New Delhi, Oct. 30 -- All public and private-sector banks in Ahmedabad will remain closed on Saturday, October 31, to mark the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the country's first Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister.

He was a prominent figure in Gujarat and across India, having established himself as a successful criminal lawyer in Ahmedabad. He entered public life in 1915 by joining the Gujarat Sabha and was elected to the Ahmedabad Municipality in 1917, eventually becoming its president in 1924.

Although October 31 falls on a weekend, it is the fifth Saturday of the month and is not a scheduled bank holiday under the Reserve Bank of India's (RBI) rules. Therefore, banks in other parts of India will remain open.

The ...