Paid holiday to be allowed to business, trade industry workers in Delhi on poll day

New Delhi: The Delhi government has instructed all business establishments, including shops, hotels, restaurants, resorts, trade and industrial units to allow paid holiday to their employees going to cast their votes in the Lok Sabha polls in the city on May 25.

The Delhi government's Labour department in an order issued on Monday said that Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 provides that every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment and entitled to vote in an election to the Lok Sabha or Vidhan Sabha will be granted holiday on the day of voting.

"No deduction or abatement of the wages of any such person shall be made on account of a holiday having been granted in accordance with sub-section (1) and if such person is employed on the basis that they would not ordinarily receive wages for such a day, they would have drawn had not a holiday been granted to them on that day," said the order.

The daily wage (casual) workers are also entitled for a holiday and wages on the poll day. All business establishments, including shops, hotels, restaurants, resorts, trade and industrial establishment that fall under the Delhi Shops and Establishment Act, 1954 and all factories covered under the Factories Act, 1948, will observe poll day (May 25) as a paid holiday, it said.

If an employer contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2) of the Act, than they will be punishable with fine, which may extend to five hundred rupees, said the order.

Section 135 B of the Representation of the People Act will not apply to any voter employee whose absence from duty may cause danger or substantial loss in respect of the employment in which he is engaged, it added.

Voting on seven Lok Sabha constituencies in Delhi will be held on May 25. There are a total of 1.52 crore electors in Delhi.