Public Holiday : A holiday will be observed in the concerned municipal areas of Jharkhand on the day of polling for the Urban Local Body elections. On this day, all shops and commercial establishments located within the respective municipal limits will remain closed. Employees working in these establishments will be entitled to paid leave. The Personnel Department issued an official notification in this regard on Friday.
Paid Leave for Voters Working Outside Municipal Limits
According to the notification, if a person ordinarily resides in a municipal area and is also a registered voter of that constituency, but is employed or rendering services in an industrial unit, establishment, or shop located outside the municipal area, the employer will be required to grant paid leave on the polling day so that the employee can cast their vote.
Relief for Casual and Daily Wage Workers
The notification further states that workers employed as casual laborers or daily wage earners in institutions or establishments outside the electoral area will also be granted paid leave, provided they are registered voters of the concerned municipal constituency.
It is noteworthy that the polling date for the municipal elections has been scheduled for 23 February.
BJP Demands Deployment of Central Security Forces
A high-level delegation of the Bharatiya Janata Party, led by State President and Member of Parliament Aditya Sahu, met the Election Commissioner on Friday and submitted a memorandum.
The delegation included former State President Ravindra Kumar Rai, State Vice President Aarti Kujur, Co-Media In-charge Ashok Badaik, Legal Cell Convenor Sudhir Srivastava, and Chandraprakash.
Allegations on Law and Order Situation
Later, while addressing a press conference at the state party office, Aditya alleged that the law and order situation in the state had collapsed and that the state government was indifferent. He claimed that criminals were running a parallel government and demanded the deployment of central security forces to ensure free and fair municipal elections.