Govt cancels leaves of Gazetted officers, EC team’s visit on Mar 4

LokSabha Polls

JAMMU: With upcoming Lok Sabha elections in sight, the state government has cancelled the leaves of all its employees and asked them to remain available at their respective places of posting even as a team of Election Commission of India (ECI) will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir on March 4 on a two-day-long tour to assess the ground situation for holding the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls in the state.

While the timeline of polls is still uncertain here, the government indicated on Friday that the Lok Sabha elections would be held along with other states when it cancelled the leaves of its Gazetted officials.

“Keeping in view the upcoming General Elections to the House of People (Lok Sabha), 2019, it is hereby ordered that leave of any kind sanctioned to the Gazetted Officers shall stand cancelled with effect from 25 February, 2019,” a GAD order issued today said.

The leaves sanctioned on medical grounds, Child Care Leave or for study purposes are not cancelled, it said, adding that the other officers shall report to their respective places of posting immediately.

The order further said: No leave of any kind shall be granted to the Gazetted Officers except in case of any medical emergency till further orders.

“All the officers shall remain available at their headquarters/places of posting till the conclusion of the elections,” it read.

Meanwhile, an Election Commission team will visit the state on March 4 and 5 to assess the ground situation for holding the Lok Sabha and state Assembly polls in the state, officials said.

"The team will meet various political leaders and state officials to know their views on holding the elections in the state," he said.

In addition to the Lok Sabha elections, state Assembly elections are due in Jammu and Kashmir as the state is presently under President's rule.

State Governor Satya Pal Malik dissolved the legislative Assembly on November 22 last year.