Indian Stock Market to Operate Full Session on Saturday; Closed on Monday Due to Ayodhya Ceremony

Mumbai: In light of the upcoming Ram Temple ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony in Ayodhya on Monday, January 22, the Indian stock market is set to operate for a full trading session on Saturday, January 20. The National Stock Exchange (NSE) confirmed this decision, ensuring that trading will be open from 9 am to 3:30 pm.

However, Monday will observe a trading holiday across equities, debt, and money markets due to a public holiday declared in Maharashtra. The NSE, in a press release on Friday, modified its earlier circular and officially announced January 22, 2024, as a trading holiday in line with the public holiday declared under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

The Maharashtra government has declared January 22 as a public holiday to commemorate the celebration of the Ram temple Pran Pratishtha in Ayodhya. Additionally, the central government had previously declared a half-day closing until 2:30 p.m. on Monday to mark the occasion of the Ram Mandir ‘Pran Pratishtha’ ceremony.

There was initial uncertainty regarding the trading timings on Saturday for the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). Before the official confirmation, the stock market was anticipated to open for trading in two special sessions on Saturday as part of testing a failsafe system. The BSE and NSE planned to conduct a special live trading session in the equity F&O segment on January 20, 2024, to transition to the DR site.