Bhubaneswar: The state government declared Special Casual Leave (SCL) of one day for the government employees who will be deployed on ‘poll duty’ for Simultaneous General Elections (SGE) and SCL of two days to enable them to vote. In a letter to all the department heads, Chief Secretary Pradeep Kumar Jena said, “In consideration of the arduous nature of work undertaken by government servants engaged in the conduct of election, I am to say that such government servants who will be deployed on election duty in connection with the SGE, 2024 shall be allowed SCL for one day after attending to poll duty in addition to the Casual Leave (CL) and SCL ordinarily admissible to them during the calendar year, 2024.”
Similarly, in another letter Jena informed, “To enable the government employees who are needed to exercise their franchise at a place away from their headquarters, SCL for a maximum period of two days will be extended during the ensuing SGE, 2024 to be held in phased manner May 13, 20, 25 and June 1 in the state.” “The day of poll is declared a public holiday in the constituency area. Government employees who are stationed at a place away from their polling stations have to travel to cast their votes. Such employees may be allowed SCL for two days (the day preceding the poll and the day succeeding the poll), if required, to enable them to travel and vote at their respective polling stations.” Employees who desire to exercise their franchise at a polling station away from the headquarters and do not enjoy a holiday on the day of poll because their offices are located in the constituency that does not go to poll on that day will be granted SCL for one more day on the day of the poll. The leave to be granted may be treated as SCL which will not be taken into account in reckoning the total period of CL and SCL of 15 days usually admissible to a government employee in the year.
ARINDAM GANGULY, OP