Nagaland govt. declares paid holiday on polling day

Dimapur: The Nagaland government on Wednesday declared the date of polling for the Lok Sabha seat in the state on April 19 as a paid holiday for all the employees of government/private and business establishments to enable them to participate and exercise their franchise.

In a notification, the state home department said in accordance with Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 and in view of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, the day of polling on April 19 has been declared as a paid holiday for all categories of employees including the daily wage/casual workers and also all those electors working outside the constituency concerned.

However, this will not apply to any elector whose absence may cause danger or substantial loss in respect of the employment in which he is engaged, it said.

The notification added that the day of polling is also declared a paid holiday for all the employees of banks and financial institutions in Nagaland under the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Act, XXVI) to enable them to exercise their franchise.