Is It Legal to Make Employees Work on Public Holidays in India?

No, employers in India cannot make employees work on public holidays without fulfilling legal obligations. As per the Factories Act of 1948 and various Shops and Establishments Acts, employees are entitled to paid leave on Republic Day, Independence Day, and Gandhi Jayanti.

Working on these days is only allowed if employees are compensated with either double wages or a compensatory holiday. Violations can attract penalties.

In Glaxo Laboratories v. Labour Court, the court emphasized the right to proper holiday compensation, reinforcing that national holiday work must be voluntary and fairly rewarded.