Hyderabad: Unless IT employees diligently cast their vote with 100 per cent turnouts, there won’t be policy pronouncements for IT industries and employees, said chief electoral officer Rajat Kumar on Thursday.
“We get the government we deserve if we fail to vote. No exemption (for IT companies) from holiday unless it is for defence considerations. Our country and democracy should be the first priority for techies. You have to be ag-ents of change,” he said.
The CEO was speaking with with heads of IT companies at an interactive session arranged by the Society for Cyberabad Security Council (SCSC), at the Cyberabad Police Commissionerate at Gachibowli.
While urging techies to participate, the poll panel official said that IT companies must remain shut on December 7.
There are apprehensions over people staying back to vote on Friday as it becomes a long weekend. Additionally, IT representatives pointed out that most of the IT emp-loyees worked for companies in the United States, Australia, and if operations stopped it would even impact the stock of the companies.
IT executives and leaders were hesitant about declaring or observing a holiday throughout the day. They said they would give a half day holiday or permission for voting by their staff. IT representatives noted that they would press into service vehicles to take employees to the booths and bring them back. They requested the Election Commission to allow operations to continue and that people can cast their vote and return to work.
Principal secretary Jayesh Ranjan has reportedly written to EC regarding the impact of shutting down operations completely which impacts business. The EC is reviewing the request.
Mr R. Chandrasekhar, joint commissioner, labour, said a paid holiday would be observed even in the IT sector.
Mr Rajat Kumar issued a memo seeking compliance from all private and IT companies to declare holiday as they would be in violation of Section 135B of the Representation of People’s Act, 1951 and other labour laws.
The labour commissioner has been directed to check whether the organisations have granted a holiday on December 7 and if not initiate action as per laws.
