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Karnataka Holiday Calendar 2026: Statutory, Public & Commercial Holidays

In Karnataka, statutory public and festival holidays are primarily governed under the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963, the Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961, and notifications issued by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR) under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

For Bangalore's technology corridors, manufacturing belts, and commercial hubs, Karnataka's legal framework enforces a strict 10-day mandatory paid holiday threshold.

Karnataka Statutory Mandate (10 Paid Holidays)

Under Section 3 of the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963, every employee is entitled to not less than 10 paid holidays in each calendar year, including:

  1. Republic Day (26 January)
  2. May Day (1 May)
  3. Independence Day (15 August)
  4. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti (2 October)
  5. Kannada Rajyotsava (1 November)
  6. 5 Additional Festival Holidays selected by the employer in consultation with employee unions/works committees.

📅 Official Karnataka Statutory Holiday Calendar 2026​

The following table reflects the official public, bank, and festival holidays for Karnataka in 2026:

DateDayHoliday / OccasionClassificationMandatory for Private Sector?
15-01-2026ThursdayMakara SankrantiRegional Gazette / NI ActYes (High Regional Priority)
26-01-2026MondayRepublic DayNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
18-02-2026WednesdayMaha ShivratriGazette / NI ActOptional / Corporate Choice
19-03-2026ThursdayUgadi (Kannada New Year)State Gazetted / RegionalYes (High Regional Priority)
21-03-2026SaturdayId-ul-Fitr (Kutub-e-Ramzan)Gazette / NI ActYes
31-03-2026TuesdayMahavir JayantiGazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
01-04-2026WednesdayAnnual Closing of Bank AccountsNI Act (Sec 25)Banks Only
03-04-2026FridayGood FridayGazette / NI ActYes (Standard IT Corporate Off)
14-04-2026TuesdayDr. B.R. Ambedkar JayantiState & National GazetteYes
20-04-2026MondayBasava JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalYes (Karnataka State Mandate)
01-05-2026FridayMay Day (International Workers' Day)State Mandatory HolidayYes (Statutory Mandate under Sec 3)
27-05-2026WednesdayBakrid / Id-ul-AdhaGazette / NI ActYes
25-06-2026ThursdayMuharramGazette / NI ActOptional / Floating
15-08-2026SaturdayIndependence DayNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
28-08-2026FridayMilad-un-Nabi (Id-e-Milad)Gazette / NI ActOptional
14-09-2026MondayVarasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata (Ganesh Chaturthi)State Gazetted / RegionalYes
02-10-2026FridayMahatma Gandhi JayantiNational HolidayYes (Mandatory Paid Off)
19-10-2026MondayMahanavami / Ayudha PoojaState Gazetted / RegionalYes (High Regional Priority)
20-10-2026TuesdayVijayadashami (Dussehra)Gazette / NI ActYes
26-10-2026MondayMaharshi Valmiki JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Floating
01-11-2026SundayKannada Rajyotsava (Karnataka Formation Day)State Mandatory HolidayYes (Statutory Mandate under Sec 3)
08-11-2026SundayNaraka ChaturdashiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Sunday Overlap
10-11-2026TuesdayBalipadyami / DeepavaliState Gazetted / RegionalYes
28-11-2026SaturdayKanakadasa JayantiState Gazetted / RegionalOptional / Floating
25-12-2026FridayChristmasGazette / NI ActYes (Standard IT Corporate Off)

📋 Employer Compliance Checklist for Karnataka​

Employers in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Hubballi, and across Karnataka must observe the following statutory protocols:

  1. Submission of Form I (Notice of Holidays):
    • Under Rule 3 of the Karnataka National and Festival Holidays Rules, employers must submit Form I specifying the proposed 10 holidays to the jurisdictional Inspector of Factories or Labour Officer before 31st December of the preceding year.
  2. Notice Display (Form II):
    • The approved statement of holidays in Form II must be displayed prominently on workplace notice boards and published on internal portals by January 1.
  3. Overtime / Holiday Working Remittance:
    • Employees required to work on a declared statutory holiday are entitled to twice the ordinary rate of wages (200%), or regular pay plus a paid substitute holiday within 90 days as governed by Section 5 of the Act.
  4. Advance Notice for Holiday Work (Form IV):
    • If an employer requires work on a declared holiday, a notice in Form IV must be served to the worker and sent to the Labour Inspector at least 24 hours prior to the holiday.

❓ Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)​

1. Is Kannada Rajyotsava (November 1st) a compulsory paid holiday in Karnataka?​

Yes. Under Section 3 of the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963, Kannada Rajyotsava is one of the 5 legally entrenched mandatory paid holidays in Karnataka.

2. Can an IT/BPO company in Bangalore substitute May Day or Kannada Rajyotsava?​

No. The five statutory core holidays in Karnataka (26 Jan, 1 May, 15 Aug, 2 Oct, and 1 Nov) cannot be substituted. Only the remaining 5 festival holidays out of the 10-day quota may be selected or substituted through consultation with employees.

3. How many total paid holidays are mandatory for private sector firms in Bangalore?​

Under the Karnataka NFH Act, private firms and industrial establishments must grant at least 10 paid holidays per year.

4. What is the deadline to submit the annual holiday list to the Karnataka Labour Department?​

Employers must submit Form I containing the list of 10 proposed holidays to the local Labour Inspector on or before 31st December of the preceding year.