CHANDIGARH, December 23:

          In a significant step to bolster women’s healthcare as per the commitment of Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, Punjab Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Balbir Singh on Tuesday announced the statewide expansion of proven technology-based interventions at government health facilities to reduce the Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR) in the state.

          Addressing a state-level workshop on ‘Tech Interventions for Maternal Mortality Reduction’ organised under Mission Tandrust Punjab, supported by Directorate of Environment & Climate Change, the health minister said the state would adopt every proven technological solution to curb maternal deaths, particularly those caused by post-partum haemorrhage (PPH). Punjab currently records an MMR of 95 per one lakh live births, compared to the national average of 88.

          “I urge all medical officers to adopt best clinical practices so that Punjab can achieve the Sustainable Development Goal target of reducing MMR to 70,” said Dr Balbir Singh, while emphasising healthcare professionals and program officers to work together. He further stressed that nutritional guidance for pregnant women as well their health monitoring should be prioritised at an early stage.

          The workshop was organised by the Punjab State Council for Science and Technology (PSCST) in collaboration with AIIMS Bathinda and the Department of Health and Family Welfare, Punjab, at Chandigarh. Er Pritpal Singh, Executive Director (PSCST) highlighted that pilot implementation of Non-Pneumatic Anti-Shock Garments (NASG) and Uterine Balloon Tamponade (UBT) at delivery points of 12 districts of Punjab in Phase I and II has helped save more than 300 mothers suffering from critical PPH conditions, underscoring the need for scaling up these interventions across the state.

          Director Health Services (Family Welfare) Punjab, Dr Aditi Salaria stressed early identification of danger signs, standardised referral protocols and timely intervention. She emphasized healthcare professionals especially gynaecologists and ANMs to take this initiative further in focused manner.

          The Project Leaders, Dr Lajya Devi Goyal, Dean Research (AIIMS Bathinda) and Dr Dapinder Kaur Bakshi, Joint Director (PSCST) shared insights on district-level implementation, availability of life-saving devices at delivery points and hands-on training of healthcare workers, which led to a marked reduction in maternal complications.

          During the workshop, Dr Parneet Kaur, Professor (GMC Patiala) and Dr Parveen Rajora, Professor (GMC Faridkot) shared their experiences on clinical outcomes and field-level experiences in their respective districts. Further, the experts provided hands-on training on NASG and UBT to the health professionals present in the Workshop.

          Other dignitaries include Dr. Jaswinder Singh, Civil Surgeon (Patiala) and Dr. Harpreet Kaur, Assistant Director (DHF&W). The workshop witnessed participation of doctors, gynaecologists, nurses and health officials from all 23 districts of Punjab.

Chandigarh, December 22 — Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that the state government has been working continuously to provide state-of-the-art healthcare facilities for its citizens. As part of this effort, a fully equipped hospital is being developed at the district level across the state. So far, 10 such hospitals have been dedicated to the public, offering advanced facilities including CT scan, ultrasound, MRI, and modern laboratories. Work is currently underway on 22 more hospitals.

The Chief Minister shared this while responding to a question raised by MLA, Sh. Maman Khan during question hour in the winter session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha on Monday.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that earlier governments neither showed concern for the health of the people nor made efforts to improve the healthcare infrastructure. There was no serious thought given to upgrading medical services, forcing citizens to depend largely on the private sector, where they often faced exploitation. Before 2014, the state used to get only about four specialist doctors annually, whereas today this number has risen to nearly 200. Similarly, MBBS seats, which stood at just 700 in 2014, have now increased to more than 2,500 due to the focused efforts of the present government.

He further stated that government hospitals are now providing free medicines and comprehensive diagnostic facilities to patients. To further strengthen healthcare services, several initiatives have been taken, including upgrading 30-bed hospitals to 50 beds, 50-bed hospitals to 100 beds, 100-bed hospitals to 200 beds, and 200-bed hospitals to 400 beds. The number of medical colleges in the state has also increased. Along with treatment, special emphasis is being laid on cleanliness and hygiene in hospitals.

Chandigarh, December 22— Haryana Chief Minister, Sh.  Nayab Singh Saini said that the people of the state formed the government with an overwhelming mandate. In such a situation, despite this clear public confidence, the opposition’s attempt to create a perception of ‘Vote Chor’  amounts to outright misinformation and also undermines the people’s verdict.

