Closed holiday on April 14, Dr Ambedkar birthday for all Central Govt offices

The Central Government have decided to declare Thursday, 14^th April 2022 as a public holiday on account of the birthday of Dr B R Ambedkar, for all Central Government Offices, including Industrial Establishments throughout the country as a tribute to the sculptor of the Indian Constitution. The holiday was declared invoking the powers under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881. The governments had declared Dr B. R. Ambedkar's birthday a holiday in the previous years also and the holiday was expected by the central government employees. It will be Ambedkar’s 131^st birth anniversary on April 14, 2022.

Babasaheb Ambedkar was a  renowned social reformer and a Dalit icon, he spoke unequivocally against the inequality, injustice, and discrimination faced by the members of the Dalit community. He was a statesman, philosopher, ethnographer, historian, and economist as well as a connoisseur of many subjects. He is considered a key architect of the constitution of India and went on to become the first law and justice minister of independent India. 

Babasaheb Ambedkar died on December 6 in 1956. In 1990, he was posthumously awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian award.

What is Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881

Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 by itself has nothing to do with holidays. or declaration of holidays. It is an official announcement by the government. wherein if the due date of maturity of any negotiable instrument falls on a holiday the same has to be extended to the next working day. 

The act says:

When the day on which a promissory note or bill of exchange is at maturity is a public holiday, the instrument shall be deemed to be due on the next preceding, business day.

The copy of the office memorandum declaring the Dr B. R. Ambedkar's birthday as a holiday is reproduced below.

IMPORTANT

F.No.12/4/2020-JCA
Government of India
Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
(Department of Personnel and Training)
Establishment JCA Section
***

North Block, New Delhi
Dated the 4th April 2022

OFFICE MEMORANDUM 

Subject:- Declaration of holiday on 14th April 2022 - Birthday of Dr B. R. Ambedkar.

It has been decided to declare the 14th Apri1,2022 (Thursday), as a closed holiday, on account of the birthday of Dr B.R. Ambedkar, for all Central Government Offices, including Industrial Establishments, throughout India, by invoking the power under Section 25 of Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881.

2.    All Ministries/ Departments of Government of India may bring the above decision to the notice of all concerned.

(S. P. Pant)
Deputy Secretary to the Govt. of India

To,

1. All Ministries / Departments of the Government of India
2. UPSC / CVC / C&AG /National Commission for Linguistic Minorities / National Commission for Scheduled Castes / National Commission for Scheduled Tribes / National Commission for Minorities / President's Secretariat / Vice President's Secretariat / Supreme Court / High Court /Central Administrative Tribunal / Central Information Commission / Prime Minister's Office / Cabinet Secretariat / Election Commission of India / National Commission for Backward Classes / Niti Ayog / Lok sabha Secretariat/ Rajya Sabha Secretariat
3. All Sections / Officers in the Ministry of Personnel, PG & Pensions
4. All Attached offices / Subordinate offices / Autonomous bodies of Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions
5. Secretary, Staff Side, National Council (JCM), 13-C Ferozeshah Road, New Delhi (with 10 spare copies)
6. Reserve Bank of India, Parliament Street, New Delhi
7. Chairman / Secretaries, Central Government Employees Welfare Coordination Committees
8. PIO, PIB, Shastri Bhavan, New Delhi, with the request that necessary publicity may be given in this regard
9. Facilitation Centre, DoP&T (20 copies)
10. 10.NIC (DOPT) with the request to place this O.M. on the website of DOPT (www persmin nic . in)

Copy of the signed DoPT order