J&K Government Announces 3-days Paid Holiday | Check Here

Election Schedule

The elections will be conducted in three phases:

• Phase I: 18 Assembly Constituencies on September 18, 2024 (Wednesday)
• Phase II: 26 Assembly Constituencies on September 25, 2024 (Wednesday)
• Phase III: 40 Assembly Constituencies on October 1, 2024 (Tuesday)

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Key Provisions

The Poll days indicated above shall be observed as paid holiday to every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment and entitled to vote in his/her respective Assembly Constituencies.

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 sub-section (1) and if such person is employed on the basis that she/he would not ordinarily receive wages for such a day, she/he shall nonetheless be paid for such day the wages she/he would have drawn had not a holiday been granted to her/him on that day.

If an employer contravenes the provisions of sub-section (1) or sub-section (2), then such employer shall be punishable with fine, which may extend to five hundred rupees. 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.

Daily wage/casual workers shall also be entitled for a holiday and wages on the day of poll.

It is further ordered that the above paid holiday(s) shall also be observed in terms of explanation to Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

Conclusion

This initiative by the Jammu and Kashmir government aims to facilitate voter participation in the upcoming elections, marking a significant step in the democratic process following the reorganization of the region into union territories. The elections are particularly notable as they will be the first since the abrogation of Article 370 in 2019, which altered the political landscape of Jammu and Kashmir.