Odisha govt staff to get 3-day Special Casual Leave to exercise franchise in Panchayat polls

Bhubaneswar: Employees of the Odisha government departments and employees of State government undertakings, boards, corporations and apex bodies will get three days Special Casual Leave to exercise their franchise during the three-tier panchayat polls in the State.

In a letter, Panchayati Raj and District Welfare Department Secretary Ashok Kumar Meena asked the Secretaries and senior officials to sanction the Special Casual Leave for a maximum period of three days to employees who desire to exercise their franchise at a place away from their headquarters during the panchayat elections.

The employees will get Special Casual Leave for one day preceding the polls, one day after the poll and the date on the date of poll, the letter mentioned.

The Head of Office granting the leave will take a decision on the number of days of Special Casual Leave not exceeding three days to be sanctioned.

The Special Casual Leave will be in addition to normal casual leave admissible to the employees during the Calendar Year 2022. A written application submitted by the employees will be sufficient to show their enrolment in a particular gram panchayat.

The letter asked the Secretaries and officials not to restrain the employees from exercising their franchise and ensure providing possible facilities.

Also, District Collectors were authorized to declare the day of the poll as notified for blocks and gram panchayats as a holiday. The day of the poll will be declared as a holiday for the Judicial Courts located within the block areas, the letter read.

The panchayat elections will be held in the State on February 16, 18, 20, 22 and 24 in a phased manner.