Hisar, August 26
The Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) would support the Congress in the Assembly elections, said ad hoc panel senior vice-president Didar Singh Nalvi.

“The HSGMC has in principle agreed to back the Congress in the elections as the party kept its promise of forming a separate gurdwara body for the state,” he told The Tribune today. The HSGMC was expected to call a meeting of its members in a couple of days to discuss the strategy for campaign, Nalvi said.

HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda, however, said he would soon call a meeting of the committee to discuss the issue. “The Congress fulfilled the long-pending demand of the Haryana Sikhs at a time when some parties were opposed to it. The HSGMC will factor in this point before taking a stand. We are awaiting the announcement of elections,” he said.

The SGPC senior vice-president, Raghujeet Singh Virk, questioned the HSGMC’s authority as it was an “illegal body”. “The HSGMC leaders who claim to be representatives of Haryana Sikhs are pawns of the Congress. Akal Takht has declared them tankhaiyas and the Sikhs will boycott their call,” the SGPC leader from Karnal said.

The state is home to nearly 20 lakh Sikhs and they can play a deciding role in multi-cornered contests. Political experts say Sikh voters have influence in nearly 30 Assembly segments of Kurukshetra, Kaithal, Ambala and Karnal and Sirsa districts. 

Chandigarh, August 26
As many as 30,40,975 new voters — 15,58,996 men and 14,81,979 women — will vote in the Assembly elections in October.

In all, 1,61,58,117 voters — including 87,08,830 men and 74,49,287 women — will exercise their franchise this time. In 2009, there were 1,31,17,142 voters, of which 71,49,834 were men and 59,67,308 women. The state electoral rolls have been updated up to July 31.

Haryana Chief Electoral Officer Shrikant Walgad today said Faridabad district topped the list with 12,20,710 voters, including 6,82,521 men and 5,38,189 women, whereas Panchkula district has the minimum number of voters – 3,48,969 (1,85,837 men and 1,63,132 women).

Hisar district has 11,48,534 voters out of which 6,20,049 are males and 5,28,485 females. Bhiwani district has 10,47,514 voters out of which 5,60,659 are men and 4,86,855 women; Gurgaon district has 9,87,710 voters, including 5,21,455 men and 4,66,255 women.

Similarly, Karnal district has 9,57,922 voters out of which 5,14,949 are men and 4,42,973 women; Sonepat district has 9,44,538 voters out of which 5,17,466 are men and 4,27,072 women; Sirsa district has 8,52,037 voters, including 4,52,787 men and 3,99,250 women; Jind district has 8,56,398 voters out of which 4,66,375 are men and 3,90,023 women; and Ambala district has 7,64,750 voters, including 4,07,741 men and 3,57,009 women.

Yamunanagar district has 7,68,178 out of which 4,14,801 are men and 3,53,377 women; Panipat district has 7,51,453 voters — 4,08,713 men and 3,42,740 women; Rohtak district has 6,99,902 voters, including 3,77,970 men and 3,21,932 women; Kaithal district 6,89,244 voters, including 3,72,734 men and 3,16,510 women; Jhajjar district has 6,55,162 voters.

Kurukshetra district has 6,38,812 voters out of which 3,38,921 are men and 2,99,891 women; Fatehabad district has 6,15,942 voters, including 3,25,898 men and 2,90,044 women; Rewari district has 5,91,549 out of which 3,11,277 are men and 2,80,272 women; and Mahendergarh district has 5,97,492 voters. 

Kaithal, August 26
The demand for 15 Assembly seats from the Congress by a Haryana Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (HSGMC) member Amarinder Singh Arora has brought to the fore fissures in the ad hoc committee.

Jagdish Singh Jhinda, HSGMC president, said the committee did not demand tickets for Sikhs of the state. “The HSGMC has not discussed any election- related issue so far. The demand for 15 seats is a big decision which will be taken after a detailed discussion,” he said.

Sikh organisations supporting the HSGMC, in a meeting in Karnal yesterday, had demanded 15 seats for “adequate representation of Sikhs in the Assembly”.

Jhinda, though, questioned Arora’s authority. “He is an ordinary member of the HSGMC and not state chief of its youth wing, as Arora has been claiming.”

