International Labour day 2024: What's open and closed on May 1 in India?

International Labour Day, also known as ‘May Day’, is celebrated at the international level to promote and encourage healthy dialogue among social partners . The total number of workers in India across both organized and unorganized sectors, is more than 50 crores.

In India, the first Labour Day was celebrated on May 1, 1923, in Madras. It was initiated by the Labour Kisan Party of Hindustan. This day is celebrated under different names across various Indian states, such as Kamgar Din (Hindi), Karmikara Dinacharane (Kannada), Karmika Dinotsavam (Telugu), Kamgar Divas (Marathi), Uzhaipalar Dhinam (Tamil), Thozhilaali Dinam (Malayalam), and Shromik Dibosh (Bengali).

Labour Day is celebrated to recognize and honour the achievements and contributions of the working class. It is a day to celebrate the hard work, dedication, and commitment of workers across the world who have made significant contributions to their respective societies.


The day also coincides with Maharashtra Day. Maharashtra Day is celebrated on May 1st every year in the state of Maharashtra to commemorate the state's formation on May 1, 1960. It is also known as Maharashtra Diwas.

Banks and stock market:
Equity markets will remain closed on Wednesday on account of Maharashtra Day. Accordingly, all the segments including, the equity segment, derivative segment, and SLB segment will be closed.

Additionally, The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) holiday list shows that banks on May 1 will be closed in some states in observance of Maharashtra Day and May Day.

Offices and schools:
As mentioned above, schools and government offices remain closed. Maharastra Day is listed as a public holiday in the state's 2024 government holiday list. However, for other states, it is important to check what the school and office decides for the day.

Public Holiday:
A nationwide public holiday, it highlights the labour movements for communist and socialist political parties. Known by various names like Kamgar Din (Hindi), Kamgar Divas (Marathi) and Uzhaipalar Dinam (Tamil), the 'Antarrashtriya Shramik Diwas'.