15 January declared public holiday: Here’s why

The Maharashtra government has announced a public holiday in Mumbai on January 15 to help people take part in the upcoming civic elections. The decision aims to make voting easier and increase public participation.

According to an official statement, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) said the holiday was declared under orders from the state’s General Administration and Industries and Labour departments. The holiday will apply across the entire city, including the main city area and both eastern and western suburbs.

On January 15, government and semi-government offices, public sector units, banks, and other establishments will remain closed. The holiday will also help voters who are registered in Mumbai but are currently working outside the city, allowing them time to return and cast their votes.

The Industries and Labour Department confirmed that the holiday will also apply to factories, shops, private companies, hotels, restaurants, theatres, shopping malls, IT firms, and other private businesses. This step has been taken to ensure that employees in all sectors can exercise their right to vote.

For essential services where a full-day holiday is not possible, employers must allow workers two to three hours to go and vote. Authorities have warned that action will be taken against any establishment that does not follow these rules.

Monitoring teams have been formed to check compliance across the city. Citizens can report any violations on the helpline number 91-22-31533187, as shared by the BMC.

Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani has appealed to citizens to vote in large numbers on January 15. He also informed that the counting of votes will take place on January 16.

Officials said the public holiday shows the government’s commitment to strengthening democracy at the local level and expressed hope that it will lead to a higher voter turnout in Mumbai’s civic elections.

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