When Arora was countered on this, he said Jhinda did not have the right to insult him by calling him an ordinary member and claimed that he had a letter signed by Jhinda, proving his appointment as the state chief of the youth wing. “I will fight for the right of Haryana Sikhs. The path of confrontation will not deliver justice to the community. It is imperative to have a representation in the Assembly,” Arora said, adding that he along with other members would meet Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda soon.

Jhinda said he had not issued any appointment letter to Arora. “He might have prepared some letter on his own,” he added.

What’s the matter

* Sikh organisations supporting the HSGMC, in a meeting in Karnal on Monday, had demanded 15 seats for ‘adequate representation of Sikhs in the Assembly’

* HSGMC president Jagdish Singh Jhinda, however, said the committee did not demand tickets for Sikhs of the state

* He questioned Arora’s authority. ‘He is an ordinary member of the HSGMC and not state chief of its youth wing, as Arora has been claiming.’ Jhinda said

New Delhi, August 26
Even while the Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) is uncertain over the fate of its alliance with the BJP, the Punjabi community today queered the pitch for 25 tickets in the forthcoming Assembly election.

An apex body of socio-cultural organisations of Punjabis, the Shiromani Akhil Bharatiya Punjabi Jagriti Manch, today suggested to its president and former state home minister Subhash Batra to quit the HJC if the party was not prepared to give ticket to its members. Batra had joined the HJC last week and was immediately named chairperson of the party’s campaign committee.

Manch office-bearers, including general secretary Harish Azad, in a joint letter to Batra, said: “You hold an important position in the HJC. If you cannot ensure ticket to the Punjabis in Assembly constituencies dominated by them, you should resign.” A copy of the letter accessed by The Tribune has been sent to HJC president Kuldeep Bishnoi.

They have reminded Batra that the manch publicly staked claim to 25 seats in the past. These seats are: Sirsa, Hisar, Hansi, Fatehabad, Rohtak, Sonepat, Panipat, Karnal, Ambala, Yamunanagar, Jagadhri, Kurukshetra, Jind, Pehwa, Palwal, Tohana, Bhiwani, Panchkula, Kalka, Gurgaon, Faridabad (city), NIT (Faridabad), Badkhal, Gharaunda and Barwala.

Speculation is rife that the HJC is planning to give ticket to non-Punjabis for the Hisar, Hansi, Fatehabad, Panchkula and Gharaunda seats. The manch has cautioned the HJC not to deprive Punjabis of ticket for the constituencies where they demographically dominate. It has kept its options open with regard its support to political parties.

In the annals of Haryana politics, the highest number of Punjabis to have been elected to the Haryana Assembly is 17 in the 1987 election; they were BJP members. The Lok Dal (earlier avtaar of the present INLD) and the BJP had contested the election as allies winning 87 of the 90 seats. The then Haryana BJP chief, late Dr Mangal Sein, was the Deputy Chief Minister in the coalition.

The second highest number of Punjabis elected is 14 in the 1991 election; they won on Congress ticket. Subsequently, 11 out of them got berth in the council of ministers headed by Bhajan Lal.

Gharaunda, August 26
Known for keen electoral contests, this Assembly segment is one of those seats where voters here have tended to vote for the opposition when there is a clear wave for the winning party.

As a result, development has been a casualty for the past decade. For two successive terms, the voters have chosen to elect their representatives from the losing side.

As per political pundits, the residents of the segment have been exercising their franchise as per their wishes, but they have had to bear its cost. Now, the people are resentful of being deprived of any big project for this area on this account.

How parties fared

As per the Election Commission data, there have been 11 elections since 1967. Out of which, the INLD and Lok Dal have retained the seat for four tenures while the BJP, JNP and BJS have won this seat for three terms each. The Congress won from here three times, while the Indian National Congress Organisation (INCO) won it once.

M Chand had won the election on the Congress ticket in 1967, followed by Rajbir Singh of BJS in 1968, Rulia Ram of NCO in 1972, Ram Pal Singh of JNP in 1977.

In 1982, Vedpal of the Congress had won from here, while Piru Ram of LKD won in 1987, followed by Ram Pal Singh of Congress in 1991. BJP’s Ramesh won the seat in 1996. Since then the seat has been won by the INLD. In 2000, Ramesh Rana won from here followed by his wife Rekha in 2005. In 2009, the seat was again won by its candidate Narinder Sangwan.

