Karnataka | 2026
Karnataka Holidays 2026 & Attendance Compliance Guide
Karnataka 2026 gazetted holidays, Shops and Establishments Act rules, working-hour caps, leave entitlements, and a 5-minute SMB attendance setup.
Labour law at a glance
- Governing law
- Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961
- Max daily hours
- 9 hours
- Max weekly hours
- 48 hours
- Overtime cap
- 50 hours per quarter (twice the ordinary rate)
- Earned leave
- 1 day per 20 days worked (~18 days/year)
- Sick leave
- 12 days per year (as per employer policy)
- Weekly off
- 1 full day
- Source
- labour.karnataka.gov.in
Karnataka holidays 2026
Download .ics calendar →| Date | Day | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|---|
| 14 Jan 2026 | Wednesday | Makara Sankranti | Regional |
| 26 Jan 2026 | Monday | Republic Day | National |
| 19 Mar 2026 | Thursday | Ugadi Approximate, verify with state gazette | Regional |
| 21 Mar 2026 | Saturday | Eid-ul-Fitr (Ramzan) | Regional |
| 31 Mar 2026 | Tuesday | Mahavir Jayanti | Regional |
| 3 Apr 2026 | Friday | Good Friday | National |
| 14 Apr 2026 | Tuesday | Dr. Ambedkar Jayanti | National |
| 20 Apr 2026 | Monday | Basava Jayanthi / Akshaya Tritiya | Regional |
| 1 May 2026 | Friday | May Day | Regional |
| 26 Jun 2026 | Friday | Last Day of Moharam | Regional |
| 15 Aug 2026 | Saturday | Independence Day | National |
| 26 Aug 2026 | Wednesday | Eid-Milad | Regional |
| 4 Sept 2026 | Friday | Janmashtami | Regional |
| 14 Sept 2026 | Monday | Ganesh Chaturthi | Regional |
| 2 Oct 2026 | Friday | Gandhi Jayanti | National |
| 20 Oct 2026 | Tuesday | Ayudha Puja (Mahanavami) | Regional |
| 21 Oct 2026 | Wednesday | Vijayadashami (Dussehra) | Regional |
| 1 Nov 2026 | Sunday | Karnataka Rajyotsava State formation day | Regional |
| 10 Nov 2026 | Tuesday | Deepavali | Regional |
| 27 Nov 2026 | Friday | Kanakadasa Jayanti | Regional |
| 25 Dec 2026 | Friday | Christmas | National |
Want this calendar in your attendance system? Free for the first 10 employees.
Start FreeTL;DR: Karnataka recognises around 19 gazetted holidays in 2026, including Karnataka Rajyotsava (Nov 1) and Ugadi. The Karnataka Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1961 caps daily work at 9 hours and weekly work at 48 hours. Employees earn 1 day of paid leave per 20 days worked, plus sick leave as provided by the employer.
Arjun Desai walks Karnataka SMBs through every state-specific rule that touches attendance in 2026, from Ugadi on Karnataka’s calendar to the exact weekly-hour cap set in the 1961 Act. This guide is written for founders, HR leads, and shop owners in Bengaluru, Mysuru, Mangaluru, and Hubballi who need to get compliant fast.
Karnataka Rajyotsava on 1 November (Kannada Rajyotsava) is the state’s formation day and is widely observed across IT parks in Whitefield, Electronic City, and Manyata.
Establishments employing 10 or more persons must register under the 1961 Act. Women may work up to 8 PM without special permission; beyond that, employer-provided transport and safety measures are compulsory under subsequent notifications.
For how Karnataka’s rules fit into the four central labour codes, read the India Labour Law Guide for SMBs.
How AttendFirst Helps Karnataka SMBs
AttendFirst is attendance + leave, nothing more. No payroll, no OT calculator, no compliance dashboard. For Karnataka SMBs that means:
- Bulk-import ~20 pan-India gazetted holidays for 2026; add Karnataka Rajyotsava (1 Nov), Ugadi, and Ayudha Puja as custom company holidays
- Define one or more shifts (e.g., 09:00 to 18:00) with configurable late-after and half-day-after thresholds, so the daily report flags any deviation
- Mobile check-in via GPS, selfie, or QR. Works on any phone as a PWA, no app download
- Multi-session day tracking so workers can log lunch and tea breaks separately
- Daily and monthly reports with CSV export, clean enough for the inspector or your CA
Setting Up Karnataka Attendance in 5 Minutes
- Sign up at attendfirst.com. Free for up to 10 employees, no card.
- From Settings → Holidays, bulk-import the 2026 Indian holidays, then add Karnataka Rajyotsava and Ugadi as custom holidays.
- In Settings → Working Hours, define your shift (start, end, late-after minutes, half-day-after minutes).
- Under Settings → Work Schedule, map each weekday to a shift (or mark it off).
- Add employees, or share the self-join link, and have everyone check in from their phone.
Track Karnataka attendance without the spreadsheet mess. AttendFirst is India’s cheapest attendance-only SaaS, built for Bengaluru startups and Mangaluru shops alike. Create your free account.
Frequently asked questions
Is Karnataka Rajyotsava a paid holiday for private employers?
Yes. Karnataka Rajyotsava on 1 November is a gazetted state holiday notified by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms. All establishments covered by the 1961 Shops and Commercial Establishments Act must grant a paid holiday or pay compensatory off and double wages if work is performed.
How many earned leave days do Karnataka employees get?
Under Section 15 of the 1961 Act, every employee who has worked for at least 12 months is entitled to paid earned leave at 1 day per 20 days of actual work. This works out to roughly 18 days a year for a standard 6-day workweek.
Does the Karnataka Shops Act apply to a 3-person startup?
The Act applies to all commercial establishments, but registration is mandatory only when employee count reaches 10 or more. Smaller teams must still follow the working-hour and leave provisions, and they should keep attendance records available for inspection.
Can women work night shifts in Bengaluru IT companies?
Yes, under specific conditions. Karnataka has permitted women to work in shifts beyond 8 PM for IT/ITeS and manufacturing with employer-provided safe transport, adequate security, and formal written consent. Verify current rules at labour.karnataka.gov.in.
Where do I find the official 2026 Karnataka holiday gazette?
The holiday notification is released by the Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms (DPAR), Karnataka, typically in November or December for the following year. Check dpar.karnataka.gov.in.
Run Karnataka attendance on AttendFirst
Free for up to 10 employees. ₹299 per employee per year above that. No card needed.
Bulk-import the 2026 Indian holidays in one click, then add Karnataka-specific dates as custom holidays.
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