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The Election Commission on Monday made it clear that voters in a state going to polls will be entitled to paid holiday from their employers even if their location of employment is outside the state.
In fresh instructions issued, the commission said even daily wage/casual workers are entitled to a holiday and wages on the poll day as provided in Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.
The fresh instructions came in the wake of reports that voters working outside the state were not getting a holiday for voting in polls where they reside.
The commission has now reiterated that Representation of People Act, 1951, requires that all establishments and shops including those which work on shift basis, shall be closed on the day of poll in the constituency where a general/bye-election is to be held.
The EC said there may be cases where a person is ordinarily a resident of the constituency and registered as an elector but may be serving/employed in an industrial undertaking or an establishment located outside the constituency having a general/bye-election.
"It is clarified that in such a situation, even those electors, including casual workers working outside the constituency concerned, would be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday extended under the Section 135B(1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951," the EC said.
This would come as a benefit for all those voters in Uttar Pradesh who will be entitled to get a paid holiday from their employers even if their location of employment is in Delhi or any other state.
The Commission had on January 10, 2012, issued instructions to Chief Secretaries of Goa, Manipur, Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand and the Secretary to Government of India, Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Department of Personnel & Training, inviting their attention to the provisions of Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which provides for paid holiday to employees on the day of the poll.