Maharashtra Local Body Polls: Paid Holiday Declared on December 2 to Ensure Employees Can Vote

The Maharashtra government has announced a paid holiday on December 2 for employees across various establishments, businesses, and workplaces to facilitate their participation in municipal council and nagar panchayat elections, reported Free Press Journal. According to a government resolution (GR) issued on Friday, this leave will apply to employees in districts where polling is scheduled, allowing them to exercise their voting rights without hindrance. Authorities emphasised that the move is aimed at preventing the denial of franchise, ensuring citizens can participate freely in the democratic process. This development was reported by the Free Press Journal.

Elections to 246 municipal councils and 42 nagar panchayats across Maharashtra will take place in the first phase of long-pending local body polls. The Industries, Energy, and Labour Departments stated that the decision follows concerns from previous elections when some employers failed to provide paid leave or sufficient time off, preventing voters from casting their ballots. The GR explicitly references the Representation of the People Act, 1951, which mandates paid leave for citizens on polling day. This step aims to strengthen voter participation and uphold democratic rights, as reported by Free Press Journal.

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The paid holiday directive will cover all employees, workers, and officers who are registered voters in the polling areas, regardless of whether their workplace falls within the same constituency. Establishments under the Labour Department—including factories, shops, hotels, IT companies, malls, and other commercial outlets—are required to comply. For those providing essential or continuous services where granting a full-day holiday is impractical, employers must provide two to three hours of special leave to ensure employees can vote. This ensures no voter is left unable to participate due to work commitments, according to Free Press Journal.

The government has also warned that non-compliance with the paid leave directive will invite action if complaints are received. Authorities stressed that all employers must adhere strictly to the GR to safeguard citizens’ voting rights. By mandating paid leave and clear provisions for employees in essential services, the state government seeks to prevent any obstruction to voter participation in Maharashtra’s urban and rural local body elections. Failure to follow the guidelines may result in penalties or other actions against the defaulters, reported Free Press Journal.