The Chandigarh Administration on Thursday issued a clarification after a fake office order declaring June 26 (Friday) a public holiday on account of Muharram went viral on social media, warning residents and government employees against acting on the fabricated document.
The purported order, which claimed to have been issued by the Chandigarh Administration, declared the day of Muharram, which falls on June 26 this year, a public holiday, prompting the Administration to step in with an official denial.
“No such order has been issued by the Chandigarh Administration. The circulated document is fake, false and misleading,” the Administration stated, adding that official notifications and orders are issued only through authorised channels.
The Administration notified that there is no public holiday in Chandigarh on June 26, and all government offices will remain open as usual.
Muharram, which marks the Islamic New Year and commemorates the martyrdom of Imam Hussain, is traditionally observed as a restricted holiday in Union Territory administrations, including Chandigarh, meaning government employees may avail it optionally, but it does not constitute a blanket closure of offices or establishments.
The fake order appears to have gained traction in the run-up to the weekend, with the Friday placement of June 26 making a long weekend plausible and lending the forgery a veneer of credibility. Misinformation around holiday declarations tends to circulate most virally ahead of weekends or festival dates.
The Administration has advised the public, government employees and all stakeholders not to rely on or circulate unverified documents purporting to be official orders and to verify holiday notifications only from authorised government sources.
