Chandigarh, October 24:

For the bye-election of 21-Tarn Taran seat of the Punjab Vidhan Sabha, five candidates have withdrawn their nomination papers.

A spokesperson of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab, informed that today, the last day for withdrawal of nominations, five candidates named Harpal Singh, Nirmal Kaur, Gurmeet Kaur, Sarika Jorha, and Harpreet Singh have withdrawn their nomination papers.

The spokesperson further said that after the scrutiny of nomination papers, a total of 20 nominations were found valid. Now, after the withdrawal of five nominations, the total number of candidates left in the fray is 15, which are

Sukhwinder Kaur (Shiromani Akali Dal), Harjit Singh Sandhu (Bharatiya Janata Party), Harmeet Singh Sandhu (Aam Aadmi Party), Karanbir Singh (Indian National Congress), Sham Lal Gandhi (Sacho Sach Party), Naib Singh (Nationalist Justice Party), Arun Kumar Khurmi Rajpoot (Independent), Harpal Singh Bhangu (Independent), Harbrinder Kaur Usman (Independent), Advocate Komalpreet Singh (Independent), Jaswant Singh Sohal (Independent), Neetu Shutteran Wala (Independent), Mandeep Singh (Independent), Mandeep Singh Khalsa (Independent), and Vijay Kumar (Independent).

 He said that polling will be held on November 11 from 7 AM to 6 PM, and the results will be announced on November 14, 2025, after the counting of votes.

CHANDIGARH, October 24:

          Continuing the war against drugs “Yudh Nashian Virudh” waged by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann to eradicate drug menace from state consecutively for the 237th day, Punjab Police conducted raids at 298 locations on Friday leading to the arrest of 94 drug smugglers after registration of 73 first information reports (FIRs) across the state. With this, the number of total drug smugglers arrested has reached to 33,950 in 237 days.

          The raids have resulted in recovery of 197 grams heroin, 40 kg poppy husk, 1029 intoxicant tablets/capsules and Rs 12,800 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 120 Police teams, comprising over 1000 police personnel, under the supervision of 62 gazetted officers have conducted 298 raids across the state. Police teams have also checked as many as 340 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 44 persons to undergo de-addiction and rehabilitation treatment today.

Chandigarh, October 22:

After the scrutiny of nomination papers for the 21-Tarn Taran Assembly Constituency bye-election, a total of six candidates’ nominations have been rejected, as per a spokesperson of the Office of the Chief Electoral Officer, Punjab.

The spokesperson informed that during the scrutiny conducted on Wednesday, nomination papers of four covering candidates and two independent candidates were found invalid in accordance with the Election Commission’s rules and guidelines. The rejected candidates include Leena Sandhu, covering candidate of the Indian National Congress; Kanchanpreet Kaur, covering candidate of the Shiromani Akali Dal; Sucha Singh, covering candidate of the Bharatiya Janata Party; and Rajesh Walia, covering candidate of the Aam Aadmi Party. In addition, nomination papers of two independent candidates, Lakha Singh and Sanjeev Singh, were also rejected as they did not meet the prescribed requirements of the Election Commission.

The spokesperson further stated that October 24 is the last date for withdrawal of nomination papers, after which the final list of contesting candidates for the Tarn Taran Assembly bye-election will be published.

Chandigarh, October 18– Haryana Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister, Sh. Shyam Singh Rana, said that there is need to focus more on increasing sugarcane production and to create awareness among farmers about using new technologies for sugarcane sowing. He also directed that cooperative sugar mills should be equipped with modern machinery to enhance recovery and reduce losses.

Sh. Shyam Singh Rana  gave these directions  while chairing the Sugarcane Control Board meeting held on Saturday.  Co-operation Minister, Dr. Arvind Sharma, also joined the meeting through video conferencing.

The Minister said  that the sugarcane seed varieties released by the Central Variety Release Committee for the north-western region will also be recognized by the state government. Therefore, there will be no need to seek separate approval from HAU for these varieties. He added that farmers should be informed about the new sugarcane seed varieties so that productivity can increase and farmers can earn higher profits. This, in turn, will lead to higher sugarcane and sugar production compared to the existing varieties.