He said that when the Assembly election results were declared on October 8, 2024, the opposition had no complaints and everything appeared normal. However, as time passed, the opposition suddenly began raising allegations of vote theft. Not only that, efforts were made to take this narrative beyond Haryana and spread it across different parts of the country.

The Chief Minister said that Congress leader,  Rahul Gandhi, has specifically named Haryana while making allegations of vote theft. Such serious allegations, he said, deserve a responsible and fact-based discussion within the House, as the people of Haryana want to know the truth.

The Chief Minister clarified that the proposed discussion is neither against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) nor about the Election Commission of India. However, if the opposition believes there has been any irregularity, it should be discussed openly. If the opposition has any concrete suggestions for improvement, those can also be presented.

The Chief Minister further stated that the proposal brought by MLA, Sh.  Ram Kumar Kashyap should be taken up for discussion in the House so that the people of Haryana receive complete and transparent information on the issue. Since the opposition has been repeatedly raising this unfounded matter, a detailed discussion would help clarify facts for everyone.

Chandigarh, December 22- Haryana Labour Minister, Sh. Anil Vij said that today the Haryana Vidhan Sabha has passed the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025 to reduce the compliance burden on smaller establishments through reforms for promoting economic growth while ensuring continued protection for workers. He said that this Bill is beneficial for both workers and shopkeepers, and it is in the interest of workers as well as traders.

Sh. Vij presented the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the Haryana Vidhan Sabha today, and the Bill was passed.

He said that increase in threshold limit from zero employees to 20 or more employees in any establishment for registration and other regulatory provisions of the Bill in order to reduce compliance burden for smaller businesses, encourage job creation and eliminate the fear of non-compliance. Establishments with less than 20 workers will no longer need a registration certificate under the bill but they will only need to provide an intimation of their business. Earlier, every shopkeeper was required to register. He pointed out that even today, in states like Karnataka, shopkeepers are required to register even if they do not have a single worker.

He said that before finalizing this Bill, he studied data from states across India. In Haryana, registration has been mandated for establishments with 20 or more workers. Similarly, in Maharashtra, Punjab, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha, registration is compulsory for establishments having 20 or more workers. Likewise, the daily working hours are 10 hours in Haryana, as well as in Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha. Regarding overtime, the maximum of 156 hours is permitted in Haryana,(which highest in the country) whereas it is 144 hours in Maharashtra, Punjab, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha; 125 hours in Uttar Pradesh; 72 hours in Tamil Nadu; and 50 hours in Karnataka. Similarly, the interval of rest is six hours in Haryana, Maharashtra, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.

Labour Minister said that increase in the daily hours of work from the existing nine hours to ten hours, inclusive of rest intervals, subject to a maximum of forty-eight hours in any week. This measure aims to create greater economic activity, enhance employment opportunities and give establishments the flexibility to handle emergencies, peak demand or staff shortages without disruption.

Similarly, Sh. Vij said that increase in the overtime period within quarter from 50 hours to 156 hours so that establishments will be allowed to engage workers in overtime for an increased period per quarter to address exceptional work pressure. This change will increase workers’ earning potential and formalize overtime practices, ensuring that all additional hours are properly recorded and compensated, which will help in preventing exploitation of workers. However the overtime working will not be mandatory for the workers.

Sh. Vij said that increase in formalization in job market by making the appointment letters & identity card mandatory. This change will create verified employment records, skill mapping, better welfare delivery, increased transparency, higher retention and ease of living. Decriminalization and instead of punishment of imprisonment as contravention of Bill, only fine is being kept which has been increased up to twenty five thousand rupees, so that the enforcement of the Bill is not diluted. This will ensure that a harmonious balance is maintained between the rights of the workers and as well of Establishments. He added that anyone who violates the law will be punished, and repeated violations will also be considered seriously in determining penalties.

He said that the original Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act was enacted in 1958, and since then, many circumstances have changed. Through this Bill, cumbersome provisions have been removed. He stated that only after conducting a thorough study did he obtain approval for this Bill from the Chief Minister as well, so that the provisions are brought in line with those of other states. He also said that provisions have been made for online registration of shops within one day under a system of self-certified documents.

Chandigarh, December 22 – On the final day of the Winter Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha, eight Bills were discussed and passed. The Bills passed include the Haryana Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2025; the Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2025; the Haryana Housing Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Bill, 2025; the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025; the Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development (Amendment) Bill, 2025; and the Haryana Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025.

