Thiruvananthapuram | Kerala government and public sector employees can look forward to two consecutive days of holiday in the middle of next week as the state administration on Sunday declared May 28 also as a holiday for Bakrid, in addition to May 27.

In a notification, the General Administration Department said that May 27 had already been declared a holiday for Bakrid, the ‘festival of sacrifice’.

"Since 'Id-Ul-Ad'ha' (Bakrid) is being celebrated in the state on May 28, the government is pleased to order that Thursday, May 28, 2026, will also be a holiday...," the notification said.

It further said that Thursday will be a holiday for all government offices in the state, including all public sector undertakings, educational institutions, including professional colleges, and institutions coming under the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881.

Last year, there was a political row in the state after the government decided to change the Bakrid holiday.

Originally, June 6, 2025, was marked as a holiday for Bakrid. However, following reports that the festival would be celebrated across the state on June 7, 2025, the Kerala government changed the date of the public holiday to June 7 and declared the original date as a regular working day.

However, the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and a few other Muslim outfits had criticised the government's move to change the holiday and accused it of attempting to implement "communal agenda and fascism" in the state.

Subsequently, the government had declared June 6 also a holiday.