Bhubaneswar: In a latest announcement relating to General Elections 2024, special leave for casting vote to be given to government employees in Odisha. Two days special holiday for voting in distant places said reports.
In view of the upcoming Lok Sabha and Odisha Legislative Assembly General Elections 2024, the state government has sanctioned one day special leave for the government employees engaged in election work.
The task performed by the staff engaged in election management is difficult. In view of this, the government employees who will be engaged in General Election 2024 duty will be given one day special temporary leave after the duty.
They are authorized by the Government to take special leave in addition to the casual leave and special leave (Special CL) normally admissible in the calendar year. In this regard, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena informed all departments and heads of departments through a letter. This leave will be granted at the discretion and decision of the concerned Head of Office keeping in view the administrative convenience.
Accordingly, all the subordinate offices have been informed and instructed in this regard. The Office of the Chief Electoral Officer of the State has also informed all the Revenue Collectors (RDCs) and all the District Election Officers and District Collectors of the State for their information and action.
Similarly, government employees who have to go to polling stations far away from their headquarters to cast their votes, have been allowed special temporary leave for a maximum of two days during the pre-election period. Odisha will vote on May 13, May 20, May 25 and June 1.
Further it is worth mentioning that, a public holiday has been declared in the constituency area on polling day. The Chief Secretary has also written a letter asking the government employees, who are stationed far away from their polling stations, to be allowed special temporary leave for two days (pre-polling day and post-polling day) where necessary on the above days as they have to go there for voting.
Employees who wish to cast their votes at a polling center away from the working headquarters, but have not been sanctioned leave as polling is not held in the constituency where they have their office on that day, will be granted special temporary leave for one more day after polling. The leaves to be granted shall be treated as special casual leave, which shall not be taken into account in calculating the total period of casual leave and special casual leave normally admissible to a Government servant in a calendar year.
