Karnataka Election 2023: EC urges state govt to declare May 10 as paid holiday even for non-voters

The District Electoral Officer and chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Tushar Giri Nath, clarified that May 10 will be treated as a general holiday for all employees in Karnataka, regardless of whether they are voters or not.

In a bid to encourage a high voter turnout, the Election Commission of India (ECI) instructed the state government to declare May 10, Karnataka Assembly polling day, a paid holiday for all employees. However, several IT sectors have raised questions about whether non-voters should still be required to work and receive pay on polling day.

The District Electoral Officer and chief commissioner of Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP), Tushar Giri Nath, clarified that May 10 will be treated as a general holiday for all employees in Karnataka, regardless of whether they are voters or not.

If an industry or factory is considered essential, they may continue to operate and utilize non-voters.

The chief commissioner also explained that it would be difficult to differentiate between voters and non-voters in any establishment, hence why a paid holiday has been announced for all employees.

A senior electoral officer from Bengaluru Urban pointed out that Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act 1951 provides for paid holiday for employees on the day of polling, and any employer who violates this provision may be fined up to Rs 500.

Giri Nath also noted that the same provision does not apply to employees whose absence may cause danger or significant loss in their line of work. Employees from other states who do not have voting rights in Karnataka may still work in companies with essential services, and paid holidays must be granted to those with voting rights.