Guide to Public Holidays in Maharashtra – 2026

Reviewed and Validated by: Pushkar Thakur, Advocate

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A Thought Leadership Publication

This handbook is designed to provide readers with a comprehensive overview of the essential legal landscape governing provisions pertaining to public holidays in Maharashtra, assisting organisations to better set up their internal policies and run their businesses in India in a legally compliant manner.

Managing public holidays in Maharashtra involves much more than a simple policy or a calendar-date tracker. The process requires a clear understanding of the days that are mandatory under the Indian legal system, the requirements of the workforce, and how to harmonise these leaves in a manner that prevents operational conflict. With laws such as the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017, there is a requirement to carefully analyse concepts like paid leave, overtime rates, and statutory entitlements to better structure and determine the relevant dates that must be allocated in company policies. Drawing from the notifications issued by the General Administration Department, Government of Maharashtra, this guide provides a consolidated overview of the state’s public holidays. This allows the business to review its existing holiday calendars.

Whether you’re a startup scaling up in Mumbai or a multinational with operations in Pune, getting ahead on holiday planning can prevent operational hiccups. Holidays like Republic Day and Maharashtra Day are fixed, but others, such as those based on lunar sightings (e.g., Ramzan Id or Bakri Id), may shift slightly—always cross-check with official updates closer to the date. In our experience advising clients across sectors, we’ve seen how overlooking these can lead to payroll errors or employee grievances, especially in industries with shift-based workforces. Thereby, this guide aims to provide a comprehensive list of all fixed holidays as well as those subject to annual date changes, ensuring it can be referenced by entities to better structure their internal policies and remain legally compliant.

Below, we outline the declared public holidays under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, applicable statewide. These are the days when banks and negotiable instruments are affected, but they also influence general business closures.

Public Holidays for 2026

The following 24 days have been declared as public holidays for the state of Maharashtra:

Note that some holidays fall on weekends, which might not require additional closures but still entitle employees to compensatory benefits under relevant labour laws. For instance, if a holiday like Mahashivratri lands on a Sunday, check your establishment’s policy on substituting rest days.

Bank-Specific Holiday

In addition to the above, there are certain days on which bank employees are granted a holiday that does not apply to government officials or general businesses. One such holiday is the annual closing of bank accounts.

Thereby, banks must ensure that this holiday is recorded in their policy and operations are adjusted accordingly to prevent any operational lapse. For employees in other sectors, however, this leave is not mandatory and remains subject to the employer’s discretion.

Additional Holiday for State Government Offices and Local Bodies

Separately, the Government has declared one extra holiday applicable to state government offices, public sector undertakings, municipal corporations, councils, nagar panchayats, zilla parishads, panchayat samitis, and gram panchayats. This is not a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act but is relevant for entities interacting with these bodies:

This addition underscores the cultural emphasis in Maharashtra’s calendar, often aligning with Diwali festivities. Private businesses aren’t mandated to observe it, but many do to foster employee morale, especially in diverse workforces.

Implications for Corporate and Employment Compliance

From a legal standpoint, these holidays are direct obligations for the employer under relevant laws, such as the Shops and Establishments Act, the Code on Wages, and the Occupational Safety, Health and Working Conditions Code. Employers must have adequate policies to inform their employees of these leaves, along with the specific benefits available to employees who are required to work on such holidays. This is especially important in sectors that require continuous operations, such as IT/ITeS and manufacturing industries.

We advise clients on ensuring that they maintain a complete holiday list within their HR policies that complies with applicable laws, while also meeting statutory requirements—such as overtime wages or compensatory offs—should an employee be required to work on such holidays. Furthermore, for foreign investors or organizations operating in Maharashtra, this list serves as a key reference to accurately project timelines for project completion, taking into account potential operational adjustments during public holidays.

If your business spans multiple states, remember that holiday lists vary; Haryana or Delhi might have different observances. Always tailor your compliance strategy accordingly.

For personalised guidance on how these holidays impact your operations—or to draft compliant employment contracts—reach out to our team at Corrida Legal. We’re here to keep you ahead of the curve in India’s dynamic regulatory environment.

Pushkar Thakur

Founder & Managing Partner B.A. LL.B., Law

About the Author Latest Posts

Pushkar Thakur heads Corrida Legal as its Managing Partner and is a corporate advisory & litigation lawyer with expertise in corporate law, contracts, litigation, employment law and data protection. Pushkar represents corporates including Fortune 500s before various Courts at Delhi and Mumbai and regularly advises clients across IT/ITES, FMCG, banking, aviation, construction, real estate and e-commerce start-ups on their corporate law issues. Pushkar is an ex Assistant Vice President, Legal, Nomura (Investment Bank) and has led the legal teams at global corporates namely Emaar properties and Drake & Scull International. He has also worked with Kochhar & Co., a leading Indian law firm in its Corporate Advisory & Litigation team.

Pushkar heads the litigation practice and brings on board vast experience of handling matters pertaining to recoveries, real estate, white-collar crimes, consumer disputes etc. Pushkar argues before the courts and has represented corporate majors such as Emaar properties, EMC (now Dell), International Air Transport Association, Lumata Digital, RaeBareilly Allahabad Highway Private Limited and more than fifty international airline companies including Lufthansa airlines, British Airways and United Airlines in matters including white-collar crimes. Pushkar has also fought multiple consumer and real estate cases against real estate giants such as Unitech Limited, BPTP Ltd., Conscient Infrastructures etc.

Areas of Expertise: Corporate law, Contracts, litigation, Employment law and Data protection

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• Guide to Public Holidays in Maharashtra – 2026 December 17, 2025

pushkar.thakur@corridalegal.com

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