MLA, a ‘disappointment’

Narinder Sangwan, the sitting MLA of the INLD, has been able to retain his ticket, but lack of development would be a big hurdle once he faces the voters. Though he claims to have raised issues of underdevelopment and neglect in the Assembly, but the truth is that no big project was sanctioned during his tenure.

“I raised several issues for the development of this Assembly, but no one paid heed as I belong to the INLD. I have executed several works on my own. I raised the issue of widening of the Meerut road many times, besides establishing a girl's college, upgrade of a local hospital and many other issues, but to no avail,” Sangwan said.

Virinder Rathore of the Congress, who was the runner-up and Harvinder Kalyan (now in the BJP), who came third are canvassing by highlighting the neglect of the Assembly segment by Sangwan.

“The local legislator took no interest in any development work. He has failed to meet the demands of the residents of this segment,” Rathore said. 

Mahendragarh, August 26
Accusing local Congress MLA and Chief Parliamentary Secretary (CPS) Rao Daan Singh of minting money through land deals, INLD leader Abhay Chautala said his party would release a CD to expose the former before the polls.

He was addressing a party worker’s meeting organised by INLD nominee from Mahendragarh and MLA from Nangal Chaudhary, Rao Bahadur Singh, at local vegetable market here today.

“The CD will not only expose the CPS’ misdeeds but also apprise the common man how the Hooda government has provided shelter to corrupt politicians by giving them a free hand to collect crores in the guise of change of land use (CLU),” he said.

The Hooda regime has failed on all fronts and is time for the pubic to teach a lesson to the ‘government of property dealers’ whose ministers and MLAs did nothing except amass money by selling the valuable land of farmers in the name of development, he pointed out.

“I have so far addressed public meetings in 75 assembly segments and everywhere the people are openly criticising the government for ignoring their grievances. This resentment against the Congress is a clear indication that the people have made up their mind to oust the party from power in polls,” he said. He urged the workers to toil hard for ensuring the party’s victory in the polls, especially at the booth level.

INLD state president Ashok Arora said the government was responsible for unemployment, crime, inflation and corruption during its tenure. All sections of society were on the verge of devastation owing to wrong policies of the government, he added.

Fatehabad, August 26
Former minister and BJP leader Ganeshi Lal called HJC supremo Kuldeep Bishnoi egoistic. Lal, who was here today to lead the Vijay Sankalp Yatra, said so when the media asked him about the future of his party’s alliance with the HJC. 

“Bishnoi is an egoistic person who cannot see beyond himself. He should shed his self-centered approach and realise that any alliance at this stage can be on realistic terms and not on his own,” he said. — TNS

Faridabad, August 26
The delay in the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway project seems to be hotting up to become an issue for the Assembly poll in the state. The district unit of the BJP has described it as a major failure of the present Hooda government and has claimed that it was fit to be raised as an issue.

Ajay Gaur, district BJP chief, said the ongoing delay in various projects and schemes, including the KMP, had emerged as a matter of concern after Narendra Modi-led NDA government had announced to focus on infrastructure development of the highways and roads in the country. He said the PM’s recent visit to Kaithal recently to lay the foundation stone of the new expressway speaks volume about the importance being given to it by the Modi government.

He said while the project, which had been lying incomplete for five years due to apathy of the state government, was required to be raised before the voters, as it was public money that had gone waste with no relief to the masses.

The 135.6-km-long Delhi Western Peripheral Expressway or the Kundli-Manesar-Palwal (KMP) Expressway project, was taken up in July 2009 to provide a bypass for traffic coming from the north and south of Delhi on NH-1, NH-2 and NH-8.

The Rs 1,760 crore project was to become operational in September 2009. In July 2014, the physical progress was around 70 per cent and the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways had asked the state government to resume the work within two months, failing which the ministry was ready to get the balance work executed through the NHAI.

Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Krishan Pal Gurjar had also written to the state government to hand over the work of KMP to the Centre for completion.

New Delhi, August 26
BJP president Amit Shah has appointed Madhya Pradesh (MP) Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya as in charge of the Haryana elections.

