Kerala government holiday list 2026: Key dates of bank and office closures

State confirms key dates for banks and financial institutions when they will remain closed, including festivals and annual accounting closures

Kerala has released a list of public holidays for 2026, offering clarity to state government employees, banks, financial institutions and the wider public. The notification, issued under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, and published in the Kerala Gazette Extraordinary on 31 October 2025, outlines the days when government offices and notified establishments will remain closed. 

This schedule, finalised by the General Administration (Co-ordination) Department, also covers holidays for commercial and co-operative banks as per guidelines issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

 

Why this list matters for consumers

 

Public holiday schedules have a direct bearing on banking transactions, branch availability, government service delivery, and the planning of statutory and financial activities. For individuals and businesses, advance knowledge of these dates helps in managing monthly payments, compliance deadlines and travel or administrative appointments.

 

Full list of Kerala public holidays in 2026

 

In addition to Sundays, the following dates will be observed as public holidays across Kerala in 2026:

 

Mannam Jayanthi – 2 January (Friday)

 

Republic Day – 26 January (Monday)

 

Id-ul-Fitr (Ramzan)* – 20 March (Friday)

 

Annual closing of accounts of commercial and co-operative banks – 1 April (Wednesday)

 

Maundy Thursday – 2 April (Thursday)

 

Good Friday – 3 April (Friday)

 

Dr B. R. Ambedkar Jayanthi – 14 April (Tuesday)

 

Vishu – 15 April (Wednesday)

 

May Day – 1 May (Friday)

 

Id-ul-Ad’ha (Bakrid)* – 27 May (Wednesday)

 

Independence Day – 15 August (Saturday)

 

First Onam/Milad-i-Sherif* – 25 August (Tuesday)

 

Thiruvonam – 26 August (Wednesday)

 

Sree Narayana Guru Jayanthi/Ayyankali Jayanthi – 28 August (Friday)

 

Sreekrishna Jayanthi – 4 September (Friday)

 

Sree Narayana Guru Samadhi – 21 September (Monday)

 

Gandhi Jayanthi – 2 October (Friday)

 

Mahanavami – 20 October (Tuesday)

 

Vijayadasami – 21 October (Wednesday)

 

Christmas – 25 December (Friday)

 

Dates marked with an asterisk are subject to change based on the appearance of the moon.

 

Festivals falling on Sundays in 2026

 

Some festivals coincide with Sundays, which are already public holidays. The notification clarifies that bank branches that operate on Sundays will treat the following as holidays as well:

 

Mahasivarathri – 15 February (Sunday)

 

Easter – 5 April (Sunday)

 

Deepavali – 8 November (Sunday)

 

Additional rules for industrial and commercial establishments

 

The holiday list for institutions governed by labour laws, such as the Industrial Disputes Act, Shops and Commercial Establishment Act and Minimum Wages Act, will continue to follow the Kerala Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1958. This means that private sector employers must comply with separate statutory norms for paid holidays.