Jammu & Kashmir Holidays List 2026
Jammu & Kashmir has 28 gazetted public holidays in 2026 under Annexure-A of Government Order No. 1894-JK(GAD) of 2025, covering 2 national days and 26 religious and cultural observances spanning Hindu, Muslim, Sikh and Buddhist traditions. As a Union Territory with two distinct provinces ammu and Kashmir the calendar is uniquely broad, reflecting the region's multi-faith character. Below is the official list with dates, the day of the week, and what each means for payroll and leave.
| Date | Day | Holiday | Holiday Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 Jan 2026 | Monday | Guru Gobind Singh Ji's Birthday | Religious |
| 17 Jan 2026 | Saturday | Shab-i-Miraj (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Monday | Republic Day | National |
| 15 Feb 2026 | Sunday | Mahashivratri | Religious |
| 17 Mar 2026 | Tuesday | Shab-i-Qadr (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Thursday | 1st Navratra | Religious |
| 20 Mar 2026 | Friday | Jumat-ul-Vida (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 21 Mar 2026 | Saturday | Nauroz | Cultural |
| 21 Mar 2026 | Saturday | Eid-ul-Fitr (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Thursday | Ram Navami | Religious |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tuesday | Baisakhi | Religious |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tuesday | Birthday of Dr. B.R. Ambedkar | Commemorative |
| 1 May 2026 | Friday | Buddha Purnima | Religious |
| 27 & 28 May 2026 | Wed & Thu | Eid-ul-Azha (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 26 Jun 2026 | Friday | Ashoora (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 5 Jul 2026 | Sunday | Guru Hargobind Ji's Birthday | Religious |
| 15 Aug 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day | National |
| 26 Aug 2026 | Wednesday | Eid-i-Milad-ul-Nabi (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 28 Aug 2026 | Friday | Friday following Eid-i-Milad-ul-Nabi (subject to confirmation — lunar) | Religious |
| 4 Sep 2026 | Friday | Janmashtami | Religious |
| 23 Sep 2026 | Wednesday | Birthday of Maharaja Hari Singh Ji | Commemorative |
| 2 Oct 2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti | National |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Mahanavami | Religious |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra | Religious |
| 26 Oct 2026 | Monday | Accession Day | Commemorative |
| 8 Nov 2026 | Sunday | Diwali | Religious |
| 24 Nov 2026 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Dev Ji's Birthday | Religious |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day | Religious |
Get the Official Jammu & Kashmir Government Notification
Download PDFHow Jammu & Kashmir Holidays Impact Payroll and Leave Management?
Jammu & Kashmir's holiday calendar is among the most complex of any Indian state or Union Territory. At 28 Annexure-A holidays alone, it is significantly longer than most states, and this is before accounting for Annexure-B provincial holidays, local district-specific observances and restricted holidays that apply selectively depending on where an employee is based.
Nine holidays follow the Islamic lunar calendar, each carrying a moon-sighting dependency that can shift the date by a day with no separate government order required. For organisations with employees spread across Jammu Province and Kashmir Province, the payroll calendar can be materially different between the two provinces in any given month. Maintaining a single centralised leave and payroll system that handles UT-wide, province-level and district-level holidays simultaneously is the core compliance challenge for HR teams operating in J&K.
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Frequently Asked Questions
28 gazetted holidays under Annexure-A of Government Order No. 1894-JK(GAD) of 2025, applicable to all government offices and educational institutions across the UT. Additional provincial holidays apply separately for Jammu Province and Kashmir Province under Annexure-B, along with district-specific local holidays and restricted holidays.