Vote leave mandatory

Ahead of polling for 29 municipal corporations scheduled on January 15, the state government has warned employers of strict action if employees are denied time off to exercise their right to vote.

- Ravikiran Deshmukh

In a circular issued on Tuesday, the Industries and Labour Department made it mandatory for establishments to grant a full day’s paid leave to employees on polling day. Where granting a full day off is not feasible due to the nature of work, employers must allow a minimum leave of two to three hours to enable employees to cast their vote.