Bank Strike Tomorrow in India: Which Banks Are Closed and What Services Will Be Available?

Major bank unions across the country have called for a nationwide bank strike on February 12, Thursday, prompting customers across India to check whether banks will remain open and how services may be affected.

Major banking unions have announced participation in a nationwide bank strike. With no official bank holiday declared so far, leading public sector lenders have cautioned that services at branches and offices could be disrupted if employees participate in large numbers. The question for customers remains is Will banks be open or closed on February 12, 2026 due to the nationwide bank strike?

Which bank have called for the nationwide bank strike?

Prominent banking unions including the All India Bank Employees' Association (AIBEA), All India Bank Officers' Association (AIBOA), and Bank Employees Federation of India (BEFI) have called on their members and affiliated units to join the nationwide general strike.

The strike has been announced in coordination with 10 Central Trade Unions (CTUs) as part of a broader protest movement across sectors.

According to the letter issued by the bank bodies to their units and employees, the strike aims to oppose four new Labour Codes notified by the government in November 2025. These codes replace 29 existing labour laws.

In their communication, the unions said,"The labour codes proposed to be implemented are totally against the workers and stringent conditions have been prescribed to register trade unions."

The bank associations have also reiterated long-standing demands, including the introduction of a five-day banking week and improved work-life balance for employees. They have further expressed concerns over what they describe as "increasing attacks on the working class."

Are banks open or closed on February 12, 2026?

As of now, no major bank or the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has declared February 12, 2026, as a bank holiday. Therefore, banks are most likely to remain open.

However, services may not function at full capacity depending on employee participation in the nationwide bank strike.

What did Bank of Baroda and SBI inform BSE?

In regulatory filings to the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), public sector banks have acknowledged the possibility of work-related disruptions.

Bank of Baroda (BoB) stated in its letter,"The Bank is taking all the necessary steps for the smooth functioning of bank's branches and offices on the day of the strike, in the event the strike materialises, the functioning of the branches and offices may be affected."

Even, State Bank of India (SBI) informed,"We advise that while the bank has made necessary arrangements to ensure normal functioning in its branches and offices on the day of strike, it is likely that work in the Bank may be impacted to a limited extent."

SBI further confirmed that it has received formal strike notices from AIBEA, AIBOA and BEFI regarding their decision to participate in the nationwide protest on February 12, 2026.

The notification clarified that these unions have officially served notice informing management about the strike on various issues and demands.

What services could be affected?

If participation is high, customers may experience:

• Slower service at cash counters
• Delays in cheque processing
• Passbook updates taking longer
• Slower handling of account modification and documentation requests
• Branch-level services requiring in-person assistance are more likely to face disruption, particularly in public sector banks.

Private sector lenders may see limited impact, as union presence is comparatively lower. Digital banking services - including ATMs, mobile banking apps, internet banking and card transactions - are expected to function normally.

Part of a broader nationwide protest

The February 12 action is not limited to the banking sector. It forms part of a larger nationwide protest supported by central trade unions, with participation expected from workers across multiple industries.

Millions of employees from different sectors may join the strike, potentially affecting public services in several states.

What customers should do

While banks are expected to remain open because no official holiday has been declared, customers planning urgent branch visits on February 12 should be prepared for possible delays.

Digital transactions are likely to remain unaffected, but over-the-counter services at public sector banks could run with limited staff depending on the scale of participation in the nationwide bank strike.

While the nationwide bank strike tomorrow, February 12 may not result in a full shutdown, branch operations particularly in public sector banks could see temporary disruption depending on employee turnout. It may not be business as usual.