Holiday List for Commercial Establishments for 2020
Holidays should not be confused with leave. Holidays are declared by and apply to everyone in the establishment. An employee has an option to avail the leaves as per his/her employer’s policies and the applicable laws. An employee is eligible for both leave and holiday.
In India, holidays are of two kinds, 1) National Holidays that are uniform for all establishments throughout the country and 2) Festival and other holidays that are observed state-wise as per government declarations. In addition to the national and festival holidays, private sector employers may grant additional holidays at their discretion.
The grant of holidays, other than National Holidays is governed by laws of each state. Where some states declare festival holidays and other holidays by notifying in the Official Gazette, other states declare holidays in accordance with their respective state legislations.
This blog enlists mandatory holidays for the year 2020, in the states of Andhra Pradesh, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra and Telangana.
Mandatory National Holidays
The following National Holidays are should be compulsorily declared by every commercial and industrial establishment, including software companies.
| Holidays | Date |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 |
Festival and Other Holidays as per State
ANDHRA PRADESH
In Andhra Pradesh provisions relating to holidays are available under two legislations; the Andhra Pradesh Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 and the Andhra Pradesh Factories and Establishments (National, Festival and other Holidays) Act, 1974.
The Government of Andra Pradesh publishes a notification, annually, containing a list of holidays to be given to establishments in its Official Gazette. The list of holidays for the year 2020 is as follows. These holidays may vary based on the jurisdiction of the establishment;
Andra Pradesh Holiday List 1: Applicable to Employees working in Establishments situated in Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam Districts.
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| Kanuma | 16th January 2020 | Festival |
| Day following Mahashivratri | 22nd February 2020 | Festival |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Vinayaka Chavithi | 22nd August 2020 | Festival |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| Vijaya Dhasimi | 25th October 2020 | Festival |
| Nagula Chavithi | 18th November 2020 | Festival |
Andra Pradesh Holiday List 2: Applicable to Employees working in Establishments situated in Guntur, Prakasam and SPS Nellore
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| Kanuma | 16th January 2020 | Festival |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Ramzan | 25th May 2020 | Festival |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Vinayaka Chavithi | 22nd August 2020 | Festival |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| Christmas | 25thDecember 2020 | Festival |
| Andra Pradesh Formation Day | This holiday is declared by the Andhra Pradesh State Government officially |
Andra Pradesh Holiday List 3: Applicable to Employees working in Establishments situated in Kurnool, Anantapur, Kadapa and Chittoor.
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| Ugadi | 25th March 2020 | Festival |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Andra Pradesh formation day | 2nd June 2020 | Festival |
| Bakri Id | 1st August 2020 | Festival |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| Deepavli | 14th November 2020 | Festival |
| Christmas | 25thDecember 2020 | Festival |
According to work exigencies, an employee may be requested to work on a holiday provided that he should, at his option, be entitled to either twice the wages or wages for such day and to avail himself of a substituted holiday with wages on one of the three (03) days immediately before or after the day on which he so works. (Sec. 5(2)(b) of the Andhra Pradesh Factories and Establishments (National, Festival and other Holidays) Act, 1974)
GOA
Every year the Government of Goa declares holidays for government employees, banks and commercial and industrial establishments by publishing a notification in the Official Gazette. These holidays are declared in pursuance of the principles under the the Goa, Daman and Diu Shops and Establishments Act, 1973 and the Factories Act, 1948. .
Following is the Holiday List for commercial and industrial establishments for 2020.
https://goaprintingpress.gov.in/downloads/1920/1920-29-SII-OG-0.pdf
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| Birth of Babasaheb Ambedkar | 14th April 2020 | Festival |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Ganesh Chaturthi | 22nd August 2020 | Festival |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| Diwali | 14th November 2020 | Festival |
| Goa Liberation Day | 19th December 2020 | Festival |
| Christmas | 25th December 2020 | Festival |
Should an employee be required to work on a holiday the he/she may be paid double the amount of the daily wages or granted leave on any other day as compensatory holiday. (Sec 24(1) of the Goa, Daman and Diu Shops and Establishments Act, 1973)
KARNATAKA
The Grant of holidays in the State of Karnataka is governed by the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963. Under the provisions of this law, every establishment should grant holidays on the following days:
| Holiday | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| 5 (five) other festival holidays from amongst the list mentioned in the Schedule to the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963 ( http://dpal.kar.nic.in/pdf_files/24%20of%201963%20(E).pdf ) | Specified by employer at the beginning of the year | Festival |
Apart from the holidays specified in the table above establishments in Karnataka are mandatorily required to grant a holiday on the polling day for elections to the Lok Sabha and the State Legislative Assembly. (Sec 3A of the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963).
