Rajasthan Assembly Election 2023: Will Banks And Government Offices Remain Closed On Saturday?

The election to the 200 assembly seats in Rajasthan will take place on Saturday, November 25, 2023. Those planning to visit banks on this Saturday to complete their financial tasks should note that banks will remain closed on November 25 as the state will go to polls on this day.

Rajasthan government has declared a holiday on Saturday due to the elections. The October 16, 2023 notification issued by the state government, says that the date of the election has been declared a public holiday. This means that banks in Rajasthan will also remain closed on this day. The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has also revised its state-wise bank holiday schedule to reflect the same. The RBI holiday calendar shows November 25 as a bank holiday for Jaipur.

However, had this not been the election date, even the Banks would have remained closed on November 25 as this Saturday will be the fourth Saturday of the month.

After a high-pitch electoral campaign concluded on Wednesday evening in Rajasthan, 199 out of 200 constituencies will go to polls on November 25. Voting will start at 7 am on Saturday and will end at 6 pm.

Banks, schools, government, and public offices will remain closed in all the constituencies in Rajasthan where votes will be cast.

Meanwhile, Rajasthan's neighboring state Haryana will also observe a paid holiday in all offices, educational and other institutes of the Government of Haryana, Board & Corporations on November 25.

The Directorate of Information Public Relations and Languages (Govt of Haryana) website says, "As per a notification issued by Chief Secretary Mr. Sanjeev Kaushal, employees of various factories, shops, and private establishments situated in Haryana, and registered as voters in the State of Rajasthan, are also entitled to a paid holiday under Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 (amended in 1996) for the same purpose."

It is worth mentioning that the Congress party with Ashok Gehlot is currently the ruling party in the western state of Rajasthan. Past precedents show that voters in the state usually change the ruling party every five years with the power oscillating between the Congress and the BJP for decades. Poll analysts believe that anti-incumbency in the state might go in the BJP's favor this time. The results of the high-stakes assembly elections will be declared on December 3.