Lok Sabha elections 2024: How many temporary jobs have polls created? Experts speak on salary, sectors and more
With the country in the midst of 18th Lok Sabha elections 2024, industry experts predict a significant surge in temporary job creation. As per industry experts, up to 9 lakh temporary jobs are expected to have been created across different roles due to the hustings.
The first phase of general elections took place on April 19, covering 102 constituencies, and the second phase is currently underway. The seven phase voting will end on June 1 and the counting of votes will be held on June 4.
Speaking on the temporary job creation, WorkIndia CEO and co-founder Nilesh Dungarwal told news agency PTI that precise number would depend on several factors, including the election’s scale, the quantity of polling stations, and the demands of election-related tasks.
“However, on our platform, we anticipate at least 9 lakh jobs during the elections,” Dungarwal told PTI.
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Further adding, he said, “The temporary jobs created during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections encompass a diverse range of roles catering to different aspects of the electoral process,” as quoted by the agency.
He said some common positions include polling booth officials, election clerks, security personnel, data entry operators, transportation coordinators, and administrative staff, which are crucial for ensuring the smooth functioning of the electoral process and maintaining transparency throughout the elections.
Giving an idea of the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, the WorkIndia CEO and co-founder said that roles like security personnel, manual jobs accounting saw a significant increase with 86 percent, 82 and 80 percent respectively. Also jobs including, “data entry jobs (64 per cent), back office (70 per cent), delivery, drivers, field sales and retail (65 per cent), content writing (67 per cent) among others.
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Another CEO, CIEL HR Director Aditya Narayan Mishra said that over the past six months it is estimated that about 2,00,000 temporary positions emerged as contestants prepare for the upcoming elections.
“These roles span various sectors crucial for election preparation such as data analysis, planning, public relations, market survey, media relations, content design, content marketing, social media marketing, AI strategies and project management,” he said as quoted by PTI.
Further adding, he said, “As the campaigning activities pick up, for a window of 8-13 weeks, until the end of the polls in the respective constituencies, we expect a huge pick-up of activities for event management, printing, transportation, food and beverages, catering, security, IT network management and analytics. The service providers will hire an estimated 4,00,000 people on a temporary basis for these projects.”
Notably, Mishra also added that since these jobs are specifically for the duration of the elections, the increase in temporary employment will not affect the current dynamics of the job market.
When asked about the impact of these temporary jobs on the job market, TeamLease Services CEO – Staffing, Kartik Narayan explained that the emergence of temporary employment opportunities during elections can temporarily influence sectors that typically provide such employment, particularly logistics and e-commerce.
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The duration of these temporary positions typically begins about 1-2 weeks prior to the start of the electoral proceedings and extends throughout the election period, which will be held in seven phases, Narayan said. The majority of these roles will remain active until the completion of the election process in each respective location, he added.
Genius Consultants CMD R P Yadav said a significant workforce of over 1,00,000 temporary workers are required, to handle various tasks including food catering, maintaining vehicles, schedules, managing campaign materials like posters and microphones, and assisting in the construction of meeting podiums and barricades.
Electricians, cleaners, social media campaigners, event managers, content writers, content creators among others are some of the jobs that are in high demand during the 2024 Lok Sabha Elections, Yadav said as quoted by PTI.
Speaking on the remuneration for these temporary jobs who are hired during the elections, he said that workers might earn somewhere between ₹15,000-40,000 based on their role and the scope of work. “Additionally, drivers hired to provide transportation services during the campaign are paid on a per day basis, typically receiving between ₹5,000-8,000 per day,” Yadav said as quoted by news agecny PTI.
(With inputs fro PTI)
Watch: Baffled passenger captures 'possible' UFO flying above Big Apple from flight
A normal flight journey turned a baffling one for a passenger after she captured a flying disk, appearing like a possible UFO, above the Big Apple as it took the speculations over flying saucers to new levels.
The incident led the federal aviation officials on a fact-finding mission Thursday (April 25).
