Bokaro: District Electoral Office-cum-Bokaro Deputy Commissioner (DC), K N Jha on Friday directed outsiders (who rushed here for a political campaign) to leave the constituencies immediately and said they could only return after the polling is over on Sunday.
On the directive of Election Commission all political leaders, functionaries or party workers who are not registered voters have to vacate the constituency by 4 pm on 10 May till the election is completed, said Jha adding “It is a prohibition protocol and necessary guidelines have been issued to the police.”
It is estimated there are about 1 to 1.5 lakhs voters who are deprived of voting due to not sanctioning of ‘paid leave’ by their respective organizations, said Jha.
According to Section 135 B of Representation of the People Act 1951, every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment and entitled to vote in general election and assembly election on polling day should be granted holiday.
No deduction or abatement of the wages of any such person shall be made on account of a holiday having been granted for the poll and if such person is employed on the basis that he would not ordinarily receive wages for such a day, he shall nonetheless be paid for such day the wages he would have drawn had not a holiday been granted to him on that day, informed Jha.
He said, if an employer contravenes the provisions then such an employer shall be punishable with fine which may extend to Rs 500 though 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.
He also pointed out that if the above rules are strictly followed then voting percentage must be increased by 5 percent in the constituency. Recently we have discussed with the representatives all PSUs managements including Bokaro Steel Plant, ONGC, ElectroSteel-Vedanta, BPSCL and others, he said.
Giridh and Dhanbad both constituencies are going for the poll on 12 May; silence erupted after the high-decibel campaigning comes to an end across both constituencies on Friday at 4 PM.
All candidates and their supporters were seen engaged with distributing pamphlets in lanes, door-to-door campaign to reach the maximum voters.
Candidates who are in poll fray visited in the interior colonies of their constituencies.
“I personally feel that the door-to-door campaign leaves an impressive impact on the voters. Though it’s quite not possible to meet individual voters but I tried my best to meet as many electorates as possible,” said PN Singh sitting MP and candidate of Dhanbad LS constituency.
Under the leadership of Mayank Singh District President BJP Bokaro a rally was organised in Chas and Bokaro Steel City.