The Minister further informed that during the 2024–25 crushing season, various cooperative sugar mills in the state had purchased sugarcane worth Rs. 1,278.50 crore for crushing, and the full payment has been made to the farmers. In addition, the

Naraingarh Sugar Mill in the private sector still has pending dues from the previous crushing season, which will be cleared by December 2025.

Sh. Shyam Singh Rana further said that sugarcane farmers should be encouraged to adopt modern machinery for sowing and harvesting to reduce their expenses and increase profits.

Principal Secretary, Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Department, Sh. Pankaj Agarwal, Director, Agriculture, Sh. Rajnarayan Kaushik,  Managing Director, Haryana Cooperative Federation of Sugar Mills Ltd,  Sh. Shakti Singh and other senior officers of the department also attended the meeting. 

Chandigarh, October 18 – Union Minister for Power, Housing, and Urban Affairs, Sh. Manohar Lal said that a series of programmes will be organized across the country for two months to strengthen national unity in celebration of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel’s birth anniversary. Rashtriya Ekta Diwas will be observed on October 31, followed by various events related to national integration continuing until December 31. Sh. Manohar Lal shared this information during a press conference held at the Karnal on Saturday.

Union Minister Manohar Lal stated that Padayatras will be organized in villages and cities on October 25, 26, and 27. These Padayatra, spanning 8 to 10 kilometers, will see participation from a large number of people and youth, spreading the message of national unity. On October 31, to mark Rashtriya Ekta Diwas, a Run for Unity event will be held. Thereafter, for the next two months, until December 31, various programmes such as seminars, exhibitions, and literature distribution will take place to spread the spirit of national unity among the youth. He further said  that youth registrations for these events are being conducted through the My Bharat Portal.

Sh. Manohar Lal shared that Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi has successfully launched many impactful national campaigns such as Beti Bachao-Beti Padhao and the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan. Now, this new campaign aims to further strengthen national unity across the country.

The Union Minister extended his heartfelt greetings to the people of the country and the state on the occasions of Dhanteras, Diwali, Govardhan Puja, Bhai Dooj, and other festivals.

Sh. Manohar Lal also congratulated Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini, Ministers, and the people of Haryana on the successful completion of one year of the government’s third term. He expressed gratitude to the people of Haryana for forming a government with a clear majority. He said that the Haryana Government has announced a Rs. 200 increase in the old-age pension.

Sh. Manohar Lal highlighted that all benefits under government schemes are being provided through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and the state continues to progress steadily on the path of development.

Chandigarh, October 18- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini was called upon by Justice, Sh. Lalit Batra, Chairman of the Haryana Human Rights Commission, who presented him with a copy of the Commission’s Annual Report for 2024–25. Commission members, Sh. Kuldeep Jain and Sh.  Deep Bhatia were also present during the meeting. The delegation presented a bouquet and a shawl to the Chief Minister as a gesture of courtesy.

During the meeting, the Chief Minister appreciated the efforts of the Haryana Human Rights Commission for ensuring speedy justice. He held an extensive discussion on the functioning of the Commission, its challenges, and its requirements, and assured that the state government would extend all possible support to the Commission for the protection and promotion of human rights so that Haryana continues to remain a leading state in this field.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini also inquired about the Commission’s visits to other districts of the state. The Commission members informed him that efforts are being made to inspect one jail every month and visit social organizations working for children and senior citizens.

The Chief Minister also sought details about significant decisions taken by the Commission.  Detailed discussion on the achievements and activities of the Commission since its reconstitution in November 2024 was also done during the meeting. 

Justice Sh.  Lalit Batra informed that as of November 2024, 2,991 cases were pending, and by October 15, 2025, 2,551 new cases were received. Thus, the Commission heard a total of 5,542 cases and disposed of 4,638 of them. The Haryana Human Rights Commission delivered judgments in 32 cases in November 2024, 148 in December 2024, and subsequently 551 in January, 360 in February, 691 in March, 478 in April, 826 in May, 569 in July, 433 in August, 460 in September, and 90 cases till October 15, 2025. As a result, only 904 cases remain pending, which are currently under hearing. The members of the Commission also shared that the important reforms implemented on the recommendations of the Haryana Human Rights Commission were discussed during the 32nd Foundation Day celebrations of the National Human Rights Commission held at Vigyan Bhawan, New Delhi.

