Paid Holiday on May 10 in Haryana in View of Municipal Body Elections

Paid leave to be granted to registered voters in the concerned areas

Chandigarh, May 7 – The Haryana Government has declared a paid holiday on May 10, 2026 (Sunday) for registered voters in the concerned areas in view of the General Elections to Urban Local Bodies.

A notification in this regard has been issued by Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi.

According to the notification, polling will be held on May 10 for the election of Mayor and all ward councillors in the Municipal Corporations of Ambala, Panchkula, and Sonipat; for the election of President and councillors in Rewari Municipal Council; and for the election of Presidents and councillors in the Municipal Committees of Sampla in Rohtak district, Dharuhera in Rewari district, and Uklana in Hisar district.

In addition, by-elections will also be conducted in six vacant wards. These include Ward No. 17 of Municipal Council Tohana (Fatehabad), Ward No. 13 of Municipal Council Jhajjar, Ward No. 11 of Municipal Committee Rajound (Kaithal), Ward No. 08 of Municipal Committee Taraori (Karnal), Ward No. 14 of Municipal Committee Kanina (Mahendragarh), and Ward No. 09 of Municipal Committee Sadhaura (Yamunanagar).

Under Section 135-B of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, all employees of the Haryana Government who are registered voters in the above-mentioned areas will be granted paid leave in all Haryana Government offices, boards, corporations, and educational institutions to enable them to cast their votes.

Similarly, employees and workers employed in factories, shops, and private establishments located in Haryana, who are registered voters in the concerned areas, will also be granted paid leave for exercising their franchise.

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Haryana Strengthens Elder Welfare Framework; Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi Calls for Compassionate and Time-Bound Justice for Senior Citizens

District Authorities Directed to Reinforce Old Age Homes, Helplines and Elder Care Mechanisms

Chandigarh, May 7 — Haryana Chief Secretary Sh. Anurag Rastogi on Thursday called upon Deputy Commissioners, Sub-Divisional Magistrates (SDMs) and district authorities across the state to become fully sensitised to the provisions of the law and discharge their responsibilities towards senior citizens with compassion, commitment and accountability. He stressed the need for timely intervention and continuous monitoring to ensure dignity, care and social security for the elderly.

The Chief Secretary was addressing a state-level workshop on the Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act, 2007 and the Haryana Maintenance of Parents and Senior Citizens Rules, 2009. Organised by the Social Justice, Empowerment, Welfare of Scheduled Castes Backward Classes and Antyodaya (SEWA) Department, the workshop was attended by Deputy Commissioners, SDMs, legal experts, representatives of welfare organisations and several individuals actively engaged in elderly care initiatives across Haryana.

Highlighting the changing social structure, Sh. Rastogi observed that the gradual transition from joint family systems to nuclear families has significantly altered traditional support mechanisms for the elderly. He said many senior citizens today are either dependent on a single child or living alone, making institutional safeguards and effective implementation of welfare laws more important than ever before.

He noted that the very need for such legislation emerged only in recent decades as social and family dynamics evolved rapidly. “This law is not merely a legal mechanism to ensure financial support for elderly parents, but a broader social and moral commitment to guarantee respect, dignity, healthcare, shelter and emotional security to senior citizens,” he said.

Sh. Rastogi emphasised that the provisions of the Act and the rules framed under it must be implemented sincerely and in the true spirit in which they were enacted. He added that awareness campaigns, workshops and sensitisation programmes play a vital role in strengthening understanding of the law and ensuring timely disposal of cases concerning senior citizens.

Additional Chief Secretary, SEWA Department, Smt. G. Anupama said that while maintaining law and order and handling administrative responsibilities remain important functions of civil servants, ensuring social justice is equally critical and far more sensitive in nature. She said social justice forms the foundation of humane governance and officers must approach such responsibilities with empathy and dedication.

Officials informed during the workshop that the rules provide for active participation of social workers and NGO representatives within the tribunal system. Conciliation Officers associated with welfare organisations assist in amicable settlement of family disputes involving senior citizens and are provided honorarium for successful settlements. NGO representatives are also included in Maintenance Tribunals and Appellate Tribunals to ensure that social sensitivity remains central to the justice delivery process.

