AP General Elections 2024 Local Holiday Declaration

AP General Elections 2024 Local Holiday Declaration on the day of poll, on the day of counting of votes General Election to Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh, 2024 & Lok Sabha 2024 - Polling on 13.05.2024 (Monday) - Declaration of Local Holiday - Authorization to the Collector & District Magistrates in the State - Orders

Elections - General Election to Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh, 2024 & Lok Sabha 2024 - Polling on 13.05.2024 (Monday) - Declaration of Local Holiday - Authorization to the Collector & District Magistrates in the State -Orders - Issued.

 

GENERAL ADMINISTRATION (ELECTIONS-A3) DEPARTMENT G.O.Rt.No.630 Dated:22.03.2024

 

Read:

From Election Commission of India, New Delhi, Letter No. 78/EPS/2024, dt:16.03.2024.

 

ORDER:

 

According to the schedule announced by the Election Commission of India, vide reference read above, polling for the Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh, 2024 & Lok Sabha 2024 will be held on 13.05.2024 (Monday) and Counting of votes on 04.06.2024 (Tuesday).

 

Hence, the State Government hereby authorize the Collectors & District Magistrates in the state to declare a local holiday on the day of poll in the Assembly Constituency i.e., on 13.05.2024 (Monday), if there is no holiday. for the Institutions where Polling Stations / Distribution centres are established in connection with conduct of General Election to Legislative Assembly of Andhra Pradesh, 2024 and also, if necessary, on the day fixed for Counting i.e., on 04.06.2024 (Tuesday) for the institution where Counting Centre is established. On local holidays, the Treasuries and Sub-Treasuries in the District shall, however, function as usual.

 

Government also direct that as per the instructions of the Election Commission of India,

• the Labour, Employment Training & Factories Department shall declare a paid holiday on the day of poll in the Assembly Constituency e. 13.05.2024 (Monday), if there is no holiday under the A.P. Factories and Establishments Act, 1974 (A.P. Act No.32/1974) and A.P. Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 read with the provisions laid down in Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 so as to enable the workers to exercise their franchise. Regarding the Industrial Undertakings / Establishments, which are working on shift basis, it is clarified that a holiday may be declared only for the shift during which the poll is to be conducted (from 7.00 am to 6.00 pm);
• the Commissioner of Labour, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada shall declare a closed holiday on the day of poll in the Assembly Constituency i.e. 13.05.2024 (Monday), if there is no holiday under the A.P. Shops and Establishments Act, 1988 (Act 20/1988) read with provisions laid down in Section 135-B (4) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, so as to enable the electors working in such shops, establishments to exercise their franchise;
• All Municipal Corporations, Municipal Committees and other Local Bodies and every University established by Central, Provincial or State Act located in the state shall also observe local holiday to be declared by the Collectors & District Magistrates in the state, as authorized by the Government, on the day of poll i.e., 13^th May, 2024 (Monday), in the Assembly Constituency, Andhra Pradesh.

As per the provisions of Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the Commissioner of Labour, Government of Andhra Pradesh, Vijayawada shall ensure that (i) every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment and entitled to vote at election to the Legislative Assembly or HoP shall, on the day of poll, be granted a holiday; (ii) no deduction or abatement of the wages of any such person shall be made on account of a holiday having been granted in accordance with subsection (1) and if such person is employed on the basis that he/she would not ordinarily receive wages for such a day, he/she shall nonetheless be paid for such day the wages he/she would have drawn had not a holiday been granted to him/her on that day; (iii) If an employer contravenes the provisions of sub-section (I) or sub­section (2), then such employer shall be punishable with fine, which may extend to five hundred rupees.

The Government also direct that, in the case of employees who are ordinarily resident in the area of Assembly Constituency, where poll is on 13^th May, 2024 (Monday), but having the place of work outside the Constituency area, those electors including casual workers working outside the Constituency concerned would be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday extended under the Section 135B (1) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, although his/her office does not happen to be closed on that particular day. The daily wage/casual workers are also entitled for a holiday and wages on poll day as provided in Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951.

It is clarified that as per the provisions of Section 135-B (iv) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, this section shall not apply to any elector whose absence may cause danger or substantial loss in respect of the employment in which he is engaged.

Download G.O.Rt.No.630 Dated:22.03.2024