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New Delhi, Oct 18 (IANS) The ECI on Saturday declared paid leave for employed voters on the two polling days for Bihar Assembly elections and warned employers of a fine if they deduct salaries of their employees 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 voters are able to exercise their franchise freely and conveniently,” the Election Commission of India (ECI) said in a circular.
According to the ECI schedule, by-elections for eight assembly constituencies in seven states will also be held on November 11.
“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 in an election to the House of the People or to the Legislative Assembly of any State/Union Territory, shall be granted paid leave on the day of poll,” ECI Deputy Director, P. Pawan, said in a circular.
It says, “No deduction in salary shall be made on account of such paid leave. Any employer who contravenes these provisions shall be liable to fine. All daily wage earners and casual employees are also entitled to paid leave on the day of polling.”
The Commission clarified that voters (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 the election-going constituency, will also be entitled to the benefit of paid leave on the day of poll so that they can cast their vote.
On Friday, the ECI summoned the heads of several enforcement and security agencies to tighten surveillance against the movement of cash, drugs, liquor and other illicit inducements during the Bihar election campaign.
The meeting of the Multi-Departmental Committee on Election Intelligence (MDCEI) was held at Nirvachan Sadan in New Delhi, chaired by Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar, Election Commissioners Sukhbir Singh Sandhu and Vivek Joshi.
The Commission stressed the need for active monitoring and preventive action to prevent electoral irregularities affecting voter behaviour.
–IANS
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