Handing over the state’s responsibility to the MP may come as a surprise for many, but senior party leaders term it a “smart move” aimed at countering the well-established leaders of the region, including Congress’ Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

“He is known for his organisational capabilities and grass-root connect, someone who can be easily called the Amit Shah of MP,” they say. “Shah’s strategies include countering a challenge with an equal challenge. So if money and muscle power is the challenge, Vijayvargiya can be one of the best persons to counter it,” say the senior party leaders.

Besides, as an outsider he can help bring cohesiveness in the party. The BJP’s biggest problem is the absence of a big name to counter the Hooda’s and the Chautala’s. The many CM candidates within the party, working against each other, are adding to it. This is where the dabang-style leader, also known as the “don” of his area, may come handy.

Karnal, August 26
The BJP launched a campaign to highlight the ground reality of the Congress government’s claims of large scale development in Karnal, by releasing a CD today.

The party’s state spokesman Jagmohan Anand released this CD, containing a 10-minute long documentary exposing the pathetic conditions of the delayed projects, which are hanging fire for a long time.

To reach out to the masses, we have chosen to distribute a CD among the voters of the constituency ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections for making them aware of the real situation of the constituency, said Anand.

He added the CD would expose the lethargic approach of the state government towards construction work going on at the Kalpana Chawla Government Medical College.

While interacting with the mediapersons, he said, “The historical Karan Taal, a place associated with the Mahabharata, has been neglected by the government and is lying in a deplorable state.”

The CD also showcases the poor conditions of roads and traffic congestion leading to traffic jams in the city. Trashing the claims of the Chief Minister, who blamed the BJP for booing him at the Kaithal rally, Anand said it was the public’s anger towards Congress’ misdeeds.

Claiming the announcements made by the CM at the Panipat rally were just a ‘poll gimmick’ Anand said if Bhupinder Singh Hooda intended to fulfil such promises, he would have implemented them over the last 10 years.

Rewari, August 26
Karnal MP Ashwani Chopra, who is also the editor of a Hindi daily, has come under fire from his party here for persistently publishing reports against Union Minister of State for Defence and Gurgaon MP, Rao Inderjit, in his newspaper.

A number of Rao’s supporters took out a rally against Chopra, burnt his effigy, and raised slogans against him and his newspaper. The protesters said his paper was publishing false and fabricated reports against Inderjit to tarnish his image.

“We will no longer tolerate such disinformation about our leader and will not hesitate to hold a massive demonstration in Delhi if Chopra does not stop publishing fabricated news against our leader,” said Sunil Yadav, a local BJP leader.

Yadav said by publishing such propaganda against the minister, Chopra was lowering the image of the party and sending a wrong message to the party rank and file. “We have also decided to boycott this newspaper and will also motivate the people to do so,” he said.

Rohtak, August 26
A day after two teenage girls committed suicide after they were repeatedly stalked and molested, the police arrested the main accused and rounded up some youths for questioning.

Women grieve at Madhu’s house in Rohtak. The girls’ bodies were cremated on Tuesday. Photo: Manoj Dhaka

The main accused has been identified as Lokesh Dalal of Singhpura village on the town’s outskirts. The girl’s had mentioned his name in their suicide note, which was produced in a local court today. Dalal was sent to two days in police custody.

Investigators are exploring various angles to find the reason behind the girls’ suicide. Madhu and Nikita’s call details revealed they used to talk frequently and also went for their tuition classes together. As per the investigators theory, both girls committing suicide merely after being stalked seems a bit far-fetched.

“A case under Sections 306 (abetment to suicide), 354-D (stalking) and relevant clause of harassment under the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences Act has been registered against the accused while Lokesh Dalal has been arrested,” said DSP (City) Karan Goel.

The DSP said Dalal confessed that he used to stalk Madhu and Nikita.

Madhu and Nikita were friends and used to go to Babra Mohalla for tuitions. On Monday, they bought two soft drinks from a shop near their tuition centre. A little later, their condition deteriorated and they fell unconscious while being taken to hospital. They were preparing for the IIT/engineering entrance examination.

Madhu’s uncle Ombir Lathar said Madhu had never complained about being stalked. “We learnt that Nikita had told her coaching teacher that some youths had been stalking them for the last two-three months. The teacher, in turn, intimated this to Nikita’s father, who accompanied the girls to the coaching centre. However, the stalker(s) did not turn up on those occasions when the girls were accompanied by Nikita’s father,” he stated.

