Madhya Pradesh Holiday Guide for 2026

Madhya Pradesh, a state rich in cultural diversity and historical significance, celebrates a variety of festivals and public holidays that reflect its unique heritage. HR professionals must have an official and accurate holiday calendar to manage workforce attendance, leave standards, and payroll compliance effectively.  

Our guide lists down Madhya Pradesh’s official public, bank, and optional holidays of 2026, solely extracted from government-released PDFs and original circulars in order to offer legitimacy for human resource management. 

Let’s get started. 

What are the Public Holidays in Madhya Pradesh in 2026?

The Government of Madhya Pradesh declared a set of official public holidays in 2026, which includes national holidays along with state-level observances. All these are mandatory for government institutions and are celebrated on a large scale throughout the state. 

Here is the list of all the Public Holidays to be observed in 2026: 

Note:Islamic holidays marked with * (Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram, Milad-un-Nabi) are subject to lunar sighting and may shift by a day based on moon appearance. The government will announce any changes through official notifications.

HR Action Tip: 

Ensure these public holidays are reflected in your company’s leave calendar, HRMS, and payroll systems.  

Communicate these in advance with employees to avoid confusion and maintain compliance. Pay special attention to the lunar-dependent Islamic holidays and monitor government announcements for any date changes.  

Note that some holidays fall on weekends (Independence Day on 15 August, Diwali on 8 November), which may impact leave calculations.

What are the Bank Holidays in Madhya Pradesh in 2026?

Madhya Pradesh bank holidays are practically synchronized with the listed public holidays declared by the central as well as the state governments. Banks remain closed on these days, affecting financial transactions and salary processing. 

Here is the list of all the Bank Holidays in the State for 2025: 

Note:

In addition to the above list, every second and fourth Saturdays and Sundays are declared as Bank Holidays in the state, according to official RBI notifications.

What are the Optional (Restricted) Holidays in Madhya Pradesh in 2026?

Optional or restricted holidays provide employees the flexibility to choose festivals or events of personal or community interest. Employees in Madhya Pradesh may avail these holidays subject to approval. 

Note: Employees may select up to 2 restricted holidays during 2026 as per their personal or religious preferences with prior approval of the competent authority. Organizations may customize the restricted holiday list according to their workforce demographics and policies. 

HR Action Tip

Implement a transparent system for restricted holiday applications to ensure fair distribution and prevent conflicts during peak festival periods. 

Maintain clear documentation of which employees have selected which holidays to avoid approval bottlenecks.  

Consider the nature of work and critical business periods when approving restricted holidays, especially during Dussehra and Diwali when leave requests are typically high. 

Payroll-Sensitive Dates to Watch Out for HR Professionals

For attendance and payroll management, HR professionals working in Madhya Pradesh need to be more cautious when it comes to statutory holidays, bank holidays, and optional holidays, and weekly offs in order to comply and ensure seamless running of the establishment. 

Here is the list of days to stay wary off: 

Critical HR Planning Tips

• Plan payroll processes 7-10 days in advance to account for bank closures and holiday clusters. 
• Monitor government announcements for any changes in Islamic holiday dates (Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Zuha, Muharram, Milad-un-Nabi). 
• Create a detailed calendar marking all public, bank, and restricted holidays in your HRMS. 
• For major festivals (Holi in March, Dussehra and Diwali in October-November), implement staggered leave approval systems. 
• Ensure backup resources are available for critical functions during extended holiday periods. 
• Coordinate with finance team about the impact of Saturday holidays on salary disbursement cycles. 
• Track restricted holiday selections to manage peak leave periods effectively.