Election Commission press release · 3 April 2026 · pibtracker filter

General Elections and bye-elections 2026: Paid Holiday on Polling Day

PRID2248749 MinistryElection Commission Released3 April 2026 Reading8 min

Posted On: 03 APR 2026 11:39AM by PIB Delhi 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. Polls in the states are to be held as per the schedule given below: Name of State/UT going for general elections/ bye-elections Poll Date Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura 09.04.2026 Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra 23.04.2026 West Bengal 23.04.2026 (Phase I) 29.04.2026 (Phase II) 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. ********** PK/GDH/RP (Release ID: 2248749) Visitor Counter : 236662 Read this release in: Malayalam , Kannada , Urdu , हिन्दी , Marathi , Bengali , Bengali-TR , Assamese , Gujarati , Tamil Election Commission General Elections and bye-elections 2026: Paid Holiday on Polling Day Posted On: 03 APR 2026 11:39AM by PIB Delhi 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. Polls in the states are to be held as per the schedule given below: Name of State/UT going for general elections/ bye-elections Poll Date Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura 09.04.2026 Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra 23.04.2026 West Bengal 23.04.2026 (Phase I) 29.04.2026 (Phase II) 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. ********** PK/GDH/RP (Release ID: 2248749) 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.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">Polls in the states are to be held as per the schedule given below:</li>   <table align="center" border="1" bordercolor="#ccc" cellpadding="5" cellspacing="0" class="Table" style="border-collapse:collapse"> <tbody> <tr> <td style="width:304.6pt"> Name      of     State/UT         going       for     general elections/ bye-elections </td> <td style="width:167.8pt"> Poll Date </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="background-color:#f1f1f1; width:304.6pt"> Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Goa, Karnataka, Nagaland and Tripura </td> <td style="background-color:#f1f1f1; width:167.8pt"> 09.04.2026 </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:304.6pt"> Tamil Nadu, Gujarat and Maharashtra </td> <td style="width:167.8pt"> 23.04.2026 </td> </tr> <tr> <td rowspan="2" style="background-color:#f1f1f1; width:304.6pt"> West Bengal </td> <td style="background-color:#f1f1f1; width:167.8pt"> 23.04.2026 (Phase I) </td> </tr> <tr> <td style="width:167.8pt"> 29.04.2026 (Phase II) </td> </tr> </tbody> </table> <li style="text-align: justify;">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.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">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.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">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.</li> <li style="text-align: justify;">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.</li> ********** PK/GDH/RP " /> var mPlayer = document.getElementById("background_music"); var mPlayAction = document.getElementById("playbutton"); var isPlaying = false; function playAudio() { mPlayer.play(); isPlaying = true; 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For UPSC

Section 135B of Representation of the People Act, 1951 mandates paid holiday on poll day; 2026 elections span 9–29 April across Assam, Kerala, Puducherry, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal plus bye-polls in six states.

Original PIB release
pib.gov.in · PRID 2248749

Open on PIB ↗

General Elections and bye-elections 2026: Paid Holiday on Polling Day

For UPSC

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