Karnataka government holiday list 2026 released: Full list of general and restricted holidays

The Karnataka government has issued the official list of general and restricted holidays for the year 2026, offering clarity for government employees, institutions and citizens as they plan their itinerary in the year ahead. The notification, published by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), outlines all the second and fourth Saturdays, Sundays, and an approved set of festivals and national holidays that will apply across the state.

For 2026, government offices across Karnataka will remain closed on 20 key festivals and national holidays in addition to weekends. The holiday calendar starts with Makara Sankranti on January 15, followed by Republic Day on January 26.

Also read: Central government holiday list 2026: Govt offices across India will be closed on these days

Major religious and cultural holidays in the year include Ugadi (March 19), Mahaveera Jayanthi (March 31), Good Friday (April 3), Ambedkar Jayanthi (April 14), Basava Jayanthi/Akshaya Tritiya (April 20) and Bakrid (May 28).

Some festivals including Maha Shivaratri (February 15), Maharshi Valmiki Jayanthi (October 25), Kannada Rajyotsava (November 1) and Naraka Chaturdashi (November 8) fall on Sundays this year and therefore do not appear in the list of general holidays. Mahalaya Amavasya (October 10) falls on a second Saturday and is also excluded.

General Karnataka government holiday list for 2026

General Karnataka government’s restricted holidays for 2026

Apart from general holidays, Karnataka state government employees are allowed to avail up to two restricted holidays during the year, with prior approval from the competent authority. The Karnataka government has released a separate list of 21 restricted holidays.

General Karnataka government’s restricted holiday list is as follows-

Some festivals that typically qualify as the Karnataka government’s restricted holidays — such as Souramana Ugadi, Buddha Poornima, Onam, and Swarna Gowri Vrata — are omitted this year because they coincide with existing general holidays.

The list notes that festivals observed by the Muslim community may vary depending on the sighting of the moon. Should the actual date differ from the notified date, Karnataka government employees from the Muslim community will be permitted to take leave on the day of observance, in line with past practice.