Punjab | 2026

Punjab Holidays 2026 & Attendance Compliance Guide

Punjab 2026 gazetted holidays with Baisakhi, Lohri, and Guru Nanak Jayanti, 1958 Punjab Shops Act rules, overtime caps, and a 5-minute SMB attendance setup.

Arjun DesaiUpdated

Labour law at a glance

Governing law
Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958
Max daily hours
10 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
7 days per year (with medical certificate)
Casual leave
7 days per year
Weekly off
1 full paid day per week (employer-declared closed day)
Source
pblabour.gov.in

Punjab holidays 2026

Download .ics calendar →
DateDayHolidayType
1 Jan 2026ThursdayNew Year's DayRestricted
13 Jan 2026TuesdayLohriRegional
14 Jan 2026WednesdayMaghiRegional
26 Jan 2026MondayRepublic DayNational
3 Mar 2026TuesdayHoliRegional
14 Mar 2026SaturdayHola MohallaApproximateRegional
20 Mar 2026FridayEid-ul-FitrApproximateRegional
3 Apr 2026FridayGood FridayRegional
13 Apr 2026MondayBaisakhi / VaisakhiRegional
14 Apr 2026TuesdayAmbedkar JayantiRegional
1 May 2026FridayLabour DayRegional
27 May 2026WednesdayBakridRegional
29 Jun 2026MondayKabir JayantiRegional
15 Aug 2026SaturdayIndependence DayNational
4 Sept 2026FridayJanmashtamiRegional
17 Sept 2026ThursdayVishwakarma PujaRestricted
2 Oct 2026FridayGandhi JayantiNational
20 Oct 2026TuesdayMaharaja Agrasen JayantiApproximateRestricted
8 Nov 2026SundayDiwali / Bandi Chhor DivasRegional
13 Nov 2026FridayMaharaja Ranjit Singh JayantiRegional
24 Nov 2026TuesdayGuru Nanak JayantiRegional
25 Dec 2026FridayChristmasNational

Want this calendar in your attendance system? It imports in one click, and leave balances then count around it.

Import the calendar

Punjab runs under the Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958. Employers can schedule up to 9 hours a day and 48 hours a week. The state holiday calendar centres on Baisakhi, Guru Nanak Jayanti, and Lohri. This guide covers the 2026 gazetted list, overtime rules, and a 5-minute attendance setup for Punjab MSMEs.

Punjab’s agrarian calendar and Sikh religious tradition make its holiday list different from its neighbours. Baisakhi on 13 April, Lohri on 13 January, and Guru Nanak Jayanti in November are non-negotiable paid holidays for Ludhiana, Amritsar, and Jalandhar employers. This 2026 guide covers the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958, its rules, and how AttendFirst handles Punjab-specific compliance.

Punjab’s calendar has three dates other states do not flag: Lohri on 13 January, Baisakhi on 13 April (the Sikh new year and the birth anniversary of the Khalsa), and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Jayanti in November. Guru Nanak Jayanti is observed across India but holds special weight in Punjab; expect near-complete absenteeism that day regardless of what your policy says.

The 1958 Act is old but still the operative statute. Several draft amendments have been discussed but none fully replaces the 1958 law as of early 2026. When in doubt, follow the 1958 Act and the rules framed under it.

How AttendFirst Helps Punjab SMBs

AttendFirst is attendance + leave, nothing more. No OT calculator, no roster engine. For Punjab SMBs that means:

  • Bulk-import ~20 pan-India gazetted holidays for 2026; add Lohri (13 Jan), Baisakhi (13 Apr), Hola Mohalla, and Maharaja Ranjit Singh Jayanti as custom holidays
  • Per-day work schedule: pick which weekday is your closed day (most Ludhiana shops pick Tuesday)
  • Configurable shifts with late-after and half-day-after thresholds
  • Mobile check-in via GPS, selfie, or QR. Works on any phone as a PWA
  • Daily and monthly reports with CSV export

Setting Up Punjab Attendance in 5 Minutes

  1. Sign up at attendfirst.com. No payment required.
  2. From Settings → Holidays, bulk-import the 2026 Indian holidays then add Lohri, Baisakhi, and Hola Mohalla as custom holidays.
  3. In Settings → Working Hours, define your shift with the late-after and half-day thresholds you want.
  4. Under Settings → Work Schedule, pick which weekday is your closed day.
  5. Add employees via CSV or share the self-join link.

Punjab attendance and leave in one place. The holidays above load in one click and your weekly off applies to every leave balance automatically. You get the day count, and you keep whatever you already use to pay people. Start your team’s record.

Frequently asked questions

Is Baisakhi on 13 April a paid holiday in Punjab?

Yes. Baisakhi (also written Vaisakhi) on 13 April is one of the most important Sikh holidays and is gazetted under the Punjab Shops Act holiday list. It marks the solar new year and the foundation of the Khalsa by Guru Gobind Singh in 1699. Every shop, factory, and commercial establishment in Punjab observes it as a paid holiday. Planning to operate that day is not advisable.

How does Punjab handle Guru Nanak Jayanti for non-Sikh employees?

Guru Nanak Jayanti is a gazetted state holiday applicable to all employees regardless of religion. The date varies each year with the lunar calendar; for 2026 it is approximately 24 November. All commercial establishments under the Punjab Shops Act grant it as a paid holiday. Non-Sikh employees receive the paid day off on equal terms.

What is the weekly closed day requirement in Punjab?

Under the 1958 Punjab Shops Act, every shop must declare one day of the week as its closed day and register it with the Chief Inspector of Shops. The closed day cannot change arbitrarily; changes require re-registration. Most Punjab retailers pick Monday or Tuesday so they can trade on weekend peak days. Once registered, the closed day is a paid weekly rest for staff.

What is the overtime rate in Punjab for 2026?

Double the ordinary wage rate for any work beyond 9 hours in a day or 48 hours in a week. The 1958 Act and rules do not permit a 1.5x tier for the first block of OT. The OT cap is approximately 50 hours per quarter. Maintain a quarter-level OT register per employee. Inspectors in Ludhiana's hosiery cluster routinely ask for this during surprise audits.

Does the Punjab Shops Act apply to IT and BPO companies in Mohali and Chandigarh?

Mohali falls under Punjab and its IT companies follow the 1958 Punjab Shops Act. Chandigarh is a Union Territory with its own Shops and Establishments rules, notified separately. If your office is in IT Park Mohali, you follow Punjab rules. If it is in Chandigarh's IT Park, you follow the UT notification. The 9-hour daily cap and 48-hour weekly cap apply in both cases.

Run Punjab attendance and leave on AttendFirst

Attendance and leave in one record, with Punjab holidays and your weekly off already applied to every balance. Teams of 4-10 pay ₹3,000/year flat, ₹499 per employee per year from the 11th, and up to 3 employees costs nothing.

Bulk-import the 2026 Indian holidays in one click, then add Punjab-specific dates as custom holidays.

Start Your Team's Record

Other state guides

Delhi | 2026

Delhi Holidays 2026 & Attendance Compliance Guide | NCT

West Bengal | 2026

West Bengal Holidays 2026 & Attendance Compliance Guide