The apex court stated that the observance of the Eid holiday will depend on the official announcement made by the government, which is based on the sighting of the crescent moon marking the beginning of Shawwal
Supreme Court. File Pic
The Supreme Court on Wednesday issued a circular clarifying that the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday will be observed in accordance with the Government of India’s official declaration, while confirming that the court registry will remain open on March 21 regardless of the moon sighting.
Holiday to depend on government notification
The apex court stated that the observance of the Eid holiday will depend on the official announcement made by the government, which is based on the sighting of the crescent moon marking the beginning of Shawwal.
As per the circular, Eid-ul-Fitr may be celebrated either on March 20 (Friday) or March 22 (Sunday), depending on lunar visibility. The court will observe the holiday on the date declared as a gazetted holiday.
Registry to function on March 21
The Supreme Court clarified that even if Eid falls on a different date, the court registry will remain operational on Saturday, March 21.
“In case Eid-ul-Fitr is observed either on March 20 or March 22… this Hon’ble Court and Registry will observe the holiday accordingly, but the Registry will remain open on March 21,” the circular stated.
This ensures that administrative and filing-related work continues uninterrupted on that day.
Eid date subject to moon sighting
Eid-ul-Fitr, which marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, is determined by the sighting of the crescent moon. As a result, the exact date of the festival can vary across regions and countries.
In India, Eid is typically observed a day after the moon is sighted, leading to slight variations in the date each year.
Eid al-Fitr is observed during the first three days of Shawwal, the 10th month of the Islamic (Hijri) calendar, with its exact date depending on the sighting of the crescent moon across regions. According to IslamicFinder and Time and Date, the festival’s timing varies each year based on lunar observations.
In South Asia, the festival is usually marked a day later. Updates from the Ruyat-e-Hilal Committee of India suggest that countries like India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh are likely to sight the moon on the evening of March 19, placing Eid on Friday, March 20, 2026.
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