The Supreme Court has refused to mandate a nationwide holiday for Guru Gobind Singh Jayanti, emphasizing the importance of dignity of labour and continuity of work in a developing nation.
A bench of justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta held that the legacy of the tenth Sikh Guru is best honoured through dedicated service to society rather than a nationwide public holiday.
The court added that the expansion of gazetted holidays is a matter of executive policy and cautioned that indiscriminate additions would adversely affect governance and productivity.
The bench also pointed out that the country's diverse diaspora already enjoys a variety of holidays based on religious beliefs, and therefore, the focus must remain on the dignity of labour and the continuity of work.
