California’s Diwali holiday law faces legal challenge
International 25 Jul, 2026

California’s Diwali holiday law faces legal challenge

Business To Business, New York, 25th July, 2026:   A California law recognising Diwali as an official state holiday has been challenged successfully in court, with a judge ruling that the legislation violates provisions of both the federal and California constitutions.
In his ruling, Judge Stephen Acquisto of the Superior Court of California said the law, known as AB 268, gives Diwali preferential treatment based on its religious significance without sufficient secular justification.
"The Court finds that AB 268 violates several provisions of the federal and state constitutions by giving Diwali special treatment expressly based on its religious importance without any significant secular considerations," the judge said.
AB 268, passed by the California State Assembly last year, added Diwali to the list of official state holidays.
The ruling challenges the constitutionality of the law on the grounds that it affords special recognition to a religious festival without an adequate non-religious public purpose. The decision could be subject to appeal or further legal proceedings.

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