The National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) have announced a trading holiday on Thursday, January 15, 2026, to coincide with the municipal corporation elections being held across Maharashtra. This decision was communicated through official circulars released on January 12, 2026, modifying earlier announcements that had indicated only a settlement holiday. The Maharashtra government had previously declared January 15 as a public holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act to ensure smooth conduct of the polls. Trading will be suspended across various segments, including equity, equity derivatives, commodity derivatives, and electronic gold receipts. In line with this holiday, equity derivatives contracts originally scheduled to expire on January 15, 2026, have been preponed to January 14, 2026. This move by the exchanges aims to align with the public holiday declared by the state government and facilitate greater participation in the democratic process. The elections are being held for 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC). Vote counting is scheduled for January 16, 2026. This full trading holiday marks a revision from initial notifications, which had only indicated a settlement holiday, highlighting the significance of the electoral event. With this addition, Indian stock exchanges are set to observe 16 trading holidays in 2026, excluding weekends.