Complaint filed against
Flipkart, BigBasket for allegedly making employees work on election day
A complaint has been filed against
e-commerce major Flipkart and Tata Group firm BigBasket for allegedly making
delivery boys work on the day of voting on April 19 in the state. In the
complaint filed before Tamil Nadu state election commissioner B Kothi Nirmalasamy
on Wednesday, Chennai High Court lawyer K Narasimhan has stated that despite
the state government declaring leave of April 19 for the election day, Flipkart
and BigBasket are promising guaranteed delivery of orders even on the day
of voting.
Narasimhan said that as per government
order April 19 has been officially declared a public holiday under section 25
of the Negotiable Instruments Act 1881 to facilitate the electoral process.
He said that the Labour Welfare and
Skill Development Department of Tamil Nadu has mandated a paid holiday for all
employees working in shops, commercial establishments, industrial
establishments and IT companies on April 19 to ensure their participation in
the democratic process.
"Despite the directive, it has come
to our notice that online delivery platforms such as Flipkart and Big Basket
are continuing to guarantee delivery services on April 19. This raises serious
concerns regarding the infringement of delivery personnel s rights,
particularly those who are integral to the operations of these platforms, the
complaint said.
The complainant has demanded an
investigation into the claims of e-commerce of guaranteed delivery on voting
day and to take appropriate measures to uphold the democratic rights of all
workers irrespective of their state of origin.
When contacted, Flipkart said it is
giving paid holidays to only eligible employees.
"At the Flipkart group, we re
following all the directives and guidelines provided by the authorities with
regard to polling day, and are giving all eligible employees a paid holiday to
exercise their franchise. In addition, we have taken steps to drive awareness
and encourage employees to vote," the Flipkart spokesperson said.
www.economictimes.indiatimes.com
dt. 19.04.2024