ULB Polls In Odisha: Paid Holiday For Employees Of Govt & Private Sector To Cast Votes

Bhubaneswar: The state government on Friday directed its departments and district authorities and private offices to grant paid holiday to their employees to enable them to cast votes on the day of polling for Urban Local Bodies (ULBs).

The Labour and ESI Department, in a letter, has told Revenue Divisional Commissioners (RDCs), district collectors, PSUs, corporations and business and industrial establishments coming under Labour Act to make provisions for their employees to exercise their franchise in the urban elections in the state on March 24.

As per the recommendation of the State Election Commission, it is the Fundamental Right of every citizen to cast his/her votes in the election. Hence all business, trade and industrial undertakings and other establishments should facilitate their employees to participate in the polling, the letter said.

All these establishments are instructed to grant paid holiday to their employees on the date of polling, the letter stated and warned them of legal action in case of violation of the instruction.

The department further said the employees can submit written application to show their enrolment in any municipality, NAC or municipal corporation.

It may be noted that elections to 106 ULBs including 47 municipalities, 59 NACs and three municipal corporations will be held from 8 am to 5 pm on March 24. The results of the elections will be declared on March 26 following counting of votes on the same day, as per SEC schedule.