Maharashtra bandh on Oct 13

The Maharashtra government has come up with the idea to combat voter apathy shut down the state so that people, for want of anything better to do,will line up and ink their finger.The State Government has declared the day of Polling i.e Tuesday, October 13, 2009 a Public Holiday in the State under section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881.

On polling day, October 13, the state will witness an unprecedented closure of shops, malls, multiplexes, offices, commercial establishments, residential hotels, restaurants, theatres and industrial establishments so that citizens can go out and exercise their franchise.Besides these business establishments, the Bombay Stock Exchange too will remain shut.Also, educational institutions will remain closed like always.

All employers have been instructed to give their employees a day off on October 13, failing which the employers are liable to be arrested under the Representation of People Act (1951).Around 28 special squads have been formed to ensure that the order is complied with.Essential services like the police, fire brigade, press and continuous process industries are exempted.

The decision appeared to have been sparked off by the low voting percentage of 41.24 in Mumbai during the 2009 Lok Sabha polls,the figure was only a shade better, but still less than 50%, in the last assembly polls in 2004.But it remains to be seen if the plan would work as with the voting day being a Tuesday, many Mumbaikars might be tempted to take an off on Monday, October 12, and go on a vacation outside the city.

Acting on the advice of the Election Commission, state labour commissioner Arvind Kumar issued orders on October 1 to the above-mentioned establishments to give their employees a holiday on October 13.The labour commissionerate said employers failing to comply with the order could face arrest under Section 135-B of the Representation of People Act (1951). The labour commissioner’s circular adds that the Election Commission has noticed that certain employers do not give staffers a day off to vote.

The labour commissioner will keep the chief electoral officer and the police posted about offices that do not give employees a day off. A control room (numbers: 23515969, 23521122) will be set up in the labour commissionerate, manned by two assistant labour commissioners and two labour officers to receive complaints from voters.

State chief election officer Debashish Chakrabarty said there was always a provision in law to give employees a paid holiday on polling day but it was never enforced strictly.

I got new Voter ID card, but it has some errors in it.

#My Birthdate is listed as 1973, though my real one is 1990.
#There is error in my middle name.(Only half of the name is written)

So, should I vote with that Voters ID? Or complaint about that errors?

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Sudarshan_SMD's Signature:

think you should have a bit earlier. But you can go ahead and vote. Max that will happen is you will be disqualified.
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i havent even applied for a voter-id card

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knoughtyd's Signature:

I am gonna vote -^--

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xXx's Signature:

Really???



























I dunno Ande, but i don't think Bobby Darling has stood for election
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'Bandh'?



Where will I eat???

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Dogbert's Signature: