DOPT : Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2020

F.No.12/1/2019-JCA-2
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)
Establishment (JCA-2) Section

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 18 June, 2019

OFFICE MEMORANDUM

Subject: Holidays to be observed in Central Government Offices during the year 2020- reg.

It has been decided that the holidays as specified in the Annexure -I to this O.M. will be observed in all the Administrative Offices of the Central Government located at Delhi/ New Delhi during the year 2020. In addition, each employee will also be allowed to avail himself / herself of any two holidays to be chosen by him/ her out of the list of Restricted Holidays in Annexure – II.

2. Central Government Administrative Offices located outside Delhi / New Delhi shall observe the following holidays compulsorily in addition to three holidays as per para 3.1 below:

REPUBLIC DAY
INDEPENDENCE DAY
MAHATMA GANDHI’S BIRTHDAY
BUDDHA PURNIMA
CHRISTMAS DAY
DUSSEHRA (VIJAY DASHMI)
DIWALI (DEEPAVALI)
GOOD FRIDAY
GURU NANAK’S BIRTHDAY
IDU’L FITR
IDU’L ZUHA
MAHAVIR JAYANTI
MUHARRAM
PROPHET MOHAMMAD’S BIRTHDAY (ID-E-MILAD)

3.1. In addition to the above 14 Compulsory holidays mentioned in para 2, three holidays shall be decided from the list indicated below by the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committee in the State Capitals, if necessary, in consultation with Coordination Committees at other places in the State. The final list applicable uniformly to all Central Government offices within the concerned State shall be notified accordingly and no change can be carried out thereafter. It is also clarified that no change is permissible in regard to festivals and dates as indicated.

AN ADDITIONAL DAY FOR DUSSEHRA
HOLI
JANAMASHTAMI (VAISHNAVI)
RAM NAVAMI
MAHA SHIVRATRI
GANESH CHATURTHI / VINAYAK CHATURTHI
MAKAR SANKARANTI
RATH YATRA
ONAM
PONGAL
SRI PANCHAMI / BASANT PANCHAMI
VISHU/ VAISAKHI / VAISAKHADI / BHAG BIHU / MASHADI UGADI / CHAITRA SUKLADI / CHETI CHAND / GUDI PADAVA / 1st NAVRATRA / NAORAZ/CHHATH POOJA/KARVA CHAUTH.

3.2 No substitute holiday should be allowed if any of the festival holidays initially declared subsequently happens to fall on a weekly off or any other non-working day or in the event of more than one festivals falling on the same day.

4. The list of Restricted Holidays appended to this O.M. is meant for Central Government Offices located in Delhi / New Delhi. The Coordination Committees at the State Capitals may draw up separate list of Restricted Holidays keeping in view the occasions of local importance but the 9 occasions left over, after choosing the 3 variable holidays in para 3.1 above, are to be included in the list of restricted holidays.

5.1 For offices in Delhi / New Delhi, any change in the date of holidays in respect of Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad , if necessary, depending upon sighting of the Moon, would be declared by the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions after ascertaining the position from the Govt. of NCT of Delhi (DCP, Special Branch, Delhi Police).
5.2 For offices outside Delhi / New Delhi, the Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committees at the State Capitals are authorised to change the date of holiday, if necessary, based on the decision of the concerned State Governments / Union Territories, in respect of Idu’l Fitr, Idu’l Zuha, Muharram and Id-e-Milad.

5.3 It may happen that the change of date of the above occas10ns has to be declared at a very short notice. In such a situation, announcement could be made through P.I.B/ T.V./ A.I R./ Newspapers and the Heads of Department / Offices of the Central Government may take action according to such an announcement without waiting for a formal order, about the change of date.

6. During 2019, Diwali (Deepavali) falls on Saturday, November 14, 2020 (Kartika 23). In certain States, the practice is to celebrate the occasion a day in advance, i.e., on “Naraka Chaturdasi Day”. In view of this, there is no objection if holiday on account of Deepavali is observed on “Naraka Chaturdasi Day (in place of Deepavali Day) for the Central Government Offices in a State if in that State that day alone is declared as a compulsory holiday for Diwali for the offices of the State Government.

7. Central Government Organisations which include industrial, commercial and trading establishments would observe upto 16 holidays in a year including three national holidays viz. Republic Day, Independence Day and Mahatma Gandhi’s birthday, as compulsory holidays. The remaining holidays / occasions may be determined by such establishments/ organisations themselves for the year 2020, subject to para 3.2 above.

8. Union Territory Administrations shall decide the list of holidays in terms of Instructions issued in this regard by the Ministry of Home Affairs.

10. In respect of Banks, the holidays shall be regulated in terms of the extant instructions issued by the Department of Financial Services, Ministry of Finance.

11. Hindi version will follow.

(Juglal Singh)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India
2309 2338

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