Saturday, April 26, 2025

Electorates want two days of paid leave to cast votes

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Paid holiday on May 16 in GH

SHILLONG: The electorates of Garo Hills residing in Shillong and other constituencies apart from Tura    want the State government to grant two days’ paid holiday to enable them to go and cast their votes in the Tura by-election scheduled on May 16.
Some voters said that electorates from far flung areas like Chokpot, Mahendraganj, Raksamgre, Chapati, Karukol and Rongara which do not have regular transport communication cannot return to their workplace on the same day.
According to electorates, most of the convenient transportation like Sumos and night buses may also not be available on the polling day and on the next day in view of the requisition of public vehicles for election duty.
“Drivers and staffs of the transport also may not be available because will be away to exercise their franchise in their respective polling stations and may find it difficult to return the same day,” some residents said.
They said that in one day paid holiday, most of the electorates are unwilling to exercise their franchise by sacrificing their time, money, energy and by spending their limited ‘casual leave’ from their account which could have been utilized for an emergency.
It may be mentioned that the matter was raised with the State Chief Electoral Officer who    suggested that the matter should be taken up with the General Administration Department.
Meanwhile, the State government on Thursday issued a notification in which only one day paid holiday has been granted to people to cast their votes.
A GAD order said that in order to enable voters to exercise their franchise in connection with the by-election to Tura Parliamentary constituency, all State government offices and educational institutions falling under Tura Parliamentary constituency shall remain closed on May 16.
Every person employed in any trade, industrial undertaking or any of the establishment governed by N.I. Act, 1881 and a daily wage, casual worker including those working outside the constituency, who are voters under the constituency, shall be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday, the order stated.

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