CBDT directs Income-Tax Offices in India to stay open on 31 March despite Mahavir Jayanti — Here's why

The Central Board of Direct Taxes (CBDT) has directed Income-Tax Offices across India to remain open on 31 March 2026, to “facilitate completion of pending departmental works”.

Notably, 31 March is a public holiday for Mahavir Jayanti, but the last date of March is also the close of Financial Year 2025-26 (FY26). The order comes under Section 119 of the Income Tax Act of 1961. It empowers the CBDT to provide administrative directives for effective tax governance.

Why is 31 March a working day for tax offices?

The date is significant because it is the last date of the financial year and deadline for many tax related activities. Advance tax payments, tax saving investments and other such activities are finalised by 31 March each year. The work pressure on related government offices is thus high and sometimes employees are asked to work even if the date is a weekend (fourth Saturday or a Sunday).

This year in particular, India will shift from the New Income Tax Act with effect from 1 April and this puts more pressure on the deadlines as some processes change from the new financial year (FY27).

Does this change anything for taxpayers?

No. The date is still a holiday for regular citizens in India. Overall, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had listed a total of 18 public holidays for all banks in this month, including private and public lenders such as the State Bank of India (SBI).

You may however have to ensure that all tax related filings and investments are complete before the date. This includes public provident fund (PPF), national pension scheme (NPS) and life insurance payments for the year.

Bank holiday list: Long weekend at March 2026 end

Banks had a long holiday from 26-31 March this month in various states / regions as follows:

• 26 March (Thursday) — Ram Navami — Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Aizawl (Mizoram), Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra), Chandigarh, Dehradun (Uttarakhand), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Kolkata (West Bengal), Ranchi (Jharkhand), and Shimla (Himachal Pradesh).

• 27 March (Friday) — Ram Navami (Chaite Dasain) — Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Bhubaneswar (Odisha), Gangtok (Sikkim), Hyderabad (Telangana), Patna (Bihar), and Vijayawada (Andhra Pradesh).
• 28 March (Saturday) — Fourth Saturday weekly off — Pan India
• 29 March (Sunday) — Pan India weekly off.
• 31 March (Tuesday) — Mahavir Janmakalyanak / Mahavir Jayanti — Ahmedabad (Gujarat), Belapur, Mumbai and Nagpur (Maharashtra), Bengaluru (Karnataka), Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh), Chennai (Tamil Nadu), Jaipur (Rajasthan), Kanpur and Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh), Kolkata (West Bengal), New Delhi, Patna (Bihar), Raipur (Chhattisgarh), and Ranchi (Jharkhand).

All of the Indian central bank's annual holiday calendar is declared by the under provisions of the Negotiable Instruments Act, which deals with the issuance of cheques and promissory notes. Transactions involving these instruments are thus not available during these listed holidays.

Note: Bank holidays across states may differ due to regional and local requirements. It is advisable to check with your local bank branch for their approved holiday schedule or list to be prepared in case of emergencies or long holidays.

Disclaimer: This story is for educational purposes only. We advise investors to check with certified experts before making any investment decisions.