Govt declares January 15 public holiday for voting

MUMBAI: The Maharashtra government has declared a public holiday in Mumbai on January 15 to facilitate voting in the upcoming civic polls, aiming to encourage greater public participation in the democratic process.

In an official release issued on Saturday, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation said the holiday was declared through an order of the state’s General Administration and Industries and Labour departments. The public holiday will apply across Mumbai, including the city area as well as the eastern and western suburbs.

According to the notification, government and semi-government offices, public sector units, banks and other establishments will remain closed on January 15.

The order also applies to voters registered in Mumbai but currently working outside the city, enabling them to travel and cast their votes.

The Industries and Labour Department clarified that the holiday will extend to factories, shops, private companies, hotels, restaurants, theatres, shopping centres, malls, IT companies and other private establishments.

The move is aimed at ensuring that employees across sectors are not deprived of their right to vote.

For essential services where a full-day holiday cannot be granted, employers are required to allow employees two to three hours to vote. Authorities warned that action will be taken against establishments that fail to grant the holiday or the required voting time.

Teams have been formed to monitor compliance with the holiday order across the city. Citizens can report violations on the helpline number 91-22-31533187, according to the BMC release.

Municipal Commissioner and District Election Officer Bhushan Gagrani urged voters to turn out in large numbers on January 15. He encouraged citizens to actively participate in the democratic process, noting that vote counting will take place on January 16.

Officials said the public holiday reflects the government’s commitment to strengthening democratic participation at the local level. Authorities expressed hope that the measure would lead to a higher voter turnout in the Mumbai civic elections.