Gujarat Govt Announces Public Holidays for 2026; 3 Major Festivals Fall on Sunday

The Gujarat Government’s General Administration Department on November 27 released the official list of public, restricted, and bank holidays for 2026.

According to the notification, the state will have 23 public holidays next year. However, employees may be disappointed as three major festivals — Maha Shivratri (February 15), Shri Parshuram Jayanti (April 19), and Diwali (November 8) — fall on a Sunday, offering no extra day off.

The 2026 holiday calendar includes several key dates such as:

• Makar Sankranti – January 14
• Republic Day – January 26
• Dhuleti – March 4
• Ramzan Eid – March 21
• Independence Day – August 15
• Raksha Bandhan – August 28
• Janmashtami – September 4
• Dussehra – October 20
• Sardar Patel Jayanti – October 31
• Bestu Varsh – November 10
• Bhai Beej – November 11
• Christmas – December 25

The government has also issued a list of optional (restricted) holidays, from which employees may choose any two.

In addition, the circular lists holidays for banks under the Negotiable Instruments Act. Notably, April 1, 2026, will be a bank holiday for annual account closing, during which all customer-related services will remain suspended.