*The Haryana Government has assigned Dr. Priyanka Soni, the Special Secretary of the Vigilance Department, the additional charge of Special Secretary of Monitoring & Coordination with immediate effect.
Chandigarh, May 23 - The Haryana Government has assigned Dr. Priyanka Soni, the Special Secretary of the Vigilance Department, the additional charge of Special Secretary of Monitoring & Coordination with immediate effect.
An order to this effect was issued by the Haryana Chief Secretary, Sh. T.V.S.N. Prasad here today.
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*In Haryana, voting for the Lok Sabha General Elections 2024 and the Karnal Assembly By-election will be held on May 25, 2024.
Chandigarh, May 23- In Haryana, voting for the Lok Sabha General Elections 2024 and the Karnal Assembly By-election will be held on May 25, 2024. On the polling day, i.e., May 25 (Saturday), employees of various shops and commercial establishments falling with the jurisdiction area of the State of Haryana, enrolled as voters of the State, will be granted a holiday with wages so that they can exercise their voting rights.
Furthermore, under section 65(2) of the Factories Act, 1948, workers employed in factories situated in Haryana, who are registered voters in Haryana, will also be granted leave for voting on May 25. In this regard, a notification has been issued by the Haryana Labor Department.
The neighbouring states have also declared leave for the Haryana voters.
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Lok Sabha General Elections: Polling Parties to Depart on May 24
Strict Action will be taken against those who try to disrupt officers on Election Duty
Any person obstructing or attacking a government officer in the discharge of their duty will be liable to imprisonment for 2 to 10 years under IPC sections
Chandigarh, May 23 – Haryana Chief Electoral Officer, Sh. Anurag Agarwal said that polling parties for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections 2024 in the state will depart for their respective polling stations on May 24. If any anti-social elements or if any political party attempts to disrupt the duties of these polling teams using their influence, strict action will be taken against them according to the rules.
Sh. Agarwal shared that the first randomization of polling parties was conducted on April 24, and the training was completed on May 6, 2024. The second randomization and training were completed on May 10 and May 19, respectively. Now, on May 24, all these polling parties will head to their designated polling stations. He informed that the Lok Sabha general elections 2024 and the Karnal assembly by-election will be held in Haryana on May 25. All preparations for this have been completed.
He further shared that Misconduct by any person in the polling station or disobedience of lawful directions of the presiding officer may result in that person being removed from the polling station by any police officer on duty. Any person who has been so removed from a polling station re-enters the polling station without the permission of the presiding officer can be arrested. Under Section 132 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, they may face three months of imprisonment or a fine, or both.
Provision for a 2-year imprisonment for carrying arms to the polling station
Sh. Agarwal said that no person, other than the Returning officer, the presiding officer, any police officer or any other person appointed to maintain peace and order at the polling station who is on duty at the polling station, shall, on a polling day, go armed with arms. If he does so, he commits an offence. Under Section 134B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the person can face up to 2 years of imprisonment or fine, or both.
The Chief Electoral Officer informed that if the presiding officer of a polling station has reason to believe that any person has removed ballot paper or EVM out of polling station, such officer may arrest or direct a police officer to arrest such person and may search such person or cause him to be searched by a police officer. Under Section 135 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, the person can face 1 year’s imprisonment or fine, or both.
Provision for 2 years imprisonment for fraudulently destroying the official mark on a ballot or EVM
Sh. Agarwal said that if any person fraudulently defaces or fraudulently destroys any ballot paper or EVM or the official mark on any ballot paper or EVM or puts into any ballot box anything other than the ballot paper or pastes any paper, tapes etc., on the symbol/names/ballot button of EVM for the purpose of the election commits an offence. Under Section 136 of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, 2 years imprisonment or fine or both, if offence committed by any officer or clerk employed on election duty, and 6 months imprisonment or fine, for others.
Additionally, whoever voluntarily causes simple or grievous hurt or assaults to deter a public servant from discharging his duty, will be liable for imprisonment from 2 to 10 years and fine under sections 332, 333, and 353 of the Indian Penal Code, shared Sh. Agarwal.
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J.C. Bose University to start Master's degree course in Social Work from the new academic session
Chandigarh, May 23 - J.C. Bose University of Science & Technology, YMCA, Faridabad, is starting Master of Social Work (MSW) degree course, commencing from the academic session 2024-25. This follows the successful implementation of the Bachelor of Social Work (BSW) course.
Sharing this information here today, a University spokesperson informed that due to the growing interest of students in the BSW course, the decision to introduce the MSW course has been made. This will enable students to delve deeper into the field and acquire specialized expertise.
The eligibility criteria for the MSW course mandates a Bachelor's degree in any discipline from a recognized university, with a minimum of 45% marks. Admission will be based on the preference of marks obtained in Graduation.
