Dy CM Shivakumar asks employers to grant leave to Kerala workers for local body polls

Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Wednesday appealed to employers across Karnataka to grant paid leave to workers from Kerala so that they can return home to vote in the upcoming local body election in that state.

The elections are scheduled to be held on December 9 and 11.

Shivakumar, who is also the Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee President, said a large number of Kerala residents live and work in Bengaluru and other parts of Karnataka, and emphasised the need to support them in exercising their democratic right.

He urged all companies, educational institutions, commercial establishments, hotels, contractors, builders, shop owners and other business operators to provide a minimum of three days of paid leave to eligible voters.

This, he said, would allow them to travel to Kerala and cast their vote without financial loss. Shivakumar requested employers to cooperate fully and enable Kerala-origin workers to participate actively in the electoral process.