Haryana Appropriation (No. 4) Bill, 2025

This Act shall be called the Haryana Appropriation (No. 4) Act, 2025. This Act, authorized to be paid and applied from and out of the Consolidated Fund of the State of Haryana by this Act, shall be appropriated for the services and purposes expressed in the Schedule in relation to the financial year ending on thirty-first day of March, 2026.

This Bill has been passed in pursuance of articles 204 (1) and 205 of the Constitution of India to provide for the appropriation of the required amount of Rs. 5635,38,20,000 out of the Consolidated Fund of the State of Haryana of the sums required to meet the supplementary grants made by the Legislative Assembly for expenditure for the financial year 2025-26.

Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2025

The Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Amendment Bill, 2025 was passed to amend the Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Act, 2024.

The Haryana Technical Education guest faculty (Security of Service) Act, 2024 was notified on January 16, 2025. In this act the benefit of security of service is admissible to those guest faculty members, who fulfill five years of service on or before August 15, 2024. The guest faculties have requested an amendment in the Explanation of Section 3 (vii) of the Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Act, 2024.Regarding the counting of 240 days during a year of their service instead of calendar year.

They have pointed out that otherwise, their service during the first calendar year of joining will not be counted if their date of joining is between the months of May and December. Similarly, the current calendar year of 2024 will also not be counted, because the number of days from  January 1, 2024 to the cut-off date August 15, 2024 are only 227 days. As a result, their service does not meet the qualifying figure of 240 days during these years. It has been observed that an amendment is also required in Clause 1 of section 5 regarding benefit of Dearmess Allowance (DA) granted to such guest faculty. The language of this clause is confusing, and it may have multiple interpretations. Therefore, it would be appropriate that clause I of section 5 may be amended as; “The Guest faculty may be entitled to such remuneration, as per the guidelines of Government. The consolidated monthly remuneration shall be increased with effect from the first day of January and the first day of July every year; corresponding to the increase in Dearness Allowance.

Therefore, taking cognizance of request submitted by Guest Faculty Association, it would be appropriate that the above-mentioned amendments may be made in “The Haryana Technical Education Guest Faculty (Security of Service) Act, 2024′.

Haryana Housing Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Housing Board (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed to amend the Haryana Housing Board Act, 1971.

The Housing Board Haryana, established under the Haryana Housing Board Act, 1971, has been engaged in the construction of housing and related urban infrastructure in the State. Over time, its operational functions have increasingly overlapped with those of the Haryana Shehri Vikas Pradhikaran (H.S.V.P.), which also operates under a statutory framework to develop housing and planned urban infrastructure. To eliminate duplication of administrative efforts, improve urban planning integration and enhance service delivery, the Chief Minister announced the dissolution of the Housing Board Haryana and its merger into H.S.V.P. However, while Section 80 of the 1971 Act allows for the Board’s dissolution through legislative resolution and government notification, there is no explicit provision authorizing the State Government to transfer the assets, liabilities, employees, and obligations of the dissolved Board to H.S,V.P. or any other successor body. To remedy this legal gap and to ensure seamless transition and succession of all functions, liabilities, employees, legal obligations and contracts of the Board, it is proposed to substitute Section 80 (2)of the Haryana Housing Board Act, 1971.

Legally empower the State Government to merge the assets and functions of the dissolved Board with H.S.V.P. or any other local authority or agency; clarify legal succession and enforceability of ongoing litigation and contracts; Provide the necessary statutory cover to complete the proposed institutional restructuring.

Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Private Universities (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed to amend the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006.

After going through the various sections of the Haryana Private Universities Act,20O6 as amended from time to time it is found that various Sections of the Act needs to be amended to streamline the procedure including Section 34A, 34B, 44, 44A and 46.

It has been noticed that some universities have started new courses’ increased existing intake and changed the nomenclature of the course without the prior approval of the State Government by misusing the Sub-Section (3) of Section 34A. Accordingly, this section needs to be modified’

In Section 44 and 44 A, no procedure has been prescribed for dissolution of the University and appointment of Administrator in the University. Accordingly, it needs to be modified and new Section 44 B needs to be inserted to streamline the procedure for dissolution of the University and appointment of Administrator in the University by way of amendment. Further, the provisions of the Section 46 also need to be streamlined, so that the provisions may be broadened in the public interest and the same may be better clarified.

A proposal has also been made to allow setting up of a new University namely “University of Design, Innovation and Technology” in Gurugram to improve the opportunity of higher education for the youth in the State.

The Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Abadi Deh (Vesting, Recording and Resolving of Ownership Rights) Bill, 2025 was passed to provide for vesting, recording and resolving of ownership rights within the abadi deh area of a revenue estate in the occupier and the matters connected therewith or incidental thereto.

Whereas, the abadi deh area in the State of Haryana has remained without recording of rights of the proprietors, preparation of record or the marking of boundaries by carrying out a survey. The right holder enjoy the use and occupation of the land/property during their lifetime and on death, the rights including possession pass on to the successor-in-interest (s), however, great hardship is caused in transferring of rights, i.e. ownership, lease, will, mortgage etc. in the absence of recorded rights. This has over the years resulted in disputes about demarcation of boundaries and identification of rights in the dwelling and other areas; besides causing hardship in the effective transfer of rights.

Considering it necessary to endow the proprietary rights on the occupier in the abadi deh, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU)) was signed on the 8th March, 2019 between the Survey of India (Sol) and the State Government for survey, and updating of survey and settlement rewards. Thereafter, a pilot project was launched in the village Sirsi (Karnal) on April 24, 2020, wherein survey was conducted for mapping the area for the purposes of preparing record of rights. Thereafter, survey of villages abadi and mapping with improvised technology in village areas, shortly known as SVAMITVA scheme, was initiated as a reformative step towards establishment of clear ownership of property in rural inhabited abadi areas, by mapping of land parcels using drone technology and providing ‘Record of Rights’ to village household owners with issuance of legal ownership card i.e. SVAMITVA Rights Certificate/Property Identification Right Certificate/Certificate/Deed of Title/Ownership to the property owner(s). Under the said scheme, drone mapping was carried out extensively in several villages of State of Haryana by Survey of India for demarcating the land within abadi deh area and title deeds were executed and property cards were issued declaring the individuals as owners of the land occupied by them in the abadi deh areas;

It has been felt expedient to provide a statutory recognition to the entire process carried out and sought to be carried out in future for preparation of record of rights in abadi deh areas in the State of Haryana and thus this Act. The object of this Act is to identify, record and resolve the existing rights of the occupiers within the abadi deh by a process of ascertaining the person(s) best entitled to be recorded as owner and vesting the ownership rights in such person(s); besides, demarcating, delineating the boundaries and areas of each survey unit and to create a presumption of truth in the records so prepared.

The preparation of record shall provide for development of the abadi deh that preserves the heritage of the village to the extent possible, provide and upgrade civic services and environment in villages to integrate them with planned urban development, levying any cess/ tax for community development, enhance the land value by improving the lay out and provide a road map or development norms for villages in an easy and simple manner and further for facilitating the occupier for monetizing the property by taking financial assistance etc.

Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Bill, 2025 has been passed to amend the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958.

In pursuance of the Government’s objective to reduce compliance burden, contemporary work promote industrial growth, and align the labour laws with conte practices, a review of selected provisions of the Punjab Shops and Commercial Establishment Act, 1958 has been undertaken. The proposed amendments seek to enhance operational flexibility, ensure gender equality, strengthen workers’ welfare, and facilitate ease of doing business.

The amendment proposes to insert a new sub-section under Section 1 of the Act to cover shops and establishments employing twenty or more workers, while those with fewer than twenty workers will be governed only by Section 13-A. The amendment seeks to ensure better protection of workers in larger establishments and simplified compliance for smaller units, thereby promoting balanced labour reforms and ease of doing business. To promote efficient business operations and ensure better working conditions, certain amendments relating to working hours in shops and commercial establishments are also proposed.

Under Section 7, the daily working hours may be increased from nine to ten hours while retaining the overall weekly limit of forty-eight hours. Additionally, provisions may be amended to increase the permissible limit of overtime work per quarter from 50 hours to 156 hours, enabling shops and commercial establishments to meet peak business demands more efficiently.

It is proposed to amend Section 8 to increase the maximum period of continuous work without rest from five to six hours. It is proposed to substitute Section 13 to make registration and fee submission fully online, streamlining procedures and easing compliance. Online intimation of establishment closure will be mandatory to ensure accurate records. Establishments with twenty or more workers will register upon, reaching the threshold, while those with fewer than twenty workers must submit online intimation within one month of commencement and receive a Basic Information Performa (BIP) ID. Enhanced penalties for non-compliance will strengthen accountability and enforcement.

