Hyderabad: Techies from Andhra Pradesh and other states are being asked to work from home or some other location on December 7, the day of voting for the assembly election.
There is speculation that December 7 will be declared a holiday to enable voters to cast their votes.
Several companies are invoking the business continuity plan (BCP), which is implemented during disasters or natural calamities in order to allow employees to continue working in emergency situations. In such situations, techies from other locations, say Pune, Bengaluru or Mumbai, will cover for techies in Hyderabad. Some other companies are asking employees to login after 6 pm.
JCC Pavan, a project manager for a multi-national in Hitec City said, “Our BCP location is Pune. So, techies from that city will be covering for us. I am from Andhra Pradesh and not a registered voter here, so I am being sent there on polling day. Most of our teammates who do not participate in voting in Telangana have been asked to work from home. Our office will reopen after 6 pm when the polling ends.”
Some companies have decided to pay employees who work on polling day extra money, especially those employees who support business critical processes and will have to be in the office. Techie K Srini Raju said, “We have been told that we will be provided flexibility in shift timings on December 7 and sufficient time off during polling hours to cast our votes. We will be paid an additional day’s pay in January’s payroll.”
Several companies have declared a holiday. Mahendar Yadav who works in an MNC in the financial district and lives in Khairatabad, said, “Every year we are given 10 days holiday and two ad hoc holidays. Only for Hyderabad location, December 7 has been declared as ad hoc holiday.”
The Election Commission has asked IT companies to declare a holiday or they will be in violation of section 135B of the Representation of People Act 1951 and other labour laws in force, but some are yet to do so.
Ms.A V Devi working in Hitec City said, “Only reports from EC are in circulation, we have not received any official communication yet on whe-ther it is a holiday.”
IT Associations have asked techies to reach out to them in case they are unable to cast their vote due to work. Vinay Pyaraka of the Inforamtion Technology Employees Association (ITEA) said, “We are aware that some companies do not declare a holiday and are urging them to facilitate voting. Techies can reach out to us if they are unable to cast their vote due to work schedules so that we can intervene and ensure their rights are protected.”
