Jan 8 to be public holiday within BMC limits

OST Bureau

Bhubaneswar, Jan 2:

January 8, the day the Bhubaneswar Municipal Corporation (BMC) polls are to be held, will be a public holiday for all government offices and banks located within BMC limits, the Odisha government announced on Thursday.

Under the explanation to Section-25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (Act XXVI of 1881) of the Government of India, Ministry of Home Affairs, the state government has declared that January 8 shall be a public holiday within the meaning of the aforesaid Act for all Banks and other offices (whose holidays are regulated by the aforesaid Act).

Besides, the government decided that government employees, who desire to exercise their franchise at a place away from their headquarters on the date of poll, will be allowed Special Casual Leave for a maximum period of three days i.e. on the day preceding the poll, on the day of the poll and the day after. The leave so granted would be treated as Special Casual Leave in addition to normal Casual Leave admissible to them during the calendar year 2013-14, the announcement said.