Earlier, on October 12, the Haryana Governor, Professor Asim Kumar Ghosh, had released the Annual Report of the Commission.

Registrar,  Sh. Ravi Kumar Sondhi and Protocol, Information, and Public Relations Officer,  Dr. Puneet Arora also remained present on this occasion. 

Chandigarh, October 18- Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday paid a courtesy call on Union Home and Cooperation Minister, Sh. Amit Shah in Patna, Bihar. During this he discussed various important issues. The Chief Minister also extended his warm greetings to Sh. Amit Shah on the occasion of Dhanteras and Diwali.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini also apprised the Union Home and Cooperation Minister of the achievements of the BJP government in Haryana, which has been formed for the third consecutive time.

Chandigarh, October 18 – Haryana Chief Minister, Sh. Nayab Singh Saini on Saturday visited Bihar. Addressing election rallies during his Bihar tour, he said that the state is now rapidly advancing on the path of development, with public confidence in the NDA government growing stronger than ever. Under the guidance of the Prime Minister, Sh. Narendra Modi and the leadership of Chief Minister, Sh. Nitish Kumar, Bihar is set to witness the formation of a strong, stable, and governance-focused NDA government, ensuring uninterrupted progress and prosperity for the state.

The Chief Minister also lauded Sh. Nitish Kumar’s leadership, stating that Bihar has charted a new course of development under his guidance. The state has seen significant improvements across roads, education, healthcare, and basic infrastructure, bringing visible change to the lives of citizens, he said.

Sh. Nayab Singh Saini sharply criticized the RJD–Congress alliance, saying that previous governments neglected the interests of the poor and pushed Bihar toward backwardness. He added that the so-called “INDI” alliance leaders misled the public with false promises to gain power.

Highlighting NDA’s achievements, he said the government has steered Bihar out of the “jungle raj” and set it firmly on the path of development and good governance. Law and order has strengthened, women’s confidence has increased, and the benefits of development have reached even the remotest villages.

The Chief Minister further emphasized that the BJP–JDU alliance government has made concrete efforts to transform Bihar into a developed state. Bihar is entering a new era, and the enthusiasm of its people is a clear reflection of the progress achieved, he said.

The Chief Minister appealed to the people of Bihar to unite in support of the BJP–JDU alliance, advocating for continued development, good governance, and stability. On arrival, he was warmly welcomed by enthusiastic citizens, reflecting their trust and support for the NDA government.

Chandigarh, October 18:

Punjab Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur informed that the Punjab Government has released an amount of ₹84.26 lakh to facilitate the free and concessional travel of visually impaired and differently-abled persons in government buses. This amount forms part of the budget earmarked for providing transport facilities to persons with disabilities.

Providing further details, Social Security, Women and Child Development Minister Dr. Baljit Kaur stated that visually impaired persons are entitled to 100% concession in bus fares on all government buses, while other categories of differently-abled persons are eligible for a 50% fare concession. This facility is available to individuals with 40% or more disability, as per the prescribed norms.

The Minister added that for the year 2025–26, a total budget provision of ₹3.50 crore has been made under this scheme. Out of this, ₹2.61 crore has already been utilized, and now an additional ₹84.26 lakh has been released to ensure the continuous benefit of this facility to eligible beneficiaries.

Dr. Baljit Kaur emphasized that under the leadership of Chief Minister S. Bhagwant Singh Mann, the Punjab Government is fully committed to making the lives of persons with disabilities more comfortable, secure, and self-reliant. The government’s aim is to provide equal opportunities to every citizen, ensuring that no one is left behind socially or economically.

She further mentioned that besides transport facilities, continuous efforts are being made by the department to promote education, employment, and social empowerment of persons with disabilities so that they can confidently integrate with the mainstream of society.