Meanwhile, the victims’ bodies were handed over to their family members today after the post-mortem examination. The postmortem confirms death due to poisoning, but the details of the kind of poison consumed by them would be known after the forensic examination.

Sonepat, August 26
The police have arrested two persons for allegedly raping a minor Hindu girl, converting her to Islam and forcing her to marry one of them, among other charges.

Both accused — Manish alias Munna and his brother Noor Hasan alias Noora of Bandepur village in the district — were produced in court today and sent to judicial custody. They were arrested yesterday from a local bus stand. Their relative is on the run. The girl from Pratapgarh district in Uttar Pradesh started living with her aunt (father’s sister) in Sonepat after the death of her parents. She worked as a labourer 
in a nursery owned by Manish, known to her aunt’s husband.

She alleged that about one-and-a-half years ago, Manish and his accomplices forcibly took her to Bahadurgarh and converted her religion. Then he married her in a religious place and took her to Saharanpur in UP, where she learnt that he was already married with three children. In the meantime, she gave birth to a child.

The victim alleged that Manish’s accomplices raped her. Later, Manish divorced her and married her off to his relative, the third accused, in Gannaur. She, however, managed to escape, reached Sonepat and narrated her ordeal to her relatives.

Dalbir Singh Dangi, SHO, Sadar police station, Sonepat, said the accused had been booked under 376-D (intercourse by any member of the management or staff of a hospital with any woman in that hospital), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 120-B (criminal conspiracy).

Sirsa, August 26
The police have booked a schoolteacher after a Class-9 student of Government Senior Secondary School at Sukera Khera village in Sirsa allegedly committed suicide by jumping into Rajasthan Canal last evening accusing the teacher of beating him up for not wearing uniform shoes.

The student has been identified as Jai Chand (15), son of Mulakh Raj Mahashya, of Sukera Khera village. The police recovered a suicide note, purportedly written by Jai, from his school bag that was lying on the banks of the canal.

In his suicide note, Jai alleged that Munish Yadav, a Post Graduate Teacher (PGT) posted in the school, who often harassed students, had beaten him up badly for not wearing uniform shoes.

A police spokesperson said a case under Section 306 of the IPC had been registered against the teacher. No arrest had been made so far in this connection. He said the police was investigating the matter.Villagers and family members of the victim alleged that the police was trying to save the accused due to unknown reasons. Meanwhile, the police said the victim’s body has been recovered from the canal. 

Corporal punishment

* Jai Chand (15) of Sukera Khera village jumped into the Rajasthan Canal accusing his teacher Munish Yadav of beating him up for not wearing uniform shoes

* In his suicide note, Jai also alleged that Yadav often harassed students

* A case under Section 306 of the IPC has been registered against him

Chandigarh, August 26
The state has amended its Police Act, ousting in the process retired judges from consideration for appointment as chairpersons or members of state and district-level police complaint authorities.

The state filed its written statements in two pending PILs filed by advocate HC Arora. He was seeking directions to the state government to appoint chairpersons and members of the state and district-level authorities by seeking a panel of retired judges from the Chief Justice.

At the time of issuing notice of motion to Haryana, the High Court had made it clear that the State of Haryana would carry out such appointments only by following the procedure laid down in Parkash Singh’s case.

In its written statements filed through Secretary, Home Department, Ramesh Krishan, it was stated that amended Section 59 of the relevant Act stated that the chairman and members of the state-level committee would be appointed by the chief minister from among persons of eminence with wide knowledge and experience of at least 20 years in the field of public life, academic, law, administration and governance, criminal administration and social work.

The appointment would be made on the recommendations by the state committee to be constituted for the purpose. The chairman and members of the district-level authority would be appointed by the chief minister from persons of eminence having wide knowledge and experience of at least 10 years in the field of public life, academic, law, administration and governance, criminal administration and social work. The PILs will now come up for hearing on December 2.

Chandigarh, August 26
Less than six months after Tosham-based BJP leader Rakesh Malik was shot in his Bhiwani office by two unidentified bike-borne youngsters, Excise and Taxation Minister Kiran Choudhry and her ex-MP daughter Shruti today denied allegations against them in the case.