It is proposed to amend sub-section (3) of Section 19 of the principal Act to substitute the reference to “Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code” with “Section 2(28) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 (Central Act 45 of 2023)”, aligning the Act with the updated central legislation.

It is proposed to substitute sub-section (6) of Section 20 to decriminalize the provision and increase the fine for violations. This amendment will reduce the burden of prosecution for minor infractions while ensuring stricter financial deterrence, promoting compliance in a more balanced and efficient manner.

It is proposed to insert a new sub-section under Section 20A of the Act to make the issuance of appointment letters to all workers mandatory at the time of employment. This will ensure formalization of employment, promote transparency, and safeguard workers’ rights.

It is proposed to increase the penalty amounts under Sections 21 and 26 of the Act. This will enhance deterrence against violations, promote timely compliance by employers, and strengthen enforcement of statutory provisions, thereby ensuring better protection of workers and smooth functioning of establishments.

Since the Haryana Legislative Assembly was not in session, immediate legislative action was required to give effect to the proposed amendments in the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments Act, 1958. The reforms introduced through the amendment are integral to the State Government’s ongoing initiatives for Ease of Doing Business, decriminalization of minor regulatory offences, and labour law modernization. Any delay in the implementation could adversely affect the momentum of business facilitation and the State’s compliance with national EoDB benchmarks. Moreover, the amendment rationalizes working hours, introduces digital registration processes, and removes imprisonment provision measures that are essential to provide clarity, certainty, and relief to business establishments and workers alike.

Therefore, in public interest and to ensure continuity of reform without administrative or legal vacuum, it was necessary to promulgate the Ordinance immediately under Article 213(1) of the Constitution of India, rather than await the session of the Haryana Legislative Assembly. Now, the Bill of the same is being introduced in the upcoming session of Haryana Legislative Assembly.

The Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development (Amendment) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development (Amendment) Bill, 2025 was passed to amend the Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development Act, 1963.

The Government of India has accorded highest priority to Ease of Doing Business (EoDB) reforms through the Compliance Reduction and Deregulation Docket, which aims to rationalize regulatory frameworks and reduce procedural delays across sectors. As part of this initiative, twenty-three priority reform areas have been identified, out of which eight pertain to Town and Country Planning Department, Haryana. This includes simplification, digitization and automation of processes related to grant of Change of Land Use (CLU) permissions to enhance transparency and investor confidence.

In alignment with these national objectives, it is proposed to introduce permission under self-certification through an online system for conforming land use zones in notified Development Plans. This system will enable eligible applicants to obtain permission through an online self-certification mechanism, based on information, documents and undertakings submitted digitally and verified through automated processes. This will ensure transparency, significantly reduce manual intervention and enhance ease of doing business in the State.

To operationalize this reform, it is imperative to amend the provisions of the Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development Act, 1963 to provide statutory backing.

Accordingly, a draft proposal for amendment has been prepared and is proposed to be submitted for the approval of the Council of Ministers. In order to make above-referred changes, amendment in Section 8 (1 and 2) of Haryana Scheduled Roads and Controlled Areas Restriction of Unregulated Development Act, 1963 is required.

Haryana Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 was passed to amend certain enactments for decriminalization and rationalization of offenses to further improve trust-based governance for ease of living and ease of doing business.

The Government of India enacted ‘The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023’, notified on 11th August 2023, decriminalised 183 provisions in 42 Central Acts administered by 19 Ministries/Departments which is the first consolidated legislation to systematically decriminalise minor offences across multiple Acts.

In August 2025, Govt. of India introduced ‘Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025’ in Lok Sabha on the success of ‘The Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023, which covers 16 Central Acts administered by 10 Ministries/Departments. A total of 355 provisions were proposed to be amended with 288 provisions decriminalised to foster Ease of Doing Business and 67 provisions proposed to be amended with the objective of promoting ‘Ease of Doing Business and Ease of Living by rationalizing minor offences and replacing imprisonment clauses with monetary penalties across multiple legislations. The Act marked a major shift from enforcement-based to trust-based governance. Further, Government of India has advised all States/UTs to review and adopt strategy laid down on Jan Vishwas Act, 2023 for decriminalization of minor offences at State level.

Introduction of ‘Haryana Jan Vishwas Bill, 2025′ was one of a key action item of the 4 Chief Secretaries’ Conference and an important Priority Area under the ongoing Compliance Reduction and Deregulation exercise of the Cabinet Secretariat, Government of India.

