📷 Image: Wikimedia Commons / Sujithshivam511
Religion
Uttarakhand Announces Public Holiday for Female Employees on Karwa Chauth
✍️ NDTV
🗓 29 Oct 2026, 09:02 AM
👁 18
The Uttarakhand government has declared a public holiday for all female state employees on the occasion of Karwa Chauth, marking a rare gender‑specific leave.
The state government of Uttarakhand issued an order granting a public holiday exclusively to its female employees on Karwa Chauth. The decision, announced through official channels, means that women working in state departments will not be required to report for duty on the festival day.
Karwa Chauth, a traditional Hindu observance where married women fast for the health and longevity of their husbands, is celebrated across northern India. By providing a dedicated holiday, the Uttarakhand administration aims to acknowledge the cultural significance of the day for its female workforce.
The holiday applies only to female staff of state‑run offices and does not extend to private sector employees. No additional compensation or adjustments for male employees were mentioned in the order. The move has been noted as an uncommon gender‑specific leave policy within Indian public administration.
Karwa Chauth, a traditional Hindu observance where married women fast for the health and longevity of their husbands, is celebrated across northern India. By providing a dedicated holiday, the Uttarakhand administration aims to acknowledge the cultural significance of the day for its female workforce.
The holiday applies only to female staff of state‑run offices and does not extend to private sector employees. No additional compensation or adjustments for male employees were mentioned in the order. The move has been noted as an uncommon gender‑specific leave policy within Indian public administration.