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The Commissioner of Elections Dayananda Dissanayake in a press release issued yesterday requested all employers in the public and private sector to ensure that all employees eligible to vote in the forthcoming elections to 17 local bodies are given adequate leave with pay to exercise their votes on May 20.

The Elections Commissioner said elections to the Colombo, Galle and Ratnapura Municipal Councils, Katunayake-Seduwa, Peliyagoda, Tangalle and Panadura Urban Councils and the Kesbewa, Kalutara, Ratnapura, Mihintale, Tirappane, Ambagamuwa, Nattandiya, Hali-Ela, Moneragala and Buttala Pradeshiya Sabhas will be held on May 20 and voting will be from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on this day.

In terms of Section 84 (A) of the Local Government Elections Act an employer is bound to grant adequate leave with pay (subject to a minimum of 2 hours) to their employees on application to enable them to exercise their votes. The duration of leave granted to each employee should be decided by the employer depending on the distance from the workplace to the polling booth.

Any employer failing to comply with this requirement is liable to a fine not exceeding Rs. 500 or imprisonment for a period not exceeding one month of either description or both after conviction before a magistrate.

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