Overview
- Jammu and Kashmir formally moved the Jumat‑ul‑Vida public holiday to Friday, March 13, citing uncertainty over whether the last Friday would fall this week or next.
- Grand Mufti Nasir‑ul‑Islam said Jumat‑ul‑Vida would be observed on March 13 and noted Eid‑ul‑Fitr in the region will depend on the Shawwal crescent, likely yielding March 20 or 21.
- Jama Masjid in Srinagar did not host Friday prayers as its gates were locked; the mosque management said Mirwaiz Umar Farooq was placed under house arrest, while authorities did not issue an explanation.
- The largest congregation in Kashmir gathered at Hazratbal, where officials estimated about 80,000 worshippers, as police tightened security in Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Uttar Pradesh to manage large crowds.
- Eid dates remain unconfirmed pending local crescent sightings, with astronomical forecasts indicating a March 19–21 window and several GCC governments issuing provisional holiday schedules subject to moonsighting.