Public holiday on voting days

Lucknow: The state government on Tuesday announced that the polling day for panchayat elections will be a public holiday. As per the order issued by principal secretary, general administration, Jitendra Kumar, the district magistrates will declare holiday on the polling day. Even the banks and treasury will remain closed since the holidays have been covered under the Negotiable Instrument Act, 1881.Panchayat polls will be held in four phases: April 15, 19, 26 and 29. Counting of votes will be done on May 2. As many as 18 districts including Gorakhpur, Prayagraj and Kanpur will go to polls in the first phase. In the second phase, 20 districts, including GB Nagar, Lucknow and Varanasi, will vote. The third phase will cover 20 districts, including Kanpur Dehat, Barabanki and Mirzapur. In the final phase, 17 districts, including Aligarh, Mathura, Sonbhadra and Mau, will vote.