Gujarat govt releases list of public holidays for 2026, 3 major festivals fall on Sunday

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

According to the notification, the state will have 23 public holidays in 2026. However, government employees may find it disappointing that three major festivals fall on a Sunday, offering no additional day off. These include Maha Shivratri (February 15), Shri Parshuram Jayanti (April 19), and Diwali (November 8).

The list features several key holidays such as Makar Sankranti on January 14, Republic Day on January 26, Dhuleti on March 4, Ramzan Eid on March 21, Independence Day on August 15, Raksha Bandhan on August 28, Janmashtami on September 4, Dussehra on October 20, Sardar Patel Jayanti on October 31, Bestu Varsh on November 10, Bhai Beej on November 11, and Christmas on December 25.

In addition to public holidays, the government has issued a list of optional holidays, from which employees can avail any two as per their choice.

The state has also declared holidays for banks under the Negotiable Instruments Act. As per the circular, April 1, 2026, will be a bank holiday due to annual account closing, and all customer-related services will remain suspended on that day.