Municipal election day to be granted as a paid holiday: District Collector

The municipal elections in Vizag are set to be conducted on 10 March. To provide the opportunity to the citizens to exercise their right to vote without fail, Visakhapatnam District Collector, V Vinay Chand (IAS) announced that all public undertakings, private business establishments, and industries shall declare a paid holiday for their employees on the election day in Vizag, Narsipatnam, and Yelamanchali.

The Visakhapatnam District Collector said that managements could use any other alternative day to compensate for the work. He added that if giving a paid holiday is not possible, the organisations in Vizag should allow at least three hours on the election day for their employees to cast their vote. In light of the municipal elections in Vizag, Mr Chand also said that all the wine shops should remain closed from the evening of 8 March till 10 March i.e., election day, and again on 14 March i.e., counting day.

In wake of the upcoming local body elections, the Greater Visakhapatnam Municipal Corporation (GVMC) is leaving no stone unturned to ensure that Vizag undergoes hassle-free polls. Taking stock of the situation, the Municipal Commissioner of Vizag, Nagalakshmi Selvarajan (IAS), has been reviewing the arrangements in all wards under the GVMC limits. The officials of the civic body met the Returning Officers, and Zonal Commissioners, along with other staff, and inspected the polling equipment. The electoral staff was instructed to implement the election code effectively.

The municipal corporation has also facilitated the public to know about their respective polling stations in an easier way online. The GVMC officials said that citizens can log on to the Corporation’s website. After the user enters his/her details, the polling station and its location will be displayed online.