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KU Vice-Chancellor launches IUMS Portal 2024-25 for Online Admissions, Unveils 'Handbook of Information – 2024
Chandigarh, May 23 - Kurukshetra University, Kurukshetra Vice-Chancellor, Prof Som Nath Sachdeva today launched the IUMS Portal 2024-25 for online admissions to undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) courses. In addition, he also unveiled the 'Handbook of Information - 2024' for online admissions.
The Vice-Chancellor said that Kurukshetra University has recently achieved the distinction of being Haryana's first A++ grade university. In addition, among autonomous universities, it holds the 8th rank. Kurukshetra University holds the distinction of being the first in the country to fully implement the National Education Policy 2020 (NEP 2020) across all its undergraduate programs starting from the 2022-23 session. Furthermore, NEP 2020 has been successfully implemented in affiliated colleges with all its provisions from the 2023-24 session onwards. Looking ahead, NEP 2020 will be extended to all postgraduate programs of the university starting from the 2024-25 session.
Dean Academic Affairs, Prof. Anil Vashisth said that interested students can apply on the IUMS Portal from May 23, 2024, to June 15, 2024, for 130 UG and integrated programs. Applications for 63 postgraduate programs can also be submitted from May 23, 2024, to June 15, 2024. For diploma and certificate courses, applications are open from May 23, 2024, to July 28, 2024. Detailed admission information is available on the university's website https://kuk.ac.in/
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Illegal liquor, drugs and cash are being seized continuously during Lok Sabha elections- CEO Haryana
Till now, illegal liquor, drugs and valuables worth Rs 75.44 crore seized
Strict action being taken by enforcement agencies
Chandigarh, May 23 – During Lok Sabha General Elections 2024 in Haryana, there has been a continuous surge in the seizure of illegal liquor, drugs, and cash compared to the previous Lok Sabha elections. To date, various agencies have confiscated a total of Rs 18.56 crore in cash, along with illicit liquor, drugs, and other valuables valued at Rs 56.88 crore. Consequently, the overall figure has escalated to Rs 75.44 crore. In contrast, during the Lok Sabha General Election in 2019, the total value of cash, illicit liquor, drugs, and valuables seized amounted to Rs 18.36 crore.
Chief Electoral Officer Sh Anurag Agarwal said that the continuous surveillance is being made in the state by the Police, Income Tax Department, Excise and Taxation Department, and Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI). Up to now, the police have seized primarily Rs 693.66 lakh in cash, the Income Tax Department has confiscated Rs 873.78 lakh, and the DRI has seized Rs 278 lakh. Additionally, other agencies have also seized cash.
He said that more than 4.05 lakh liters of illicit liquor worth a total of Rs 13.31 crore has been seized by various agencies. This mainly includes the seizure of 2,95,759 liters of illicit liquor worth Rs 923.13 lakh by the police and 1,09,583 liters of illicit liquor worth Rs 408.47 lakh by the Excise Department.
Drugs worth Rs 14 crore seized
Sh Anurag Agarwal said that agencies have seized drugs amounting to a total of Rs 14 crore. The police alone have confiscated narcotics worth Rs 13.93 crore. Additionally, the NCB has seized 2 kg of drugs valued at Rs 4 lakh. Furthermore, valuables worth Rs 26.12 crore and other items worth Rs 3.42 crore have also been seized.
Citizens also aware of violation of model code of conduct
The Chief Electoral Officer highlighted the commendable awareness among the state's voters regarding the Model Code of Conduct. Citizens are actively reporting instances of Model Code of Conduct violations to the Commission via the C-Vigil mobile app, with these complaints being resolved wi
thin 100 minutes. This proactive engagement from the general public through the "C-Vigil" mobile app reflects their commitment to participating in the democratic process. Furthermore, he appealed to voters to exercise their right to vote on May 25, emphasizing the importance of democratic participation.
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Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia today inaugurated the e-HCR (High Court Reporter) website, www.hcph.gov.in
Chandigarh, May 23 - Acting Chief Justice of Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mr. Justice Gurmeet Singh Sandhawalia today inaugurated the e-HCR (High Court Reporter) website, www.hcph.gov.in, facilitating the search of all judgments reported by the Indian Law Reports (ILR) Punjab and Haryana series. This digital platform aligns with the Supreme Court of India's vision to encourage online High Court Reporters, following the lines of e-SCR.
During the inauguration ceremony, Mr. Justice Anupinder Singh Grewal, Chairperson of the Library, ILR, and Calendar Committee, along with esteemed members of the Council of Law Reporting and the Library, ILR, and Calendar Committee, joined the Judges of the Punjab and Haryana High Court and representatives from the High Court Bar Association. In addition, all District and Sessions Judges from Punjab, Haryana, and U.T. Chandigarh, along with representatives from their respective District Bar Associations, attended the event virtually.
