Schools, colleges in Noida to stay closed tomorrow for Lok Sabha polls 2024

NOIDA: Schools and colleges in Gautam Buddh Nagar will stay closed on account of Lok Sabha election in the constituency on Friday but will remain open on Saturday, officials said. Factories and industries have also been directed to give paid holiday to workers on Friday to enable them to cast their votes, the officials said. Gautam Buddh Nagar, comprising the twin cities of Noida and Greater Noida, goes to polls on April 26 with 26.75 lakh registered voters.

"All schools and colleges in Gautam Buddh Nagar will stay closed on Friday but will remain open on Saturday and function normally," District Magistrate Manish Kumar Verma said. "Factories and industries have also been directed to give paid holiday to workers on Friday so that they may go to cast their votes. There had been feedback that some workers are not able to go to vote because they would be stuck at work, hence this decision has been taken," Verma told PTI.

Additionally, Verma, who is also the district election officer, said the administration has encouraged residents' welfare authorities (RWAs) and apartment owners' association (AOAs) to participate in large numbers in the "festival of democracy". "We will also hand out commendation certificates to RWAs and AOAs where the voter turnout shows improvement this time," he added.

Gautam Buddh Nagar had recorded a voter turnout of 60.47 per cent in the 2019 Lok Sabha election, 60.38 per cent in 2014 and an abysmal 48 per cent in 2009, as per Election Commission's data. The constituency has consistently recorded voter turnout lower than the national average of 67.40 per cent in 2019, 66 per cent in 2014 and 58 per cent in 2009, the data showed.