She added that another person, who was along with her on the flight, also noticed the mysterious object and was stunned. “It’s a little nerve-wracking that someone else saw what I saw,” she added.
Mysterious object can be a ‘potential hazard’: state director
State director of the Mutual UFO Network in Ohio Thomas Wertman also reviewed the footage and said that the object was seen travelling at roughly 2,500 feet and was “relatively close” to the aeroplane when it was preparing for landing.
The altitude, shape and location of the object – which was close to the path of a major commercial flight — appeared to rule out that it could be a military-operated aircraft, drone and a news helicopter, said Wertman.
“Drones aren’t supposed to fly at that altitude at least legally. If it were something related to [military] defence or law enforcement, you normally wouldn’t see it so close to a major flight lane,” he said.
Watch: UFO: Ex-US Navy Admiral leads search for underwater alien, ‘seen unidentified craft under water’
“That could be a potential hazard,” Wertman said, who has been studying the skies for years to hunt for evidence of interplanetary visitors.
He found that object’s unusual round “intriguing” since it debunked the theory that it may be a second plane, which may have been captured at an odd angle.
“It does not appear to be a commercial aircraft because I don’t see features like wings or a tail,” he stated.
He said that the aeroplane, from which it was shot was roughly 15 minutes away from LaGuardia Airport, when the video was captured.
The footage certainly “doesn’t appear to be doctored,” he added. “It’s a very intriguing image. It needs more research,” Wertman said.
(With inputs from agencies)
 "Watch: Baffled passenger captures 'possible' UFO flying above Big Apple from flight 1")
Formula One: Red Bull's legendary engineer Adrian Newey on cusp of joining Ferrari – Reports
Various media outlets confirmed that Adrian Newey — one of the greatest engineers Formula One has ever seen — is set to depart from Red Bull at the end of the ongoing season. Notably, he was signed up until at least end of next year, however, Newey reportedly believes he could negotiate an exit and move towards a new team from the next season. Amid all this, there are speculations that he is close to signing a deal with Ferrari.
Newey — who has clinched as many as 12 F1 Constructors’ and 13 Drivers’ Championships — has had a lot of success for multiple outfits, including McLaren and Williams. He has spent close to two decades designing vehicles for the Max Verstappen-starrer Red Bull.
However, as per reports, the 65-year-old Newey is mulling a move amid the chaotic season the 2024 F1 campaign. The BBC and Germany’s Auto Motor und Sport earlier reported that the Briton informed Red Bull of his decision following allegations about team principal Christian Horner, for misconduct towards a female employee.
Newey has been in huge demand with three teams such as Mercedes, Aston Martin and Ferrari and one of them can be the next destination for the legendary engineer. However, it is being reported that he is nearing a deal with Ferrari (who will also be joined by Lewis Hamilton from 2025 season).
However, Red Bull’s spokesman revealed that they were “unaware of him joining any other team.”
It is to be noted that Newey could not be reached for a comment as the mystery regarding his speculated move remains unclear.
Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event reported to be held on July 10: Galaxy Ring, Galaxy Z Fold 6 in focus
Samsung’s upcoming Galaxy Unpacked event is set to take place on July 10, according to a report from SamMobile, which cites several sources confirming the update. The event will reportedly take place in Paris, the city that will host the 2024 Summer Olympics later that month. Furthermore, Samsung is likely to be one of the sponsors of the Paris Olympics.
The SamMobile report also suggests that Samsung could focus a lot on AI-related improvements at this event. Notably, Samsung had also announced a slew of AI-related features with its flagship series during the last Galaxy Unpacked event in January.
Spotlight on Galaxy Ring:
One of the key highlights of the event is set to be the latest Galaxy Ring, the Korean smartphone maker’s latest attempt at creating a smart ring. The wearable was first teased by Samsung at its Galaxy Unpacked event in January and then the design for Galaxy Ring was officially revealed during (MWC) event in Barcelona.
According to an earlier report by Galaxy Club, the Galaxy Ring will come in eight distinct versions, each with a unique model number ranging from SM-Q500 to SM-Q509. However, two model numbers appear to be missing, fueling speculation that Samsung might have additional sizes or a ninth variant up its sleeve.
