Odisha govt declares two-day holiday for Diwali

Odisha government declared a two-day holiday for Diwali this year, according to a notification issued on Saturday.

The government had earlier declared October 21 as the Diwali holiday.

In the fresh notification, it has also declared October 20 as a holiday for Diwali.

''This year, state government employees will get a two-day holiday for Diwali. However, they have to work on October 25, which is a fourth Saturday,'' Revenue Minister Suresh Pujari said.

He said employees in Nuapada will not get a holiday on October 20, as that is the last date for filing of nomination papers for the November 11 bypoll.

Pujari said October 20 was declared a holiday based on the recommendations made by the Puri Jagannath Temple's Mukti Mandap Pandit Mahasabha, which stated that key rituals, including 'Paya Shradha', will begin that afternoon.