Lakshadweep Holiday Guide for 2026
Scattered like emeralds across the Arabian Sea, Lakshadweep moves to its own rhythm. Life here is shaped by tides, traditions, and close-knit communities. For HR teams managing island-based operations, holiday planning is less about ticking boxes and more about syncing payroll, staffing, and cultural sensitivity with geographic realities.
This guide walks you through public holidays, bank holidays, restricted holidays, and payroll-sensitive dates for Lakshadweep in 2026, so nothing catches you off guard.
What are the Public Holidays of Lakshadweep in 2026?
These are mandatory holidays observed across government offices and most establishments in Lakshadweep.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
| 14 Jan 2026 | Wednesday | Makar Sankranti |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Monday | Republic Day |
| 15 Feb 2026 | Sunday | Maha Shivratri |
| 04 Mar 2026 | Wednesday | Holi |
| 21 Mar 2026* | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Thursday | Ram Navami |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| 01 May 2026 | Friday | Buddha Purnima |
| 27 May 2026* | Wednesday | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) |
| 26 Jun 2026* | Friday | Muharram |
| 15 Aug 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug 2026* | Wednesday | Milad-un-Nabi |
| 04 Sep 2026 | Friday | Janmashtami |
| 14 Sep 2026 | Monday | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| 02 Oct 2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra |
| 08 Nov 2026 | Sunday | Diwali |
| 24 Nov 2026 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
HR Action Tip:
Island connectivity can delay approvals and payments. Lock these public holidays into your payroll calendar early and plan buffers for inter-island coordination.
What are the Bank Holidays of Lakshadweep in 2026?
Banks in Lakshadweep follow Negotiable Instruments Act provisions along with RBI rules.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
| 14 Jan 2026 | Wednesday | Makar Sankranti |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Monday | Republic Day |
| 15 Feb 2026 | Sunday | Maha Shivratri |
| 04 Mar 2026 | Wednesday | Holi |
| 21 Mar 2026* | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr |
| 26 Mar 2026 | Thursday | Ram Navami |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti |
| 01 April 2026 | Wednesday | Annual Bank Accounts Closing |
| 01 May 2026 | Friday | Buddha Purnima |
| 27 May 2026* | Wednesday | Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) |
| 26 Jun 2026* | Friday | Muharram |
| 15 Aug 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day |
| 26 Aug 2026* | Wednesday | Milad-un-Nabi |
| 04 Sep 2026 | Friday | Janmashtami |
| 14 Sep 2026 | Monday | Ganesh Chaturthi |
| 02 Oct 2026 | Friday | Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra |
| 08 Nov 2026 | Sunday | Diwali |
| 24 Nov 2026 | Tuesday | Guru Nanak Jayanti |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
| All Sundays | —- | |
| 2nd and 4th Saturdays | —- |
HR Action Tip:
Because banking access is limited on islands, process salaries at least 2–3 working days earlier around Eid, Diwali, and year-end closures.
What are the Optional (Restricted) Holidays in Lakshadweep in 2026?
Employees may typically choose any two restricted holidays, subject to organisational policy.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
| 01 Jan 2026 | Thursday | New Year’s Day |
| 03 Jan 2026 | Saturday | Hazrat Ali’s Birthday |
| 16 Jan 2026 | Friday | Rajab 27 |
| 23 Jan 2026 | Friday | Basant Panchami / Sri Panchami |
| 01 Feb 2026 | Sunday | Guru Ravi Das Jayanti |
| 12 Feb 2026 | Thursday | Swami Dayananda Saraswati Jayanti |
| 15 Feb 2026 | Sunday | Maha Shivratri |
| 19 Feb 2026 | Thursday | Shivaji Jayanti |
| 03 Mar 2026 | Tuesday | Holika Dahan |
| 03 March 2026 | Tuesday | Dolyatra |
| 19 March 2026 | Tuesday | Ramzan 27 |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Thursday | Chaitra Sukladi / Ugadi |
| 20 Mar 2026 | Friday | Jumat-ul-Vida |
| 03 March 2026 | Friday | Good Friday |
| 05 Apr 2026 | Sunday | Easter Sunday |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tuesday | Vaisakhi / Vishu / Tamil New Year |
| 15 Apr 2026 | Wednesday | Vaisakhadi / Bahag Bihu |
| 09 May 2026 | Saturday | Rabindranath Tagore Jayanti |
| 16 Jul 2026 | Thursday | Rath Yatra |
| 15 Aug 2026 | Saturday | Parsi New Year’s Day |
| 28 Aug 2026 | Friday | Raksha Bandhan |
| 18 Oct 2026 | Sunday | Dussehra (Saptami) |
| 19 Oct 2026 | Monday | Dussehra (Ashtami) |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra (Navami) |
| 26 Oct 2026 | Monday | Maharishi Valmiki Jayanti |
| 29 Oct 2026 | Thursday | Karva Chauth |
| 08 Nov 2026 | Sunday | Naraka Chaturdashi |
| 09 Nov 2026 | Monday | Govardhan Pooja |
| 11 Nov 2026 | Wednesday | Bhai Dooj |
| 15 Nov 2026 | Sunday | Chhat Puja |
| 24 Nov 2026 | Tuesday | Guru Teg Bahadur’s Martyrdom Day |
| 23 Dec 2026 | Wednesday | Hazrat Ali’s Birthday |
| 24 Dec 2026 | Thursday | Christmas Eve |
HR Action Tip:
Ask employees to declare restricted holidays quarter-wise, not month-wise. This helps manage staffing gaps, especially for healthcare, transport, and tourism roles.
Payroll-Sensitive Dates to Watch Out for HR Professionals
Key holidays with bank closures or high leave demand can disrupt payroll in Lakshadweep’s remote setting. Proactive planning during these ensure financial flow and employee trust.
| Date | Day | Holiday |
| 21 Mar 2026 | Saturday | Id-ul-Fitr |
| 01 Apr 2026 | Wednesday | Bank Accounts Closing |
| 27 May 2026 | Wednesday | Id-ul-Zuha |
| 15 Aug 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Dussehra |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas Day |
HR Action Tip:
For island locations, payroll delays hurt trust faster. Pre-run salary calculations before long weekends and festival clusters.
Got questions?
Jammu and Kashmir observes over 25 UT-wide public holidays in 2026, in addition to provincial and local holidays. The total number applicable to an employee depends on their posting location.
Yes. Certain holidays apply only to Jammu Province, others to Kashmir Province, and some are district-specific. HR teams managing multi-location workforces should map holidays by region to avoid payroll errors or unapproved absences.
Banks observe all UT-wide public holidays, along with Sundays and second and fourth Saturdays. Additionally, 1 April is a bank-specific closure due to annual account finalization, which can affect salary credits and statutory payments.
Festival clusters around March and October can compress working days. HR teams should process payroll 3–5 working days earlier, communicate cut-off dates clearly, and coordinate with finance teams to ensure uninterrupted salary disbursement.