For the second consecutive year, an elected Government headed by Omar Abdullah in Jammu and Kashmir has failed to fulfill its poll promise of restoring public holidays on the occasion of the birth anniversary of Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah on December 5, and Martyrs’ Day on July 13.
On Saturday, when the Union Territory administration issued the holiday calendar, both these public holidays were once again found missing in the list of holidays for 2026.
For the first time, the two-State holidays on July 13 and December 5 were deleted from the list of public holidays by the LG administration on December 28, 2019, after the Abrogation of Articles 2019 and 35-A.
The restoration of these two holidays was included in its election manifesto by the National Conference during the Assembly polls.
After forming the government, many leaders and legislators, including the party’s general secretary, had passionately appealed to the LG to declare December 5, 2024, as a public holiday, but in vain.
This year too, the ruling party failed to make the desired changes in the list of public holidays despite maintaining a cordial working relationship with the LG’s administration.
