Government declares paid holiday on poll days

VIJAYAWADA:  The state government has authorised district collectors to declare local holiday on February 9, 13, 17 and 21 when the panchayat elections will be held, to facilitate electorates.In separate GOs, the government also asked the district collectors to declare poll days paid holiday, and that any other subsequent holiday may be declared as a working day for the employees of public undertakings, commercial and industrial units, to see that their production target is not affected.

If the declaration of holiday is not possible, the institutions have been asked to excuse their employees for three hours on the polling days.To help the employees of the state government, local bodies and other government institutions exercise their franchise, the collectors are asked to declare local holiday for all government offices and institutions in the area where the polling is scheduled to take place.

“The central government employees, who are bonafide voters and have desire to exercise their franchise, shall be permitted to avail the facility subject to normal exigencies of service either by way of coming late to office or by being allowed to leave office early or for a short absence on the polling days,’’ a GO read.
Further, liquor shops in the polling areas would remain closed 44 hours prior to the commencement of elections.