Chandigarh, September 16 – Haryana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO), Sh. A. Sreenivas has urged all national and state-level recognized political parties to appoint their Booth Level Agents (BLAs) by September 30, 2025, and ensure that this information is shared with the CEO as well as all Deputy Commissioners and District Election Officers in the state.

Addressing representatives of political parties during a meeting convened today on the Special Intensive Revision of Electoral Rolls, he said that as per the Election Commission of India’s guidelines, all states and Union Territories are undertaking pre-revision work of electoral rolls. In Haryana, such an intensive revision is being carried out after nearly 23 years.

The current electoral roll will be cross-verified with the 2002 roll. If a voter’s name is found in both lists, no additional documents will be required. However, such voters will still need to fill an enumeration form provided by the Booth Level Officer (BLO) for inclusion in the updated roll.

Highlighting the importance of BLAs, Sh. Sreenivas said that Booth Level Agents act as a crucial link for BLOs in preparing error-free electoral rolls. Therefore, political parties must also submit the list of their authorized officials who will be responsible for appointing BLAs to the CEO’s office.

He further clarified that as per Article 326 of the Constitution of India, only Indian citizens are eligible to be enrolled as voters; foreign nationals cannot be included in the electoral rolls. The last final publication of the Haryana electoral roll took place prior to the Assembly Elections 2024.

The CEO emphasized that every recognized political party must appoint BLAs, since they are familiar with their polling station areas. BLAs are aware of who has turned 18, which voters have passed away, and who has permanently shifted residence, information that is crucial for BLOs in ensuring error-free rolls.

Sh. Sreenivas also informed party representatives that the Election Commission of India is working towards making voter data searchable in “searchable mode” across all states. Once completed, any individual will be able to search for a voter’s name on the ECI’s portal.

 He said that the process of matching the 2002 voter list with the 2024 list, to be conducted by all BLOs, must be completed by September 20, 2025. This correction was issued since the date was mistakenly published as October 20, 2025, in the information bulletins circulated on September 16, 2025.

The meeting was attended by Additional CEO, Smt. Hema Sharma, Joint CEO Sh. Raj Kumar Lohan,  and representatives from various political parties.

Chandigarh, September 16 – Haryana Energy Minister Sh. Anil Vij today said that under the Online Transfer Policy-2025, Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited (HVPNL) has successfully completed the online transfer process for Group-A Executive Engineers.

Sharing details, Sh. Vij said that HVPNL has become the first corporation in the state to implement a completely online transfer system for Group-A officers. A total of 18 Executive Engineers have been transferred, and all officers have already joined their respective duty stations as per their choice.

Highlighting the major advantage of this policy, the Minister said that complete transparency has been ensured throughout the process. Officers were allotted stations based on their preferences, leading to overall satisfaction among the transferred officials.

Sh. Vij further said that on similar lines, efforts are ongoing to extend the Online Transfer Policy to Group-B and Group-C employees as well, so that they also can be allotted duty stations of their choice. He clarified that if any officer/employee holds an additional charge, the additional post will be treated as vacant and included in the online transfer drive.

The Minister also informed that steps are being taken to implement the Online Transfer Policy-2025 in Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (UHBVN), Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) and Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited (HPGCL) in the near future.

Chandigarh, September 16 – Haryana is set to take a major leap in e-governance with the launch of a series of digital initiatives aimed at modernizing the state’s Revenue Department. The reforms, designed to make land and property transactions more transparent, efficient, and citizen-friendly, will be formally inaugurated by Chief Minister, Sh.  Nayab Singh Saini on September 29, at Tehsil Ladwa, Kurukshetra.

After presiding over the review meeting with Deputy Commissioners through video conferencing, Financial Commissioner, Dr. Sumita Misra, said that the government’s flagship reform is the introduction of Paperless Registration, which will integrate Jamabandi, Mutation, Cadastral Maps, and Registry data into a unified digital ecosystem. “This will make property registration faster, transparent, and secure. Citizens will no longer need multiple office visits as the process will be fully digitized,” she added. A live demonstration of the new system will be held in Kurukshetra during the launch.

Among other key initiatives is the Demarcation Portal, designed to eliminate delays and disputes in land boundary marking. The portal will standardize and digitize the process, ensuring time-bound and accurate demarcation with active participation of Tehsildars, Kanungos, and Patwaris.