The Indian Law Reports (ILR) have been in publication since 1875 following the enactment of the Indian Law Reports Act. The Punjab series began in the post-independence era, eventually evolving into the current Indian Law Reports (Punjab and Haryana series) after the formation of the Haryana state in November 1966. Judgments have been traditionally published in physical format but are now made accessible online through the e-HCR website.
Currently, the website features an extensive collection of judgments, including 9,237 judgments, out of which 825 are Full Bench judgments and 3,870 are Division Bench judgments. Users can search these judgments using various parameters, making it a valuable resource for judges, lawyers, and students alike. Notably, users can access and read judgments in vernacular languages, such as Punjabi for judgments originating from Punjab and Hindi for those from Haryana and U.T. Chandigarh.
One Editor and sixteen Advocate-reporters are currently working at the Punjab and Haryana High Court, contributing their expertise to ensure the accuracy and availability of legal information on the e-HCR platform.
The e-HCR website ensures transparency, efficiency, and accessibility of legal information for everyone. This platform also contributes to the ongoing digitalization efforts in the Indian judicial system, reducing reliance on physical documentation and enabling faster access to crucial information for all stakeholders.
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Senior Police Officials Meeting Held under the Chairmanship of Director General of Police Regarding Lok Sabha Election Preparations, Necessary Guidelines Issued
- Detailed discussions held on maintaining strong law and order during the voting process.
- Every level of officer in the police department should have clarity about their duties; negligence will not be tolerated - DGP
- Over 35,000 police personnel (including SPOs), 112 companies of paramilitary forces, and more than 24,000 home guard personnel will be deployed.
Chandigarh, 23 May - In preparation for the Lok Sabha General Elections 2024 in Haryana on May 25, a meeting of senior police officers was convened at the Police Headquarters in Panchkula, chaired by Director General of Police Shatrujeet Kapur. The meeting was attended by Inspectors General of Police, Police Commissioners, Superintendents of Police, and Deputy Commissioners of Police across the state through video conferencing. Detailed discussions focused on various aspects, including the deployment of police forces to ensure the peaceful conduct of the polling process.
Strategy for Maintaining Law and Order During Polling
In the meeting, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Sanjay Kumar presented a comprehensive report on the preparations for maintaining law and order on election day. The DGP emphasized that maintaining law and order during the elections is the highest priority so that people can vote without fear and in an impartial manner. He urged all police officers to be unequivocally clear about their duties and to continuously brief their subordinates. Police personnel must understand how to handle various scenarios that may arise at polling stations. Essential contact numbers should be provided to facilitate quick communication when needed. Coordination with deputy commissioners and strict adherence to the Election Commission of India's guidelines were highlighted as critical measures to maintain law and order at all levels.
Clear Communication at Every Level
DGP Kapur stressed the importance of clear and consistent communication from senior police officials to the last officer on duty. Every policeman should be well-versed in their responsibilities, and any negligence will not be tolerated. Effective communication and coordination among all police personnel are essential to maintaining order during the elections.
Vigilance Across All Areas
Discussing the deployment of police forces at polling booths, DGP Kapur assured that adequate personnel have been allocated to all districts. Police commissioners and superintendents should deploy forces as needed within their jurisdictions. The importance of remaining vigilant even after the voting concludes was underscored to prevent any post-poll violence and to monitor anti-social elements until the day after the election.
Active Control Rooms and Swift Action
Police officers were instructed to maintain constant contact with control room staff and to monitor every election-related call. Each call must be handled systematically, ensuring that messages reach the appropriate officials efficiently. The effective use of the wireless system was emphasized. Thorough pre-election preparations will ensure smooth operations on polling day. Regular patrolling by designated parties was also instructed to maintain order.
Adequate Force and Robust Security Measures
The meeting highlighted the deployment of over 35,000 Haryana police personnel (including SPOs), 112 companies of paramilitary forces, and over 24,000 home guards for the Lok Sabha elections. Additionally, 300 checkpoints will be established at intra-state and inter-state borders. The state will have 10,343 polling locations with 20,006 polling booths. Among these, 1,362 locations with 3,033 booths have been identified as critical, and 51 booths as vulnerable, necessitating additional police presence. There will also be 418 flying squads, 415 static surveillance teams, and 34 quick response teams. A total of 1,039 patrolling parties will ensure compliance with law and order and the model code of conduct, operating round-the-clock.
Training and Mock Exercises on New Laws
The meeting also discussed the implementation of three new laws. DGP Kapur emphasized the crucial role of district police commissioners and superintendents of police in enforcing these laws effectively. He directed them to ensure thorough training for investigating officers on these new laws. Mock exercises will be conducted after May 25 to prepare officers to confidently handle cases according to the new regulations by July 1, 2024.