New Delhi, Oct 18 || The ECI on Saturday announced a paid holiday for employed electors on the two polling days for the Bihar Assembly elections and warned employers of a penalty if they deduct wages of their staff for absence on November 6 and 11.
“The Commission has directed the State governments to issue necessary instructions to all concerned for strict compliance with these provisions and to ensure that all electors are able to exercise their franchise freely and conveniently,” said the Election Commission of India (ECI) in a circular.
As per the ECI’s schedule, by-elections to eight Assembly Constituencies in seven states will also be held on November 11.
Deputy Director, ECI, P. Pawan said in a circular, “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.”