For wider citizen access, the state will also introduce the Haryana Revenue WhatsApp Chatbot, enabling people to check land records, mutation status, and property tax details instantly on their mobile phones. “This will reduce dependence on manual processes, cut down office visits, and provide services at citizens’ fingertips,” Dr. Misra said.

To tackle long-pending disputes, the government will pilot the Revenue Court Case Management System, aimed at fast-tracking mutation, partition, and boundary cases. By combining legal and digital tools, the system is expected to reduce case pendency, speed up justice delivery, and curb corruption.

The reforms are also supported by the Large Scale Mapping Project and Tatima updation drive, which Dr. Misra directed Deputy Commissioners to complete by October 2025. Updated records will ensure accurate mapping and strengthen land data management.

During the meeting, Dr. Misra directed the DCs that pending mutations must be cleared through special village-level camps, with wide publicity to ensure maximum public participation. She also emphasized timely disposal of partition cases, suggesting 10-village clusters for better monitoring.

She further called for visible results under the ongoing Swachhata Pakhwada in DC offices and urged active participation in the tree plantation drive to support environmental sustainability.

Dr. Misra stressed that these digital reforms, backed by administrative efficiency, will not only strengthen transparency and governance but also empower citizens by delivering faster, cleaner, and more reliable revenue services.

Chandigarh, September 16 – Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Sh. Amit Shah will visit Kurukshetra on October 3, 2025 to inaugurate an exhibition on the newly implemented criminal laws.

To ensure smooth arrangements for the event, Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini chaired a meeting with senior officers here today.

While reviewing the preparedness for the exhibition and the inaugural ceremony, the Chief Minister directed that the exhibition should run for 4–5 days so that students, parents and people from all walks of life can visit and understand the changes brought into the criminal justice system. He also stressed on holding lectures and panel discussions on the new laws, with active participation from legal experts and members of civil society.

He said that the exhibition should also highlight real-life examples where heinous crimes were solved swiftly after the enforcement of these laws. This will help people see the positive impact of these reforms.

Highlighting the importance of the initiative, the Chief Minister said that the primary objective of the exhibition is to raise awareness and educate citizens about the significant reforms introduced in India’s criminal justice system through the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita, 2023, and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam, 2023.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister directed the officers concerned to ensure the necessary arrangements for the success of the event.

Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi, Chief Principal Secretary Sh. Rajesh Khullar, Additional Chief Secretary (Home) Dr. Sumita Misra, Additional Chief Secretary (Higher Education) Sh. Vineet Garg, Director General of Police Sh. Shatrujit Kapur, Director General (Prisons) Sh. Alok Kumar Roy, Director General (Information, Public Relations and Languages) Sh. K. Makarand Pandurang, Additional Director General of Police (CID) Sh. Saurabh Singh, and other senior officers were also present in the meeting.

Chandigarh, September 16 – Haryana Health, Medical Education, and AYUSH Minister, Ms.Arti Singh Rao distributed cheques worth Rs.59.41 lakh as fodder grant to five Gaushalas of the district at a programme held in Jhajjar today. Addressing the event, Health Minister, Ms.Arti Singh Rao said that under the leadership of Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, the state government is providing every possible support for the proper care and development of Gaushalas.

The Minister said that cows are an integral part of our tradition, culture, and faith, and their protection and nourishment are the responsibility of everyone. With this purpose in mind, the Haryana Gau Seva Aayog was established, and under the fodder grant scheme, this amount is provided to selected Gaushalas every three months. The state government is working diligently for the development and betterment of Gaushalas, she added.

Ms.Arti Singh Rao further said that due to heavy rainfall in recent days, waterlogging occurred in some areas of the state. The government is fully engaged in resolving the situation, and the Health Department remains on high alert regarding mosquito-borne diseases in the affected areas.

During a press conference after the programme, the Cabinet Minister said the government is taking the issue of shortage of doctors in district civil hospitals very seriously. In the coming few months, around 400 doctors will be recruited, and around 700 doctors have already been recruited, significantly improving health services in civil hospitals.

Chandigarh, September 16:

With a view to effectively monitor and implement the nutrition schemes in the State, the Punjab State Food Commission

held a meeting under the chairmanship of Mr. Bal Mukand Sharma at the Commission’s Head Office, Sector-26, Chandigarh.

The agenda included detailed discussions on the Social Audit of the Mid-Day Meal (PM Poshan Scheme) conducted by Panjab University, Chandigarh. The Commission also reviewed proposals for new study projects to be undertaken in the financial year 2025-26.