If an employee works on any holiday he shall at his option be entitled to either twice the wages or wages for such a day and to avail himself of a substituted holiday with wages on any other day. (Sec. 5(2) of the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963)
KERALA
Like Karnataka, the State of Kerala has its own act that provides for holidays to establishments, i.e. the Kerala Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1958. The Following is the list of holidays as specified in the Act
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| 9 (nine) Festival Holidays for festivals as the inspector specifies in consultation with the employer and employees of the establishment. | Festival |
Where an employee works on any holiday enlisted above, he/ she is entitled to twice the wages and to avail himself of a substituted holiday on any other day. (Sec. 5(2) of the Kerala Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1958).
MAHARASHTRA
Holidays in Maharashtra are granted under the newly enacted Maharashtra Shops and Establishment (Regulation Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017. Under the provisions of this law all establishments should declare holidays on the following days:
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Gandhi Jayanti | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| 4 (four) Festival Holidays | as agreed between the employer and workers | Festival |
If an employer requires any worker to work on a holiday enlisted herein above provided that the employer pays the employee double the amount of daily average wages for that day and also gives him leave on any other day in lieu of the compulsory holiday. (Sec. 18(7) of the Maharashtra Shops and Establishment (Regulation Employment and Conditions of Service) Act, 2017)
Under Rule 13(2)(iv) of the Maharashtra Shops and Establishments (Regulation of Employment and Conditions of Service) Rules, 2017, In addition to the holidays mentioned in the list above, every women worker who works in night shift as per her shift schedule, shall be eligible for one additional paid holiday for every two months in a year.
TELANGANA
The State of Telangana shares the same system as Andhra Pradesh while declaring holidays. The majority of provisions relating to holidays are found in the Telangana Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 and the Telangana Factories and Establishments (National, Festival and other Holidays) Act, 1974.
Every year the Government of Telangana publishes a list of holidays in the Official Gazette.
LIST 1: Holidays for 2020 to the employees working in shops and establishments located in Hyderabad (twin cities).
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Sankranthi | 15th January 2020 | Festival |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| Next day of Mahashivratri | 22nd February 2020 | Festival |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Ramzan | 25th May 2020 | Festival |
| Telangana Formation Day | 2nd June 2020 | Festival |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Gandhi Jayanthi | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| Dussehra | 25th October 2020 | Festival |
List 2: Holidays for 2020 to the employees working in shops and establishments located in Rangareddy, Medchal, Vikarabad, Medak, Siddipet, Sangareddy, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Nalgonda, Yadadri, Suryapet, Mahabubnagar, Nagarkurnool, Wanaparthy, Jogulamba, Gadwal and Narayanpet Districts.
| Holidays | Date | Category of Holiday |
| Sankranthi/ Pongal | 15th January 2020 | Festival |
| Republic Day | 26th January 2020 | National |
| May Day | 1st May 2020 | National |
| Ramzan | 25th May 2020 | Festival |
| Telangana Formation Day | 2nd June 2020 | Festival |
| Independence Day | 15th August 2020 | National |
| Gandhi Jayanthi | 2nd October 2020 | National |
| Dussehra/ Vijaya Dasami (NOTE: If it is a weekly holiday employee can avail it on Diwali i.e. 14th November 2020). | 25th October 2020 | Festival |
| Christmas | 25th December 2020 | Festival |
Holidays published in the notification can be substituted by some other holiday by notifying the labour inspectors. (Sec. 3(1) of the Telangana Factories and Establishments (National, Festival and other Holidays) Act, 1974)
Where an employee works on any holiday he can at his own option be entitled to twice the wages or wages for such a day and to avail himself of a substituted holiday with wages. (Sec. 5(2)(b) of the Telangana Factories and Establishments (National, Festival and other Holidays) Act, 1974)
Contact Legawise for any further information about holiday and leave policy for your company.
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