Final turnout in first phase of Bihar polls 65.08 pc, highest in state's history: EC
Patna (PTI): The final turnout in the first phase of the Bihar assembly polls is 65.08 per cent, the highest in the state's history, the Election Commission said.
A total of 3.75 crore people were eligible to cast their votes at 45,341 polling stations, including 36,733 in rural areas, on November 6 to decide the electoral fate of 1,314 candidates, of whom 1,192 are men and 122 women.
As per the latest update provided by the office of the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Bihar, the "historic" turnout of 65.08 per cent is 7.79 per cent more than the consolidated polling percentage of the previous assembly polls held in 2020, when 57.29 per cent of the electors had cast their votes.
Of the 3.75 crore voters, 1.98 crore are men and 1.76 crore women. Women had come out in large numbers to exercise their franchise in the November 6 polls.
Two districts – Muzaffarpur and Samastipur – recorded over 70 per cent voting. While Muzaffarpur registered 71.81 per cent turnout, it was 71.74 per cent in Samastipur.
Besides, other districts that recorded a high polling percentage were Madhepura (69.59), Saharsa (69.38), Vaishali (68.50) and Khagaria (67.90).
Patna district recorded 59.02 per cent voting, while Lakhisarai registered 64.98 per cent, Munger 62.74 and Siwan 60.61.
The remaining 122 seats of the 243-member assembly will vote on November 11, while the counting will take place on November 14.
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Oracle lays off around 12,000 employees in India, another round likely within a month
New Delhi (PTI): US-based IT firm Oracle is believed to have laid off approximately 12,000 staff in India, with another round of layoffs expected within a month, impacted employees said on Tuesday.
Globally, the company has fired around 30,000 employees.
"In India, around 12,000 employees have been laid off. The company is planning another mass layoff within a month," said two people impacted by the retrenchment, including one from the company's human resource department.
The company has approximately 30,000 employees in India, including those affected by the layoffs.
Oracle declined to comment on the development.
Oracle, in an email sent to staff, said the employees were informed about certain organisational changes and "because of these changes, a decision has been taken to streamline the operations, and as a result, unfortunately, the position you currently hold will become redundant".
The company has offered 15 days' salary to each employee who has completed a year of service in India, in addition to one month of unpaid wages till termination date, leave encashment, gratuity based on eligibility and pay for a one-month notice period.
Oracle has also offered a two-month salary as a top-up.
However, the severance package is available for those who voluntarily and amicably resign from the company.
An ex-employee of Oracle, Merugu Sridhar, said that he was laid off in September for protesting against the 16-hour work shift that the company has in India.
"I contacted my friends and those who are in human resources. They shared that most of the Indians working in the US with the company have been impacted because the local laws there are very strict when it comes to the retrenchment of their citizens," Sridhar said.
