Kerala govt declares holiday on July 22, three days of mourning after death of former CM VS Achuthanandan

The Kerala government on Monday (Jul 21) announced a public holiday on Tuesday (Jul 22) in the state. The decision has been taken as a mark of respect to Communist veteran and former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, who passed away on Monday afternoon. In addition, a three-day state mourning has been declared across Kerala from July 22. The holiday is applicable to banks, government offices, and educational institutes, including state and private schools and colleges, on Tuesday.

According to the statement by Kerala government, “As a mark of respect to the departed soul, all State Government offices, educational institutions including professional colleges, State Public Sector Undertakings, Statutory bodies, Autonomous institutions and all institutions under the purview of Negotiable Instruments Act, throughout the State, shall remain closed on Tuesday the 22nd July, 2025.

All scheduled examinations in educational institutions across the state have been postponed. The Calicut University Students' Union elections, which were scheduled for July 22, have also been postponed to July 26 in light of the holiday. During the three-day state mourning, the national flag will be flown at half-mast on all government buildings, the General Administration department said in a notification.

Former chief minister VS Achuthanandan, who passed away at the age of 101, was an anchor in the Communist movement. He was admitted to a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram on June 23 after suffering from a cardiac arrest at home and had been undergoing treatment since then.

According to the state secretary M V Govindan, Achuthanandan’s cremation will take place on Wednesday (Jul 23) at the Valiyachudukadu funeral ground in his home district of Alappuzha.

The late politician played a key role in advocating for the rights of the underprivileged and underrepresented communities in Kerala. However, he later avoided public appearances after suffering a minor stroke in 2019.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi expressed his sadness at the passing of the former chief minister. In an X post, he wrote, “Saddened by the passing of former Kerala CM Shri V S Achuthanandan Ji. He devoted many years of his life to public service and Kerala’s progress. I recall our interactions when we both served as Chief Ministers of our respective states. My thoughts are with his family and supporters in this sad hour.”