The Department of Social Security was asked to submit reports on damages to Anganwadi Centres in flood-affected areas. Similarly, government school Mid-Day Meal managers were exhorted to share updates on the status of schools impacted by the floods.

The Education Department was requested to conduct an impact study of the School Health Program. Additionally, the Commission decided to write to the Agriculture Department to give priority to flood-affected villages and ensure timely supplies of wheat seed, DAP, urea, and other critical inputs.

The report of the study visit to the Telangana State Food Commission, conducted from August 19 to 21, 2025, was also presented. Suggestions were made to adopt some of the best practices followed in Telangana to strengthen Punjab’s nutrition and monitoring framework.

The meeting was attended by Commission Members Mr. Vijay Dutt, Mr. Chetan Prakash Dhaliwal, Mr. Jasvir Singh Sekhon, and Member Secretary Mrs. Kannu Thind.

CHANDIGARH, September 16:

          In a major crackdown on the theft of critical 5G telecom infrastructure targeting Bharti Airtel Limited, Punjab Police has arrested 61 individuals and registered 95 first information reports (FIRs) across the state, preventing widespread disruption of essential telecom services.

          Following the reports of thefts involving high-value 5G infrastructure, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) was constituted on the orders of Director General of Police (DGP) Punjab Gaurav Yadav. The SIT, headed by Chairman DIG Rajpal Sandhu, worked in close coordination with district police units to apprehend the accused and make massive recoveries of stolen equipment.

          Divulging details, SIT Chairman DIG Rajpal Sandhu stated that the accused had specifically targeted high-value essential GUC1 Cards (Base Band Units), which are critical for the transmission of 4G and 5G signals. “The entire theft operation was executed in under two minutes, after which the culprits fled the scene,” he said.

          Using a combination of technical surveillance and human intelligence, Punjab Police has successfully busted the networks involved in these thefts. “Further investigation is underway to trace both forward and backward linkages and unravel the entire network,” said the DIG, adding that the SIT is also actively probing the matter to determine any potential insider involvement.

          Punjab Police has warned all anti-social elements to cease such activities immediately or face strict legal action. With district police forces forming dedicated crack teams, further arrests are expected as the investigation progresses.

Chandigarh, September 16:

To review and streamline preparations for the forthcoming Census operations in the state, the Punjab State Level Census Coordination Committee (SLCCC) held its first meeting today under the chairmanship of Chief Secretary Punjab Mr. KAP Sinha at the Punjab Civil Secretariat, Chandigarh.

Senior officers including Additional Chief Secretaries and Principal Secretaries of Local Government, Revenue, Rural Development & Panchayats, Planning, Finance and School Education departments were present during the meeting, while Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners joined the deliberations through video conferencing.

During the meeting, the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS), Department of Local Government has been nominated as the nodal officer for the Census related activities in the state of Punjab and the first meeting was convened by Dr. Navjot Khosa, Director Census Operations, Punjab, who made a detailed presentation on the Census process, its legal framework, Census Calendar and ongoing preparatory measures.

Key agenda points covered included discussion on circulars No. 1, 2 and 3, rural-urban classification norms, concepts of outgrowth and urban agglomeration, map-related matters and the upcoming Pre-Test of Digital Census 2027 in selected districts Jalandhar, Amritsar and Malerkotla.

Addressing the meeting, Chief Secretary Mr. KAP Sinha underlined the need for wholehearted cooperation from all Deputy Commissioners and Municipal Commissioners to ensure the smooth conduct of Census operations. He directed the Deputy Commissioners to finalize jurisdictional frameworks and establish dedicated Census Cells at district and corporation levels for effective monitoring.

The Chief Secretary also instructed strict adherence to guidelines issued by the Directorate of Census Operations and stressed that administrative boundaries must be finalized by December 31, 2025. Special instructions were issued to the Deputy Commissioners of Amritsar and Malerkotla along with the Municipal Commissioner, Jalandhar to make requisite proactive arrangements for the upcoming pre-test activities of the Digital Census.

The deliberations underlined that coordinated efforts and meticulous planning hold the key to the successful conduct of the Census in Punjab. All stakeholders were urged to accord top priority to their assigned responsibilities and ensure timely completion of all preparatory activities in line with the Census calendar.