The High Court had in a previous hearing issued notice of motion on a petition filed by Rakesh Malik’s wife Anita.

Her counsel had submitted that “the minister of the ruling party has been named in the statement by Krishan Kumar Malik, brother of the deceased, but the police was not proceeding with the investigations”.

As the case came up before Justice MS Sullar this morning, the petition was described as abuse of process of law and the respondents were not even remotely involved in the murder. Attempts were being made to implicate the respondents with the support of political rivals, it was added.

In the petition, Anita had earlier pointed a finger at Choudhry and others, while expressing dissatisfaction over the investigation by the state police. Malik, shot in February this year, was also the head of the Beopar Mandal and had recently joined the BJP after quitting the Congress.

Malik had returned after campaigning for the party at his Tosham office where the unidentified youths fired at him.

Chandigarh, August 26
The Haryana Government has reviewed its medical policy with respect to advance and reimbursement of medical claims.

The move will facilitate government employees, pensioners and their dependants in availing the facility of medical advance and reimbursement of medical bills on time.

Stating this here today, an official spokesperson said the instructions would be effective with immediate effect. He said in case of reimbursement of medical claim and medical advance, Head of office would have powers for medical reimbursement up to Rs 1 lakh, head of department’s power would be up to Rs 5 lakh and administrative department would have full powers. — TNS

Reimbursement & claims

In case of reimbursement of medical claim and medical advance, the head of office will have powers to clear bills up to ~1 lakh. Heads of department will have the power to clear bills up to ~5 lakh

Chandigarh, August 26
The state has enhanced ex gratia to families of Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) and Central Paramilitary Forces personnel who die in harness or are disabled in the line of duty while serving in operational areas in war or in a terrorist/militant attack.

A spokesperson said the government had also enlarged the scope of payment of ex gratia to include contingencies like performance of duties during natural calamities, elections, rescue operations etc which demand extra courage and dedication in the performance of duty.

The revised financial assistance structure would be Rs 20 lakh in case of death in war and action against militants or death, while on internal security duty operations, death during rescue operation, election duty, natural calamities against the existing rate of Rs 2.5 lakh, Rs 2 lakh and nil, respectively.

The revised rate of financial assistance for all eligible persons in case of disability (75 per cent and above) would be Rs 15 lakh against Rs 1 lakh; Rs 10 lakh in case of disability (50 per cent and 74 per cent) against Rs 75,000; and Rs 5 lakh in case of disability (25 per cent and 49 per cent) against Rs 50,000 at present.

The enhanced ex gratia would be applicable to those who were killed on or before February 19.

Meanwhile, the government decided that all posts, carrying functional pay band-2, 9,300-34,800+3,200 (grade pay) and 9,300-34,800+3,300 GP as on 1.1.2006, will be upgraded to PB-2, 9,300-34,800+3,600 GP with prospective effect.

A spokesperson said all posts, carrying functional pay band-2, Rs 9,300-34,800+3,600 GP as on 1.1.2006, will be upgraded to PB-2, 9,300-34,800+4,000 GP with prospective effect.

Chandigarh, August 26
Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda today expressed concern over the prevailing drought-like situation as about 60 per cent less rain has been recorded in the state this year.

The CM reviewed the situation in a meeting with senior officers concerned here today and directed them to submit their reports so that a memorandum could be submitted to the Centre.

He directed the officers of Irrigation, Power, Public Health Engineering, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Cooperation and Rural Development Departments to submit the estimates to the Revenue Department by tomorrow so that the same could be sent to the Centre for further action.

Additional Chief Secretary, Agriculture, Roshan Lal said, “Based on the loss so far suffered due to less rain and what the Agriculture Department foresees, it has prepared estimates amounting to Rs 1,753 crore.” — TNS

Rohtak, August 26
The 28th Ch Ranbir Singh Memorial National Sub-Junior Badminton Championship will be organised in Rohtak from September 1 to 7. Nearly 1,000 players from 31 states are likely to participate in the event.

This was stated by Haryana Financial Commissioner-cum-Principal Secretary (Energy) and Haryana Badminton Association president Devender Singh while addressing a press conference here today.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda would be the chief guest during the conclusion-cum-prize-distribution ceremony on September 7. — TNS