Excise Department announces 19 dry days for 2026

16 February 2026 07:10 pm Views - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}} 4 Bookmark

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Colombo, Feb. 16 (Daily Mirror) - The Excise Departmen today announced that the sale of alcoholic beverages will be prohibited islandwide on 19 designated days in 2026, including public holidays and Full Moon Poya days.

Issuing a statement, Deputy Commissioner and Excise Spokesperson A. A. Roshan Perera said the directive was issued on the orders of the Excise Commissioner General.

The 19 dry days comprise 12 Full Moon Buddhist Poya holidays, Independence Day, the Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays, World Temperance Day and Christmas Day.

The full list of dry days for 2026 is as follows:

Duruthu Full Moon Poya Day – Saturday, January 3
Nawam Full Moon Poya Day – Sunday, February 1
Independence Day – Wednesday, February 4
Medin Full Moon Poya Day – Monday, March 2
Bak Full Moon Poya Day – Wednesday, April 1
Day prior to Sinhala and Tamil New Year – Monday, April 13
Sinhala and Tamil New Year Day – Tuesday, April 14
Vesak Full Moon Poya Day – Friday, May 1
Day following Vesak Full Moon Poya Day – Saturday, May 2
Adi Poson Full Moon Poya Day – Saturday, May 30
Poson Full Moon Poya Day – Monday, June 29
Esala Full Moon Poya Day – Wednesday, July 29
Nikini Full Moon Poya Day – Thursday, August 27
Binara Full Moon Poya Day – Saturday, September 26
World Temperance Day – Saturday, October 3
Vap Full Moon Poya Day – Sunday, October 25
Il Full Moon Poya Day – Tuesday, November 24
Unduvap Full Moon Poya Day – Wednesday, December 23
Christmas Day – Friday, December 25

However, exemptions have been granted for the two Sinhala and Tamil New Year holidays and Christmas Day. On these three occasions, the sale of alcoholic beverages to in-house guests will be permitted at specific establishments during the stipulated period.

These include Tourist Board-approved three-star and above rated hotels holding the Excise License FL 07, boutique hotels, boutique villas and hotels operating under special permits, the statement added.

The Excise Department urged all licensed premises and the public to strictly adhere to the regulations, warning that legal action would be taken against violators.

Comments - 4

malcolm wickramanayake Monday, 16 February 2026 07:46 PM

Why CHRISTMAS DAY?IT S DAY CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD CELEBRATE THE BIRTH OF JESUS.WHICH IS SPECIAL, WHY ISNT GOOD FRIDAY INCLUDED,THE SADEST DAY IN CHRISTIANS CALENDER.

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Funny Laws Tuesday, 17 February 2026 07:07 AM

Great, liquor not sold on religious days but there is broad daylight shootings happening around the country almost everywhere. There is all kinds of narcotics available 24X7 right across the country and the government is incapable of halting that. Nice!!! The whole country has gone to dogs.

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maha Tuesday, 17 February 2026 08:29 AM

its prior notice for early stock

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Sokrates Tuesday, 17 February 2026 09:08 AM

19 highly welcome days for black market dealers and the corrupt politicians who support them. Excise officials will also happily replenish their private alcohol stocks. This is an outdated ordinance from the British colonial era that is only being maintained because it benefits powerful crooks. This ordinance does not restrict alcohol consumption. On the contrary, it is precisely on these days that excessive amounts of alcohol, whether legal or illegal, are consumed. This obsolete ordinance must be abolished. Every shop, kiosk, restaurant, guesthouse or hotel must be allowed to sell alcohol without a license 24 hours a day, every day of the year.

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