Chandigarh, 16 September 2025:

Aiming to further boost Punjab’s industrial growth and paying the way of ease of doing business under the guidance of National Convener Sh. Arvind Kejriwal and Chief Minister Punjab, S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, Cabinet Minister Sh. Sanjeev Arora informed that Happy Forgings Ltd. (HFL) will invest Rs 1000/- Crore Capex in district Ludhiana, Punjab.  Happy Forgings Ltd. is a key player in manufacturing of Auto & Engineering niche products and the third-largest engineering-led manufacturer in the country.

While interacting with the media, Cabinet Minister Sh. Sanjeev Arora highlighted that HFL company operations focus on forging and machining high-precision components for both domestic and export markets, catering to diverse sectors, including commercial vehicles, passenger vehicles, farm equipment, off highway segments, power generation, railways, oil and gas, wind turbine industries and defence. Following listing on the stock exchanges in December 2023, HFL emerged as one of the largest listed companies based in Punjab with a market capitalization of Rs. 10,000 Cr. and revenues of Rs. 1,409 Cr. in FY 2024-25.

Furthermore, Sh. Sanjeev Arora revealed that HFL manufacturing operations are entirely based in Punjab with a capital investment of Rs. 1,500/- crore as of June 30, 2025 with a direct employment of approximately 4000 people.  This company is a major supplier to all the renowned OEMs (as below) within India as well as outside India catering to the commercial vehicle, farm equipment, off highway and industrials sectors with following major customers:

1.      Commercial Vehicle  – Ashok Leyland, Eicher, Meritor, Mahindra.

2.      Farm Equipments          – Tafe, Escorts, Swaraj, Sonalika, John Deere.

3.      Off Highway  –     JCB, Wipro, Dana, Hendrickson.

4. Industries  –  Cummins, Generac, Bonfiglioli, Toyota Tshusho, Kohler, Liebherr.

Disclosing about the company’s future plan, Sh. Ashish Garg said that HFL is planning a significant investment of over Rs. 1000/- Crores in a phased manner to expand their manufacturing footprint.  Though the company has offers from other states for investment however HFL would like to keep investing within Punjab having full faith in the State Government and its policies.  This substantial investment is projected to create over 2000 direct employment opportunities within the state, including positions for more than 300 engineers. Furthermore, it is expected to stimulate the development of numerous ancillary units and boost steel consumption, thereby strengthening the local economy and supply chain.

Managing Director of HFL Ashish Garg said that it is very encouraging that Punjab Government is coming up with new industrial policy under recently formed sectoral committees and we are very hopeful that these policies will be aligned to industry needs and will be mutually beneficial.  This proposed investment will be one of the most advanced forging facilities (capable to produce a single piece having Weight of 1000 kg to 3000 kg) i.e. first in Asia and 2nd largest in the World.

Investment in these capabilities will strategically position HFL to serve non-automotive industrial segments like aerospace, defence and nuclear addressing niche application areas where heavy weight components are critical, Ashish Garg added.

Moreover, Ashish Garg said that due to technical issues for want of new GST registration as required for new unit incentives, the company will be doing new capex-addition adjoining to its existing plant under the existing GST Registration  as such by way of expansion. We are looking forward to a successful long term partnership

Sh.Amit Dhaka, IAS, CEO Invest Punjab, Ms. Seema Bansal, Vice Chairperson, Punjab Development Council, Mr.Vaibhav Maheshwari, Member, Punjab Development Council and Megha Garg Director of HFL were also present during the press conference.

CHANDIGARH, September 16:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 199th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 359 locations on Tuesday leading to the arrest of 86 drug smugglers after registration of 75 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 29,804 in 199 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 21.1 kg heroin, 2 kg oipum, 254 kg poppy husk, 1156 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 500 drug money from the possession of arrested drug smugglers.

          Notably, CM Bhagwant Singh Mann has asked the Commissioners of Police, Deputy Commissioners and Senior Superintendent of Police to make Punjab drug free state. The Punjab government has also constituted a 5-member Cabinet Sub Committee led by Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema to monitor the war against drugs.

          Over 150 Police teams, comprising over 1100 police personnel, under the supervision of 68 gazetted officers have conducted raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 395 suspicious persons during the day-long operation.

          The state government has enforced a three-pronged strategy— Enforcement, Deaddiction and Prevention (EDP)— to eradicate drugs from the state, the Punjab Police as part of ‘De-addiction’ has convinced 56 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.