New Delhi, Apr 10 (IANS): Voters in Lok Sabha constituencies, going to polls in the first phase on Thursday, will get a paid holiday to exercise their franchise.

Delhi's Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Ranbir Singh in a notification said voters residing in Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnaur, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautambudh Nagar and Bulandshahar will get the paid holiday on April 11.

"Every person employed in any business, trade, industrial undertaking or any other establishment in the National Capital Territory of Delhi and entitled to vote and residing in Saharanpur, Shamli, Muzaffarnagar, Bijnaur, Meerut, Baghpat, Ghaziabad, Hapur, Gautambudh Nagar and Bulandshahar shall be granted a holiday on the day of polling on April 11, so that he/she can cast vote during elections," it said.

It also said no deduction or abatement of the wages shall be made on account of this holiday.

"If any person is employed on the basis that he/she would not ordinarily receive wages for such a day, he/she nonetheless will be paid as wages he/she would have drawn had not a holiday been granted to him/her on that day," it said.

Any contravention of the order was punishable, it added.