The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced on Friday that all employees, including daily wage and casual workers, will receive a paid holiday on polling days for the General Elections and bye-elections taking place this month.
According to a press note from the ECI, “As per Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking, or any other establishment, and entitled to vote at an election to the House of the People or to the Legislative Assembly of a States/UTs or Bye-election to a PC/AC shall be granted a paid holiday on the day of poll.”
The directive applies to elections for the Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal, as well as bye-elections to eight Assembly Constituencies across Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura.
Polling dates are April 9 for Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland, and Tripura; April 23 for Tamil Nadu, Gujarat, and Maharashtra; and April 23 (Phase I) and April 29 (Phase II) for West Bengal.
The ECI specified that “No deduction of wages shall be made on account of such a paid holiday. Any employer who contravenes these provisions shall be liable to a fine.”
The Commission further clarified, “Electors (including casual and daily wage workers) who are working or employed in industrial or commercial establishments located outside their constituency but are registered as voters in a constituency going to polls shall also be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday on the day of poll to enable them to cast their vote.”
State and Union Territory governments have been instructed to enforce compliance strictly. The statement added, “Necessary instructions have been issued to concerned authorities to ensure that all electors are able to exercise their franchise freely and conveniently.”
The results for the Assembly and bye-elections are scheduled to be announced on May 4, 2026.