Reviewing the Annual Progress Report for 2025, officials revealed that maintenance allowances were granted to 177 elderly citizens during the year.

The workshop also elaborated upon the functioning of the Maintenance Tribunal system under the Act. Senior citizens unable to maintain themselves can file applications before tribunals by paying a nominal fee. Tribunals are empowered to order monthly maintenance of up to ₹10,000 and may also grant interim maintenance during the pendency of proceedings. In cases of non-compliance, authorities are empowered to initiate recovery proceedings and even imprisonment against defaulting respondents.

Special focus was laid on abandoned and indigent senior citizens earning less than ₹1,500 per month. District Magistrates were informed that they are empowered to refer such cases to tribunals suo motu without waiting for formal complaints from the affected persons.

The Chief Secretary also directed district authorities to strengthen old age homes, senior citizen clubs, emergency shelter facilities, healthcare support systems and district-level helplines for elderly citizens. He further emphasised the need to ensure registration and regular monitoring of all government and non-government old age homes operating in the state.

Director, SEWA Department, Sh. Prashant Panwar, Joint Director Sh. Arpit Gahlawat and other senior officers were also present during the workshop.

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Haryana Advocate General Office fully digitalised

Becomes India’s First Completely Digital Advocate General Office

Pro Case Management System launched live by Haryana Advocate General Pravindra Singh Chauhan

Chandigarh, May 7: Taking a major step towards administrative and legal reforms, the Advocate General's Office of Haryana has now become completely digitalised. Under the leadership of Ld. Advocate General Sh. Pravindra Singh Chauhan, Haryana, has become the first state in India where all legal operations in the Advocate General Office are being conducted entirely through digital systems. This achievement is being regarded as a new benchmark not only for Haryana but for the entire country.

On Thursday afternoon, Haryana Advocate General, Sh. Pravindra Singh Chauhan officially launched the Pro Case Management System (PCMS) live, marking the beginning of a new era of digital legal administration.

The digital transformation journey began around six months ago when Advocate General, Sh. Pravindra Singh Chauhan appointed Senior Deputy Advocate General, Sh. Arun Tewatia as the IT and IT Security Nodal Officer and Chairman of the Computer Committee. He was entrusted with the responsibility of converting all manual operations of the office into digital processes. Thereafter, work was initiated in mission mode, transforming the traditional functioning of the office into a modern digital system.

Advocate General, Sh. Pravindra Singh Chauhan said that this vision has now been fully accomplished. He explained that the backbone of this digital ecosystem is the Pro Case Management System (PCMS), an advanced extension of the Litigation Management System (LMS). Through this platform, vetting, legal opinions, case-related correspondence, and litigation management between the Advocate General Office and various government departments are now being carried out completely digitally. This has significantly accelerated workflows and minimised unnecessary delays.

He further informed that all case-related documents—including paper books, replies, written statements, and previous court orders—are now securely available in PDF format. This has nearly eliminated dependency on physical files while enhancing transparency, efficiency, and accessibility.

Meanwhile, Senior Deputy Advocate General, Sh. Arun Tewatia said that several modern e-governance modules have also been introduced by the IT and IT Security Division.

He said that through e-Roster, law officers will receive immediate access to paper books, replies, and final court orders directly in their accounts. e-Judgement will enable instant access to court judgments and orders. e-Vetting will make legal scrutiny and review processes faster and easier. Through e-Opinion, departments will receive legal advice more quickly. e-Pairvi will ensure greater transparency and accuracy in case presentations and summaries. A seven-layer QR code-based security-enabled visitor management system has been implemented through e-Visitor Pass.

The e-Organisational Chart will provide digital information regarding all law officers and employees. The e-Dashboard will display real-time information related to total cases pertaining to Haryana, including urgent, ordinary, COCP, and court-wise matters. Additionally, e-Directory will serve as a digital platform containing contact details of nodal officers of all government departments.

Advocate General, Sh. Pravindra Singh Chauhan said that these innovations have established a completely digital legal ecosystem within the Advocate General Office, enabling work to be carried out with greater speed, transparency, and accountability.

This initiative reflects Haryana’s administrative capability and technological vision. At the same time, it establishes a new national benchmark in the modernisation of legal institutions across India.

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