Organisation : Election Commission of India (ECI)
Election : General Elections and Bye-Elections 2026
Announcement : Paid Holiday On Polling Day
Country : India
Website : https://www.eci.gov.in/
Paid Holiday On General Elections Polling Day
Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengaland Bye-election to 8 (Eight) Assembly Constituencies of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura on March 15, 2026.
Related / Similar Announcement : ECI Electronic Voting Machine (EVM)
Polls in the states are to be held as per the schedule given below:
As per Section 135B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951 every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking, or any other establishment, and entitled to vote at an election to the House of the People or to the Legislative Assembly of a States/UTs or Bye-election to a PC/AC shall be granted a paid holiday on the day of poll.
No deduction of wages shall be made on account of such a paid holiday. Any employer who contravenes these provisions shall be liable to a fine. All daily wage and casual workers are also entitled to a paid holiday on the day of poll.
The Commission has further clarified that electors (including casual and daily wage workers) who are working or employed in industrial or commercial establishments located outside their constituency but are registered as voters in a constituency going to polls shall also be entitled to the benefit of a paid holiday on the day of poll to enable them to cast their vote.
The Commission has directed all State/UT Governments to issue necessary instructions to all concerned for strict compliance with these provisions and to ensure that all electors are able to exercise their franchise freely and conveniently.
Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the schedule for the General Election to Legislative Assemblies of Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu and West Bengal and Bye-election to 8 (Eight) Assembly Constituencies of Goa, Gujarat, Karnataka,Maharashtra, Nagaland and Tripura on March 15, 2026.
Section 126 (1)(b) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, prohibits displaying any election matter by means, inter alia, of television or similar apparatus, in any polling area during the period of forty-eight hours (silence period) ending with the hour fixed for the conclusion of the poll for any election in that polling area.
Accordingly, the Commission reiterates that the TV/Radio channels and cable networks should ensure that the contents of the programme telecast/broadcast/displayed by them during the period mentioned above do not contain any material, including views/appeals by panellists/participants that may be construed as promoting/prejudicing the prospect of any particular party or candidate(s) or influencing/affecting the result of the election. This includes display of any opinion poll.
The Commission under Section 126A of the R.P. Act 1951, has notified that the conduct of Exit poll and dissemination of their results by means of print or electronic media is prohibited between 7:00 AM on April 9, 2026 (Thursday) and 6.30 PM on April 29, 2026 (Wednesday). Violation of Section 126A of the R.P. Act, 1951 is punishable with imprisonment upto a period of two years, or with fine or both.