Other expected launches:
Samsung is also expected to unveil Galaxy Z Flip 6, Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Fan Edition variants of the two devices at the Galaxy Unpacked event.
As per 91Mobiles report, the Z Flip FE could be powered by the Qualcomm Snapdragon 7s Gen 2 chipset while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 FE could be powered by either a Snapdragon or Exynos (2300 or 2200) chipset.
Samsung could also unveil Galaxy Watch 7, Galaxy Tab S10, Galaxy extended reality (XR) headset – Apple Vision Pro competitor, Galaxy Buds 3 and Buds 3 Pro.
L&T Tech Q4 result review: Stock tanks 9.5% as brokerages remain cautious, cut estimates
Shares of L&T Technology Services (LTTS) fell 9.5 percent on Friday (April 26) after the IT firm forecasted a 100 basis point decline in its FY25 EBIT (earnings before interest and taxes) margin in guidance.
L&T Tech reported a modest 0.2 percent YoY increase in net profit, reaching ₹340 crore, due to slower revenue growth and a reduction in margins. Its revenue grew 5 percent YoY to ₹2,537.5 crore. In terms of margins, management expects a “slightly muted” performance in the near term as the company invests in critical areas for future growth.
For the quarter under review, the operating profit margin came at 16.9 percent as against 17.9 percent in the year-ago period and 17.2 percent in the quarter-ago period.
Meanwhile, the engineering services company’s net profit for FY24 grew 7.6 percent to ₹1,303.7 crore.
LTTS Managing Director and Chief Executive Amit Chadha said the revenues in the year-ago period were higher because of the gains coming out of the acquired company, Smart World. He added the company has been reporting the operating profit margin at 17-18 percent in the past, but the level may get compressed due to investments.
He also announced a restructuring of the organisation, under which it has narrowed down the number of business verticals to three from the earlier five.
Stock price trend
Unable to cheer the Street with its Q4 results, the stock tanked 9.5 percent to its day’s low of ₹4,689.50. It is now over 20 percent away from its peak of ₹5,884.95, hit on April 4, 2024. Meanwhile, it is still up 34 percent from its 52-week low of ₹3,500, hit on April 27, 2023.
It has gained almost 51 percent in the last 1 year but is down 9 percent in 2024 YTD.
LTTS Q4 results review
Post the Q4 results, most brokerages remained cautious on the stock and cut their earnings estimates for the IT firm.
Morgan Stanley: Morgan Stanley has issued an “underweight” rating for L&T Tech with a target price of ₹4,200, indicating a 19 percent downside. The firm’s fourth-quarter results were below expectations, and the guidance for weaker revenue growth was already incorporated into buy-side estimates. Given the stock’s strong performance so far this year and the downward revision of EPS estimates, Morgan Stanley expects underperformance from the stock in the near future.
Antique Broking: The brokerage downgraded its rating for L&T Tech to “hold” and reduced its target price to ₹4,500 ( 13 percent downside) from ₹5,000, citing lower-than-expected near-term guidance of a 16 percent EBIT margin for FY25. This was below Antique’s expectations of an 18 percent margin for FY25/FY26. Despite a strong exit rate, LTTS management’s FY25 revenue growth projection of 8-10 percent in constant currency terms was less than Antique’s expectation of 10-12 percent. Additionally, Antique anticipates decision-making delays due to increasing geopolitical risks and continued tightening of financial conditions in the US, which may contribute to a softer EBIT margin for FY25.
Emkay: The brokerage has retained its ‘reduce’ rating on the stock given rich valuations, with a target price of ₹4,750, implying an over 8 percent downside.
For FY25, revenue growth guidance is set at 8-10 percent (a quarterly growth rate of 1.2-1.9 percent), considering delayed decision-making, geopolitical risks, and macroeconomic uncertainty. These factors, along with investments in personnel and technology, are expected to impact margins and keep them around 16 percent. The company’s aspiration for a $1.5 billion revenue run rate by FY25 is contingent on mergers and acquisitions, said Emkay. It cut FY25E/26E EPS 9.6 percent/7.2 percent, accounting for the Q4 performance and weaker margin trajectory.
