The Assam government has declared a paid holiday on voting days during the Lok Sabha elections for employees of public and private establishments, official sources said on Wednesday.
According to a notification issued by the Labour Welfare Department of the Government of Assam, there will be a holiday in the offices and work places in all those parliamentary constituencies which will go to polls on April 19, April 26 and May 7.
The holiday has been declared to enable all employees to cast their votes in the three phases of the elections.
The notification read, “The Governor of Assam is pleased to declare as Paid Holiday on the day of polls of General Election to Lok Sabha, 2024 1st phase being on 19th April/2024, 2nd phase on 26th April/2024 and 3rd phase on 7th May/2024 in all Factories, Plantations (including tea plantations), Shops & Commercial Establishment, Establishments for Public Entertainment or Amusement, Contractors' Establishment, Farms and such other Industries/ Workshop, Commercial & Business Establishment and Banking Institution etc. to enable the Workers/ Employees to cast their votes in the three phases of General Election, 2024 to the Parliamentary Constituencies of Assam.”
The notification further said that the benefit of a Paid Holiday is to be extended to such voters registered in the poll going Constituency, who are working outside the constituency concerned as per provisions made under Section 135B of the R.P. Act, 1951 as per Annexure-I (copy enclosed).
Further, voters of the neighboring states who are working in adjoining districts of Assam are also entitled to the benefit of paid holiday on the day of poll in neighboring states as per Annexure-II (copy enclosed), the notification added.
In the approaching 2024 elections, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) is hopeful of bolstering its seat count compared to 2019, attributing this optimism to its expanding influence across Assam's political spectrum. Meanwhile, the Indian National Congress (INC), bolstered by their newly established I.N.D.I.A alliance is poised for a robust electoral campaign, eyeing a transformative shift in the national political landscape. Anticipated to be fiercely contested, the elections will witness both alliances vigorously competing for a substantial portion of Assam's 14 Lok Sabha seats.