“The Haryana Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025′ is being introduced to reduce 164 minor criminal provisions in 42 State Acts across 17 departments by removing obsolete and redundant clauses, introducing civil penalties and administrative actions for minor technical and procedural lapses, and decriminalising minor and technical offences through the elimination of penal provisions.

The Haryana Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025 aims to achieve following objectives:

1.Trust-based governance & reducing regulation burden; democratic governance should rest on trusting citizens and institutions. 

2 “Ease of Living” and “Ease of Doing Business” reforms;The Bill is aligned with the government’s broader agenda of “Minimum Government, Maximum Governance”. It seeks to reshape the regulatory landscape so that citizens and businesses have fewer procedural obstacles.

3. Decriminalisation of minor offences- Many laws still penalize minor, technical, or procedural lapses with imprisonment or steep criminal provisions. Such measures deter compliance more than encouraging it, and place unnecessary strain on courts. The Bill seeks to rationalize these provisions by converting several of them into monetary penalties or warnings, particularly for first-time or non-wilful contraventions. At the same time, the bill refrains from undertaking decriminalisation in respect of offences under State Acts that are grave in nature or essential to be retained in the interest of public safety, order or good governance.

4. Administrative resolution instead of court-based

The Bill emphasizes resolving many contraventions by administrative adjudication, compounding or warning without recourse to courts. This is meant to save time, reduce costs and ease judicial burden. It shall ensure that a competent authority is duly designated and explicitly provided for in the submitted amendments to impose penalties in all cases where fines are proposed to be converted into penalties.

5. Continuity with Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023 of Govt. of India; The Bill extends and deepens the reforms initiated under the Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Act, 2023. 

6. Periodic revision of penalties; to maintain deterrence and adapt to changing circumstances, the Bill focused to ensure that fines are converted into penalties wherever feasible. 

Therefore ‘Haryana Jan Vishwas (Amendment of Provisions) Bill, 2025’, therefore, seeks to promote trust-based governance by ensuring a balanced and pragmatic legal framework that emphasizes facilitation over penalization. It aims to enhance Ease of Living and Ease of Doing Business in the State through reduction of unnecessary criminal provisions, simplification of compliances and establishment of a transparent, efficient and citizen-centric administrative environment.

Chandigarh, December 22— Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini said that India is the world’s largest democracy and the Election Commission is a constitutional body. Casting aspersions on such an institution, he remarked, is almost sacrilegious. He further said that despite this, the opposition has repeatedly attempted to question the credibility of this sacred institution and should therefore participate in a detailed discussion on the issue within the House.

The Chief Minister was speaking on Monday during the Winter Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha while participating in the discussion on a resolution moved by MLA, Sh. Ramkumar Kashyap regarding the situation arising out of ongoing electoral reforms related to the preparation of voter rolls.

He said that the opposition has been making baseless allegations and has now walked out of the House on this issue. This, he said, is the third instance of such a walkout by the opposition. As Leader of the House, the Chief Minister appealed to the Speaker to call back the opposition members so that a constructive and meaningful discussion could take place. He emphasized that it is essential for the people of the country and the state to understand what is right and what is wrong clearly.

Chandigarh, December 22 — The Haryana Vidhan Sabha today passed the Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2025, a major reform initiative aimed at reducing the compliance burden on smaller establishments while promoting economic growth and ensuring continued protection of workers.

The Amendment Act increases the threshold for applicability of registration and other regulatory provisions from establishments employing zero workers to those employing 20 or more workers. Establishments with less than 20 employees will no longer be required to obtain a registration certificate under the Act and will only need to provide an intimation of their business. This step is intended to ease regulatory pressure on small businesses, encourage entrepreneurship, promote job creation, and eliminate fear of non-compliance.

The Act also provides greater operational flexibility by increasing the permissible daily working hours from the existing nine hours to ten hours, inclusive of rest intervals, subject to a maximum of forty-eight hours in any week. This measure will help establishments manage peak demand, emergencies, and staff shortages without disruption, while maintaining safeguards on weekly working hours.

To address exceptional work pressure and enhance workers’ earning opportunities, the overtime limit within a quarter has been increased from 50 hours to 156 hours. This change will formalize overtime practices by ensuring that additional working hours are properly recorded and compensated, thereby helping to prevent exploitation of workers. Overtime work, however, will remain voluntary and not mandatory for employees.