Nuvama: The brokerage has maintained its “hold” rating on the stock with a target price of ₹4,970, indicating a 4 percent downside. The brokerage remains cautious about the entire ERD sector in the short term due to the potential impact of a slowdown or recession in the US and EU on the discretionary spend-based ERD business. However, it is optimistic about LTTS, citing its strong fundamentals, reputable client base, and diverse capabilities across segments as factors that will contribute to robust earnings growth over the next three years.
Disclaimer: The views and recommendations made above are those of individual analysts or broking companies, and not of Mint. We advise investors to check with certified experts before taking any investment decision.
Did Varun Gandhi turn down BJP’s offer to contest in Rae Bareli? Report says…
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and cousin of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Varun Gandhi, has “rejected” his party’s offer to contest the Lok Sabha Elections 2024 from Uttar Pradesh’s Rae Bareli constituency, a traditional stronghold of the Gandhi family.
News18 reported citing sources that Varun Gandhi had been “considering” the party’s offer for more than a week before rejectiung it.
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The BJP’s proposal was driven by recurring media reports indicating that the Congress was likely to field Priyanka Gandhi from the seat.
The News18 report, quoting sources, further said that the Uttar Pradesh BJP supported the idea of Varun Gandhi contesting from Rae Bareli. When approached with the proposal, Varun Gandhi requested time to consider it. However, he ultimately declined the offer, citing his reluctance to engage in an electoral battle that could turn personal and contentious.
Earlier, When asked about Gandhi’s absence on the dais during Prime Minister Modi’s public address in on April 9, party’s Uttar Pradesh unit chief Bhupendra Chaudhary responded by saying, “Having all people on the dais is not an issue. The party has given responsibility to its leaders. It must have thought something good for him.”
Congress’s influence in Pilibhit constituency
Varun’s mother has been active in politics in Pilibhit for a total of seven terms across different years.
1984: Maneka Gandhi lost to Rajiv Gandhi in Amethi by a substantial margin of over 2.7 lakh votes.
1989: She won the Pilibhit seat for the first time on a Janata Dal ticket.
1991: Maneka lost the Pilibhit seat to BJP’s Parshuram.
1996: She regained the Pilibhit constituency while running on a Janata Dal ticket.
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1998 and 1999: Maneka won Pilibhit, first as an independent in 1998 and then again in 1999.
2004: Maneka joined the BJP and secured victory from Pilibhit.
2009: Maneka moved to Aonla, allowing her son Varun Gandhi, then 29 years old, to contest from Pilibhit. Varun defeated Congress’s VM Singh by over 2.8 lakh votes, securing more than 50% of the total votes.
2014: Maneka returned to Pilibhit and won in the Lok Sabha elections as the BJP came to power under Narendra Modi. Meanwhile, Varun Gandhi won the Sultanpur seat.
2019: Maneka shifted to Sultanpur, allowing Varun to run from Pilibhit, where he won the seat.
However, this time, BJP has fielded Uttar Pradesh Minister Jitin Prasada from the Pilibhit seat.
In a post on X, penned a heartfelt note on Pilibhit and said, “Today, as I am writing this letter, countless memories have made me emotional. I remember that 3-year-old little boy who came to Pilibhit for the first time in 1983 holding his mother’s finger, how did he know that one day this land would become his workplace and the people here would become his family.”
According to the Election Commission, Pilibhit recorded 61.91 per cent voter turnout. Uttar Pradesh, the state with the highest representation in Parliament, electing 80 MPs, is conducting its voting across all seven phases.
The subsequent phases in the state are scheduled for May 7 (phase three), May 13 (phase four), May 20 (phase five), May 23 (phase six), and June 1 (phase seven).
The votes from all phases will be counted on June 4.
(With inputs from agencies)
