Bihar Assembly elections: Paid holiday on polling days; employers to be fined if they cut salary

The Election Commission of India has announced a paid holiday for employed electors on the two polling days for the Bihar Assembly elections and warned the employers of a penalty if they contravene this legal provision and deduct the wages of their staff.

 

"As per section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking, or any other establishment, and entitled to vote at an election to the House of the People or to the Legislative Assembly of a State/UT, shall be granted a paid holiday on the day of poll," the Commission said in a circular.

 

“No deduction of wages shall be made on account of such a paid holiday. Any employer who contravenes these provisions shall be liable to a fine. All daily wage and casual workers are also entitled to a paid holiday on the day of the poll,” said the circular issued by Deputy Director, ECI, P. Pawan.

 

The Commission directed the state government to issue necessary instructions to those concerned for strict compliance with these provisions and to ensure that all electors are able to exercise their franchise freely and conveniently.

 

It also clarified that electors, including casual and daily wage workers, who are working or employed in industrial or commercial establishments located outside their constituency but are registered as voters in a constituency going to polls, will also be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday on the day of the election to enable them to cast their vote.

 

The Bihar assembly polls will be held in two phases on November 6 and 11, and the counting of votes will take place on November 14.

India