The Government of India has shifted the public holiday for Id-ul-Zuha, also known as Bakrid, from May 27, 2026, to May 28, 2026, for Central government offices in Delhi and New Delhi. The revision was issued through an official memorandum from the Department of Personnel and Training on May 22, 2026.
The Bakrid holiday had originally been listed for May 27, 2026, in the Central government holiday calendar circulated on July 3, 2025. However, the DoPT memorandum noted that the earlier notification had been issued “subject to change in date, depending on the sighting of the moon,” and the Ministry was subsequently informed that Id-ul-Zuha would be celebrated in Delhi on May 28, 2026, instead.
“As per the updated decision, the holiday on account of Id-ul-Zuha (Bakrid) has been shifted to 28 May 2026 in place of 27 May 2026,” the memorandum said. The revised holiday applies to all Central government administrative offices in Delhi and New Delhi, ministries and departments under the Government of India, and constitutional bodies and attached offices listed in the memorandum. The order was issued by Amit Pankaj, Director, JCA, under the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions.
The West Bengal government has issued a similar revision, declaring May 28, 2026, a public holiday under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, while cancelling the previously notified holidays on May 26 and 27. Both days will now be observed as working days for offices, institutions and establishments under the earlier notification.
The date revision follows confirmation from moon sighting committees and Islamic religious organisations across India that the crescent moon for Zil Hajj was not sighted in most parts of the country on Sunday evening, pushing Eid-ul-Adha observance to Thursday, 28 May. Kashmir is likely to celebrate the festival on Wednesday, May 27, after local clerics reportedly confirmed the moon sighting, mirroring observance in Saudi Arabia, Malaysia and Indonesia.
For HR and payroll teams across India, the shift means leave calendars, attendance systems and statutory holiday lists need same-week recalibration, particularly for organisations with offices in multiple states where state government notifications may diverge from the Central calendar. Companies operating under the shops and establishments rules of individual states should verify the latest state-issued notifications before finalising the working day status for May 26 and 27. State-level holiday calendars across other regions are likely to follow with similar revisions, given the moon-sighting linkage typical of Islamic festival dates.
