Karnataka election: Paid leave for labourers on April 18, 23
Synopsis
Paid leave has to be granted to labourers according to Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963 to enable them to exercise their franchise
Bengaluru: All labourers and government employees in Karnataka are bound to get paid leave on April 18 and April 23 in Karnataka. The leave will have to be approved on the occasion of Lok Sabha elections in Karnataka, being held in two phases.
According to the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and festival Holidays) Act 1963, shops, commercial complexes, industries and other organisations are obliged to grant paid holiday to workers on the occasion of Lok Sabha, Assembly or by-elections.
Amending the act, "On the suggestions of the Election Commission, it is proposed to amend the Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and Festival Holidays) Act, 1963, to make it obligatory on the part of employers to allow paid holiday to workers during general or bye-elections for any parliamentary or Assembly Constituency under the Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 (Central Act 43 of 1951) to enable the employees to exercise their franchise."
Karnataka is going for poll in two phases on April 18 and April 23. If employers fail to grant holiday on these two days, under Section 3-A of Karnataka Industrial Establishments (National and festival Holidays) Act 1963 and Section 135-B of Representation of Peoples Act, 1951 (Central Act 43 of 1951), legal action can be taken against the employers.
Employees eligible to vote in the first phase of election can avail paid leave on April 18. Election will be held on April 18 in constituencies including Udupi - Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Dakshina Kannada, Chitradurga, Tumakuru, Mandya, Mysuru, Chamarajanagar, Bengaluru Rural, Bengaluru North, Bengaluru Central, Bengaluru South, Chikkaballapur and Kolar.
Those exercising their franchise in constituencies including Chikkodi, Bagalkot, Belagavi, Vijayapur, kalaburagi, Raichur, Bidar, Koppal, Ballari, Haveri, Dharwad, Uttara Kannada, Davanagere and Shivamogga can avail leave on April 23.