Bihar Public Holiday List 2027: Official NI Act Leaves & HR Compliance Guide

The General Administration Department of the Bihar Government formally notified the state’s holiday schedule for the 2027 calendar year on 15 October 2026. Notification number 3/H-01/2026-19063/GA categorizes the upcoming year’s holidays into general public leaves under the Negotiable Instruments (NI) Act, executive order holidays for state offices, restricted optional leaves, and bank closing days. For employers, HR personnel, and compliance officers, aligning internal company leave calendars with this gazetted notification is a mandatory step in annual statutory preparation.

👉 Download the Notification – Bihar Holiday List for the year 2027: [Click Here to Access the File]

Public Holidays Under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 Schedule 3 of the notification outlines the public holidays declared under the NI Act, 1881, which broadly apply to banks, commercial establishments, and government offices. These holidays automatically extend to all state government offices and revenue magistrate courts. Key dates for organizational planning include:

  1. Republic Day: 26 January 2027
  2. Bihar Diwas: 22 March 2027
  3. Holi: 23 March and 24 March 2027
  4. May Day (Labour Day): 01 May 2027
  5. Independence Day: 15 August 2027
  6. Mahatma Gandhi Jayanti: 02 October 2027
  7. Durga Puja: 07 October (Ashtami), 08 October (Navami), and 09 October 2027 (Dashami)
  8. Diwali: 29 October 2027
  9. Chhath Puja: 04 November and 05 November 2027

General Holidays Under Executive Order Schedule 1 lists the general holidays authorized under executive order, primarily affecting state government offices and revenue magistrate courts. Notable observations include Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti on 15 January, Vasant Panchami on 11 February, Maha Shivaratri on 06 March, and Chitragupta Puja / Bhai Dooj on 31 October 2027.

The notification also clarifies the ongoing operational structure for government administration. Secretariat departments and directorates will continue to operate on a 5-day work week system. Regional offices, which include the offices of Divisional Commissioners and Chief Engineers, will maintain a 6-day work week system.

Restricted and Optional Leaves Schedule 2 provides a comprehensive list of restricted or optional holidays. Employees are entitled to select and utilize a maximum of three holidays from this list over the course of the year.

  1. Options include New Year on 01 January, Makar Sankranti on 15 January, and Raksha Bandhan on 17 August 2027.
  2. Utilization of these optional leaves requires prior approval from the competent authority responsible for sanctioning casual leave.
  3. Approvals are granted subject to the operational requirements of official work.
  4. This optional leave provision is applicable to all regular, contractually employed, and outsourced personnel working under the state government.

Annual Bank Closing Schedule 4 designates 01 April 2027 as the annual bank account closing day under the NI Act, 1881.

Employers formulating their 2027 workplace policies must integrate these statutory dates while accommodating the mandatory local observances such as Bihar Diwas and the multi-day Chhath Puja schedules. Muslim festival dates, including Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Azha (Bakrid), and Muharram, remain provisional and are subject to modification based on official lunar sightings.

Disclaimer: This document is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute formal legal advice. Employers and compliance professionals must refer to the official Bihar Gazette Notification No. 3/H-01/2026-19063/GA, published on 15 October 2026, when drafting organizational leave policies. Dates for specific religious festivals are subject to moon sightings.