By Our Staff Reporter
Dehradun, 14 Jan: The Uttarakhand State Election Commission has declared 23 January a public holiday in view of the polling on that that day for the municipal elections in the state.
The preparations for the municipal elections are underway in a diligent manner and are being overseen by the State Election Commission. The Commission, in a meeting held late last evening with the officials involved in election duties, issued necessary guidelines towards ensuring free and fair polls in the urban local bodies. During the meeting, it was also announced that there will be a public holiday in the municipal bodies of the state on the day of voting, that is 23 January. The counting will be done on 25 January and results are expected to announced on the same day. During the meeting, State Election Commissioner Sushil Kumar also briefed the general observers on their election responsibilities.
Additionally, the Uttarakhand Secretariat Administration Department has also declared a public holiday in all municipal bodies on 23 January to ensure that voters can exercise their franchise.
The Uttarakhand government issued orders confirming the public holiday in all municipal bodies on the day of voting. According to the order, the Governor, exercising powers under Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 (Act No. 26 of 1881), has mandated the closure of all government offices, educational institutions, semi-government bodies, and commercial establishments within the civil local bodies of the state. This ensures that all employees receive a paid public holiday on 23 January 2025.
Furthermore, the treasury and sub-treasury within the constituency will also remain closed on this day.
During the meeting at the State Election Commission office, Commissioner Sushil Kumar emphasised the crucial role of observers in the election process. He provided general information about local bodies, the model code of conduct, maximum expenditure limits for candidates, voting, and counting procedures.
The role of observers throughout the voting process was also explained. Secretary, State Election Commission, Rahul Kumar Goyal, briefed the general observers on political parties, their election symbols, districts, and voter numbers.
He also shared detailed information about the tasks and responsibilities related to election duties for the Municipal Body Election 2024-25. Additionally, information regarding the Model Code of Conduct was also shared with the observers during the training programme.
