After the delay in implementation of the sixth pay commission before the election code of conduct came into existence, the Pune Municipal Corporation (PMC) employees are likely to wait for the annual ex-gratia for Diwali given before the festival. Diwali starts on October 14 while the polling will take place on October 13 and counting of votes is on October 22.

The PMC employee’s union has five year agreement with the civic body for giving the ex-gratia for diwali, but the proposal is likely to get stuck due to the election code.

“A policy decision has to be taken on proposal of diwali ex-gratia to employees. The election code is in existence and will continue till the Diwali festival so a decision on its approval will be taken only if it does not violate the election code,” Additional Municipal Commissioner M S Devanikar said.

Chief Accountant Ulka Kalaskar said the department has already forwarded the proposal for approval, but have not received any communication on the decision so far.

The proposal for ex-gratia has been prepared as per the agreement with the employees union, she said. The accounts department has proposed ex-gratia of 8.33 per cent of annual salary plus Rs 4,520 to all its 17,000 employees.

PMC Employees union leader Mukta Manohar said the union have written to the Municipal Commissioner for approving the proposal and give the ex-gratia to employees before the diwali festival.

“We are in agreement with the civic body till 2010 on giving ex-gratia to employees for Diwali. It has become a routine matter now and cannot be held back citing election code as the reason,” she said.

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