Face2News/Chandigarh
Punjab and Haryana High Court Advocate Sh. Hemant Kumar in his communication to Shri Gulab Chand Kataria,Governor of Punjab cum Administrator of UT Chandigarh., Sh. H. Rajesh Prasad, IAS, Chief Secretary, Chandigarh Administration and Sh. Mandip Singh Brar, IAS, Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration, seeks clarification regarding 25th November 2025 (Tuesday) as Public Holiday or else (Government) Holiday in all the Government Offices / Boards / Corporations/ Institutions including Industrial Establishments under the Chandigarh Administration on account of Martyrdom Day of Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji since legally Public Holiday means only such Holiday which is declared/notified as such within the meaning of Section 25 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (26 of 1881) and UT Chandigarh Administration hasn’t specified such in its Notification dated 21 Nov 2025.
Sh. Hemant Kumar , said, Vide Chandigarh Administration, Home Department, Notification No. 6/1/1-1H(1)-2025/ 15890 dated 21 November 2025 which bears the seal & signature stamp of Shri Mandeep Singh Brar, IAS, Home Secretary, Chandigarh Administration, 25th November 2025 (Tuesday) has been officially declared as Public Holiday in the all the Government Offices / Boards / Corporations/ Institutions including Industrial Establishments under the Chandigarh Administration on account of Martyrdom Day of Shri Guru Teg Bahadur Ji instead of Restricted Holiday which was so declared vide earlier Chandigarh Administration, Home Department, Notification No. 6/1/1-1H(1)-2024/ 18285 dated 27 December 2024.
He said, legally and statutorily, Public Holiday means only such Holiday which is declared/notified as such under Section 25 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (26 of 1881) So, every Holiday declared/notified by the appropriate government (read Central or State or UT Administration) cannot be termed as a Public Holiday.
Even in the Office Memorandum as is issued by Establishment (JCA-2) Section in Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), Government of India every year in the month of June/July uses the word “Holidays” and not “Public Holidays” i.e. pertaining to Holidays which are to be observed in Central Government Offices during the ensuing Calendar year.
Hence, the appropriate word to be used in aforementioned Chandigarh Administration Home Department Notification No. 6/1/1-1H(1)-2025/ 15890 dated 21 November 2025 ought to be simply Holiday or else Government Holiday ( राजकीय/ सरकारी अवकाश ) in lieu of Public Holiday .
Of course, had UT Chandigarh Administration declared 25th November 2025 (Tuesday) as Holiday within the meaning of Section 25 of Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, as done by the State Govt. of Punjab, then definitely it would have been Public Holiday in UT Chandigarh in strict and true sense.
Advocate hoped hoped that administration would take due cognizance and order prompt and suitable action in this regard accordingly.