai
- Nagpur
- New Delhi
- Panaji
- Patna
- Raipur
- Ranchi
- Shillong
- Shimla
- Srinagar
- Thiruvananthapuram
Other Bank Holidays in May 2026
Apart from Bakrid, there are several other bank holidays in May 2026. These include:
- May 1: Maharashtra Day, May Day (various states)
- May 9: Birthday of Rabindranath Tagore (West Bengal)
- May 16: Buddha Purnima (many states)
- May 23: Maharana Pratap Jayanti (Rajasthan)
It is important to note that bank holidays vary by state and region. While national holidays apply across the country, regional holidays are observed only in specific states or cities.
RBI Guidelines on Bank Holidays
The RBI classifies bank holidays under three categories: Holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act, Holidays under the Negotiable Instruments Act and Real-Time Gross Settlement (RTGS) system, and Bank's Closing of Accounts. Customers are advised to plan their banking transactions accordingly.
Digital banking services, including internet banking, mobile banking, and ATMs, will continue to function as usual on bank holidays. However, branch services such as cash deposits, cheque clearances, and locker access may be unavailable.
For the complete list of bank holidays in May 2026, customers can visit the official RBI website or contact their respective banks.
