BENGALURU : The State Government has issued orders declaring a general holiday for employees of all government and government-related institutions on April 26 and May 7, the two polling days in Karnataka.
Chief Electoral Officer, Karnataka, Manoj Kumar Meena, told The New Indian Express that the holiday has been declared as per the rules and the law. It has been declared under the Negotiable Instruments Act of 1881. Meena added that they have also received requests from other states, like Tamil Nadu, to give employees a holiday on the day of voting in their respective states.
“It is a democracy, and it is a rule for us to declare a holiday. We have done it. It is up to the citizens to make the most of it— to make a conscious decision to vote. During last year’s Assembly elections, the polling day was May 10, 2023, a Wednesday. The voter turnout was poor. Last time also, a holiday was declared. We cannot tell people not to travel or go out… they have to make the choice,” Meena elaborated. This time, April 26 is a Friday, and May 7 falls on a Tuesday.
During the 2023 Assembly elections, the voting percentage in Karnataka was 72.39%. However, this year, to help increase the voting percentage in the Lok Sabha polls, many private tour operators and hotels have decided not to entertain bookings on April 26 and May 7. The officials from Karnataka State Tourism Development Corporation and Jungle Lodges and Resorts also said that they will not entertain bookings as they want their staffers to go to their respective homes and vote.