In order to promote greater formalization in the job market, the Amendment Act makes the issuance of appointment letters and identity cards mandatory. This provision will create verified employment records, support skill mapping, improve welfare delivery, increase transparency, enhance employee retention, and contribute to ease of living for workers.

The Act further decriminalizes certain contraventions by removing the provision of imprisonment and retaining only monetary penalties. The maximum fine has been increased up to Rs 25000 to ensure effective enforcement without diluting the spirit of the law. This reform seeks to maintain a harmonious balance between the rights of workers and the interests of establishments.

The Haryana Shops and Commercial Establishments (Amendment) Act, 2025 reflects the Haryana Government’s commitment to creating a business-friendly environment, strengthening worker welfare, and driving sustainable economic growth through balanced and progressive reforms.

Chandigarh, December 22 — Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini strongly condemned the Opposition’s walkout on the final day of the Winter Session of the Haryana Vidhan Sabha and extended his support to the condemnation motion moved by Parliamentary Affairs Minister, Sh. Mahipal Dhanda. He said that walking out of the House during a discussion on a proposal related to the ongoing electoral reforms concerning the preparation of voter lists was highly inappropriate.

The Chief Minister said that the truth behind the Congress party’s claims must come out today. He alleged that Congress has been consistently spreading falsehoods, and it is important for the people of the state and the country to know the reality. He said the government had come to the House fully prepared to counter the Opposition with facts, but the Opposition members refused to listen to the ruling side. By abandoning the discussion midway, the Opposition exposed the falsity of its own claims before the entire state, which he strongly denounced.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini further said that the Congress party had betrayed the trust of the people. Referring to this issue, MLA, Sh. Ram Kumar Kashyap had brought a proposal for discussion. He expressed serious objection, stating that when a member brings a proposal following constitutional procedures, the Opposition was not even willing to listen to it. As long as the Opposition members remained in the House, they did not allow the ruling party members to speak, and eventually chose to walk out.

Displaying a copy of the Constitution in the House, the Chief Minister said that the proposal was brought precisely because the Opposition had spread confusion across the state and the country by alleging ‘vote theft’. The intent of the discussion was to place facts on record and clearly separate truth from falsehood.

Taking a dig at the Opposition,  Sh. Nayab Singh Saini remarked that the Opposition could not have participated in the debate anyway, as lies have no foundation. He said the Opposition had spread a major false narrative, questioned the faith of voters, and even cast aspersions on the Election Commission, a constitutional authority. He said  that it was unfortunate that when ruling party members were presenting their views in the House, the Opposition resorted to using threatening language.

He said that three resolutions were placed before the House. The first was to hold a discussion on the completion of 150 years of Vande Mataram, but the Opposition was not even willing to debate that. The people of the state have seen this. Vande Mataram is not a trivial subject. The revolutionary heroes of our freedom struggle would rise against British oppression on hearing it and were unafraid even of bullets. A slogan that has inspired millions across the country was also avoided by the Opposition, which chose to run away from discussion. Everyone witnessed how Opposition members disrupted the proceedings of the House.

The Chief Minister said that in this August House, the Opposition brought a no-confidence motion against the government. Both before the start of the Assembly session and during it, the government clearly stated that it was ready for discussion on every issue. This is a non-stop government functioning under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi, working for the welfare of every citizen of Haryana. Yet, even on the no-confidence motion, the Opposition failed to engage in debate and walked away. Similarly, when a resolution on electoral reforms was brought today, they once again staged a walkout.

Displaying a copy of the Constitution in the House, the Chief Minister said that this sacred Constitution was given to the nation by the Constituent Assembly led by Dr. B. R. Ambedkar. However, he remarked that Congress leader, Sh. Rahul Gandhi seems to be following a different Constitution altogether, and that the Congress is disrespecting the Constitution drafted by Dr. Ambedkar. He alleged that Congress leaders carry a book to various public platforms and spread misinformation by claiming that if Sh. Narendra Modi becomes Prime Minister for a third term, the Constitution would be in danger.

Sh.  Nayab Singh Saini said that the Opposition is repeatedly raising this issue and misleading the nation. He added that Congress leader, Sh. Rahul Gandhi has even targeted Haryana in this regard. The ruling side has all the facts to show how vote manipulation took place during the Congress regime, with cases related to it still pending in courts today. He appealed to the people to distinguish between truth and falsehood, and to judge for themselves how the Congress spread misinformation for a long time.