The Jammu and Kashmir government on Friday declared public holidays on poll dates of the upcoming Assembly Elections, officials said.
The elections to 90 Assembly Constituencies of Jammu and Kashmir are being held in three phases on September 18, September 25 and October 1, 2024.
As per a government order, issued by the General Administration Department(GAD), the government has notified three days as holidays under section 135 B of the Representation of the People Act 1951, an official spokesman said.
According to the GAD order, the paid holidays shall be observed as per the election dates in all assembly constituencies across Jammu and Kashmir.
In the first phase, to be held on September 18, 2024 (Wednesday), the paid holiday shall be observed in 24 Assembly segments, while in the second phase of elections, the paid holiday shall be observed in 26 Assembly Constituencies on September 25, 2024 (Wednesday).
Similarly, in the last phase of the assembly elections scheduled on October 1, 2024 (Tuesday), paid holiday will be observed in 40 Assembly segments of Jammu and Kashmir.
The order also declared the poll day as a paid holiday for every eligible voter in his/her respective Assembly constituency employed in any business, trade, industrial undertakings, or any other establishment.
The order further stated that no deduction or abatement of the wages of any such person shall be made on account of a holiday having been granted by sub-section (1) and if such person is employed on the basis that she/he would not ordinarily receive wages for such a day, she/he shall nonetheless be paid for such day the wages she/he would have drawn had not a holiday been granted to her/him on that day.
The order reads that if an employer contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), then such employer shall be punishable with a fine, which may extend to five hundred rupees.
“This section shall not apply to any elector whose absence may cause danger or substantial loss in respect of the employment in which he is engaged,” it added.
The order further said that the daily wage and casual workers shall also be entitled to the holiday and wages on the poll day.
It is further ordered that the above paid holidays shall also be observed in terms of explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.
