Karnataka 2026 Holiday Calendar Released: Check General, Restricted & Local Holidays
The Government of Karnataka has issued Notification-I and Notification-II, releasing the official list of General Holidays and Restricted Holidays for the year 2026. These holidays apply to all State Government offices and are notified under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
All Second Saturdays, Fourth Saturdays, and Sundays are declared holidays for government offices, in addition to the dates listed below.
General Holidays for 2026 (Notification–I & II)
1) 15 January 2026 (Thursday)
• Uttarayana Punyakala, Makara Sankranti
2) 26 January 2026 (Monday)
• Republic Day
3) 19 March 2026 (Thursday)
• Ugadi Festival
4) 21 March 2026 (Saturday)
• Khutub-E-Ramzan
5) 31 March 2026 (Tuesday)
• Mahaveera Jayanthi
6) 3 April 2026 (Friday)
• Good Friday
7) 14 April 2026 (Tuesday)
• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Jayanthi
8) 20 April 2026 (Monday)
• Basava Jayanthi, Akshaya Tritiya
9) 1 May 2026 (Friday)
• May Day
10) 28 May 2026 (Thursday)
• Bakrid
11) 26 June 2026 (Friday)
• Last Day of Moharam
12) 15 August 2026 (Saturday)
• Independence Day
13) 26 August 2026 (Wednesday)
• Eid-Milad
14) 14 September 2026 (Monday)
• Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata
15) 2 October 2026 (Friday)
• Gandhi Jayanthi
16) 20 October 2026 (Tuesday)
• Mahanavami, Ayudhapooja
17) 21 October 2026 (Wednesday)
• Vijayadasami
18) 10 November 2026 (Tuesday)
• Balipadyami, Deepavali
19) 27 November 2026 (Friday)
• Kanakadasa Jayanthi
20) 25 December 2026 (Friday)
• Christmas
Important Notes (General Holidays)
The following festivals fall on Sundays or Second Saturdays and are therefore not included:
- Maha Shivaratri (15 February 2026)
- Maharshi Valmiki Jayanthi (25 October 2026)
- Kannada Rajyothsava (1 November 2026)
- Naraka Chaturdashi (8 November 2026)
- Mahalaya Amavasye (10 October 2026 – Second Saturday)
• Government offices will remain closed statewide on all General Holidays.
• Heads of Departments must ensure continuity of essential services.
• Dates of Muslim festivals may vary; employees may receive holidays on the actual day of observance.
Kodagu District Local Holidays
• Kail Muhuruth – 3 September 2026 (Thursday)
• Tula Sankramana – 18 October 2026 (Sunday)
• Huthri Festival – 26 November 2026 (Thursday)
A separate holiday list for the Education Department will be issued later.
State Government employees may avail any two Restricted Holidays in 2026.
Restricted Holidays for 2026 (Annexure to Notification-I)
1 January 2026 (Thursday)
• New Year
27 January 2026 (Tuesday)
• Sri Madvanavami
4 February 2026 (Wednesday)
• Shab-e-Barath
2 March 2026 (Monday)
• Holi Festival
17 March 2026 (Tuesday)
• Shab-e-Qadar
20 March 2026 (Friday)
• Jumat-Ul-Wida
23 March 2026 (Monday)
• Devara Daseemaiah Jayanthi
27 March 2026 (Friday)
• Sri Ramanavami
4 April 2026 (Saturday)
• Holy Saturday
21 April 2026 (Tuesday)
• Sri Shankarayacharya Jayanthi
22 April 2026 (Wednesday)
• Sri Ramanujacharya Jayanthi
21 August 2026 (Friday)
• Varamahalakshmi Vrata
27 August 2026 (Thursday)
• Yajur Upakarma
28 August 2026 (Friday)
• Brahma Shri Narayana Guru Jayanthi, Raksha Bandhan
4 September 2026 (Friday)
• Sri Krishna Janmashtami
8 September 2026 (Tuesday)
• Kanya Mariyamma Jayanthi
17 September 2026 (Thursday)
• Vishwakarma Jayanthi
25 September 2026 (Friday)
• Ananta Padmanabha Vrata
24 November 2026 (Tuesday)
• Guru Nanak Jayanthi
26 November 2026 (Thursday)
• Huttari Festival
24 December 2026 (Thursday)
• Christmas Eve
Notes (Restricted Holidays)
- Tula Sankramana (18 October 2026) falls on Sunday and is excluded.
- Souramana Ugadi (14 April 2026), Buddha Poornima (1 May 2026) and Onam/Rig-Upakarma (26 August 2026) fall on General Holidays.
- Swarna Gowri Vrata (14 September 2026) is already covered under the General Holiday for Varasiddhi Vinayaka Vrata.
