Mumbai has a special Diwali holiday on November 9: Which government offices will remain closed and who will get time off? | Today’s news
Government of Maharashtra has declared Monday 9 November as a local holiday for state government and semi-government offices in Mumbai city and Mumbai suburbs due to Diwali
Mumbai gets an extra day off for Diwali: Which offices will remain closed?
The decision was announced through a circular issued by the General Administration Department on November 6. The additional holiday follows existing public holidays during the festival and provides employees working in designated offices with an additional day off.
The regulation is based on the provisions of Government Resolution No. PCH- and S. No. 21/III/B dated November 5, 1958. The circular was digitally signed and attested by Atul Patne, Chief Secretary to the Government of Maharashtra.
Which offices will remain closed?
The 9th November holiday covers state government and semi-government offices located in Mumbai City and Mumbai Suburban. It is a local holiday and should not be considered a national shutdown.
The order does not declare a general holiday for all private companies, shops or other workplaces. Employees in these industries will need to check with their employers if they will be given the day off.
The circular was sent to several government offices, including the Governor’s Secretariat, the Chief Minister’s Office, the offices of Deputy Chief Ministers, Ministers of State and Departments, as well as the city and district administrations of Mumbai.
The public can access the notification through the official website of the Government of Maharashtra, maharashtra.gov.in, using the circular reference code.
How the additional holiday fits into Diwali
The state government holiday calendar for 2026 lists Diwali Amavasya or Laxmi Pujan as November 8, which falls on a Sunday. Diwali (Bali Pratipada) is given on November 10, i.e. Tuesday.
The local holiday on November 9 therefore falls between these two festival dates. It provides a holiday to eligible civil servants on Monday, which is in between.
Mumbai also has local holidays associated with other major festivals. These include Gopalkala (Dahi Handi) and Anant Chaturdashi, which are traditionally observed as local holidays for government and semi-government offices in the two districts.
The dates of local holidays in 2026 were fixed in earlier government circulars. An additional order dated November 9 extends the local holiday measures for this year to include Diwali.
