Bihar polls: EC announces paid holiday on voting days, warns employers of hefty fines if…

Bihar Assembly Election: The Election Commission on Saturday announced paid holidays on voting days in Bihar, and warned employers who violate this legal provision of hefty fines.

In a statement, the EC said voters in Bihar, which goes to polls next month, as well as voters in eight assembly constituencies across various states, where bypolls are being held on November 11, are entitled to paid holidays on polling days under provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

“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,” it said.

Why EC warned employers?

The apex poll body underlined that there will be no deduction of wages on account of such a paid holiday, and any employer who contravenes these legal provisions shall be liable to a fine, adding that the holiday is applicable to workers across private and public sectors, including l daily wage and casual workers.

“All 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 poll panel said.

Bihar Assembly Election 2025

The commission has directed Bihar and other states where bypolls are scheduled next month to issue necessary instructions for strict compliance with the provision.

The Bihar Assembly Election will be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, with the counting of votes to follow on November 14.

More than 1,250 candidates filed their papers for the 121 seats as the filing of nomination papers for the first phase of Assembly polls concluded on Friday, according to the EC.

(With inputs from agencies)

News