New Delhi, August 17:  The Supreme Court and the Registry will observe a half-day holiday on Friday and will sit till 1 PM following the death of Former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The  93-year old BJP stalwart breathed his last on Thursday evening battling nearly nine weeks of critical health at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in the national capital.

The government has announced a seven-day national mourning and state funeral for the late former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee. The national flag will be flown at half-mast throughout India and Indian missions abroad between August 16 and 22 -- the period of national mourning.

Vajpayee will be cremated at Smriti Sthal on the banks of river Yamuna on Friday.  As a mark of respect to the departed soul, the Central government offices will be closed for half day on Friday afternoon in Delhi and across the country, along with the Central Public Sector Undertakings.

Vajpayee was admitted with infection in the kidney and the urinary tract and chest congestion. The health condition of the BJP patriarch began to slip away from Tuesday evening and remained critical for the next three days after which he was put on life support.

India's most charismatic leaders, died here following prolonged illness today, AIIMS hospital announced on Thursday evening. "It is with profound grief that we inform about the sad demise of former Prime Minister of India Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee at 5.05 pm," the hospital said in a statement.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 17, 2018 10:54 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).