Jammu and Kashmir 2026 Holidays Announced; July 13 and December 5 Excluded as 2019 Holiday Calendar
The Jammu and Kashmir administration has released the official list of public holidays for 2026, once again leaving out July 13 and December 5 from the calendar. This marks the second consecutive year that the two dates have not been reinstated, despite repeated demands from the ruling National Conference (NC) and other political groups in the Kashmir Valley.
The holiday notification, issued by the General Administration Department (GAD), applies to all government offices and educational institutions across the Union Territory. The order, signed by Commissioner Secretary M. Raju, states that the holidays listed in the annexures will be observed throughout the 2026 calendar year under the authority of the Lieutenant Governor.
No Change in Holiday Policy
The exclusion of the two dates reflects continuity in the Union Territory’s holiday policy introduced after the revocation of Article 370 in 2019. Although the NC-led government under Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has consistently sought the restoration of these holidays, the official calendar for 2026 remains unchanged.
Unlike the previous year—when the omission triggered sharp political reactions and protests—the response this time has been relatively subdued.
Significance of the Omitted Dates
July 13 was traditionally observed as Martyrs’ Day in the former state of Jammu and Kashmir, commemorating the killing of at least 21 people during an uprising against the Dogra ruler Maharaja Hari Singh in 1931. For decades, the day held deep political and emotional significance in the Valley and was marked by shutdowns and commemorations across Kashmir.
December 5 marks the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah, founder of the National Conference and one of the most influential political figures in the region’s modern history. Prior to 2019, both July 13 and December 5 were official public holidays.
Background to the Change
The two holidays were removed from the official calendar in late 2019, a few months after the abrogation of Article 370 and the reorganisation of the state into a Union Territory. At the same time, October 26—marking the accession of Jammu and Kashmir to India in 1947—was added as an official holiday.
Since then, October 26 has continued to feature in the holiday list. The date has long been championed by the BJP as “Accession Day,” though it has remained contentious in parts of the Kashmir Valley, where October 27 is observed by some as a “Black Day.”
Political Assurances Yet to Materialise
Last year, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah had indicated that the restoration of the two holidays would be taken up after the broader political demand for statehood. Senior NC leader and political adviser Nasir Aslam Wani had also expressed confidence that Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah’s birth anniversary would be reinstated as a holiday in the future. However, the 2026 calendar suggests no movement on that front so far.
2026 Holiday Structure
The newly notified calendar includes separate lists of Union Territory–level and regional holidays, covering a total of 28 UT-level holidays and 19 region-specific holidays for 2026. Despite the expanded list, July 13 and December 5 remain absent, underlining the administration’s continued adherence to the post-2019 framework.
For now, the issue of reinstating the two historically significant dates appears to remain unresolved, even as political parties in Kashmir continue to press for their inclusion in the official holiday calendar.
