Haryana Govt’s sop for 1.2 lakh contract staff hits poll code hurdle
Pradeep Sharma
Tribune News Service
Chandigarh, August 18
The Nayab Singh Saini government’s pre-poll bonanza of job security to over 1.2 lakh contractual employees has hit the model code of conduct hurdle.
Despite promulgation of an ordinance — Haryana Contractual Employees (Security of Tenure) Ordinance, 2024 — contractual employees will not be able to avail the job security benefits as the requisite letter from the Office of the Chief Secretary for the implementation of the ordinance is yet to be issued.
It’s a political jumla
The job security ordinance was a political jumla ahead of the Assembly poll given the fact that ECI’s nod is mandatory for its implementation. Also, that political stunt will not implemented till the formation of the new government in the state. Subhash Lamba, Employees’ body head
EC nod not a problem
Since the ordinance for job security to the contractual employees was issued before the imposition of the model code of conduct, necessary permission from the ECI for its implementation should not pose any problem. Varinder Garg, BJP poll committee member
With an eye on the October 1 Assembly poll, the Haryana Cabinet on August 8 cleared the ordinance to provide job security to contractual employees with five years’ service till the age of superannuation. The government promulgated the ordinance on August 14 after approval from the Governor.
However, the sudden announcement of the Haryana elections by the Election Commission of India on August 16 by the Election Commission of India (ECI) seems to have sent the BJP government’s plans of wooing the contractual staff by providing them job security ahead of the Assembly poll haywire.
Sources said despite the issuance of the ordinance, the requisite letter from the Office of the Chief Secretary to various departments could not be issued before the imposition of the model code of conduct.
“The Haryana Government will have to seek the permission of the ECI to issue the letter to the departments concerned for providing job security to the over 1.2 lakh contractual employees. Such permissions are usually not given by the ECI during the model code of conduct as the Opposition may allege that it is not being provided a level-playing field in the run-up to the Assembly poll,” a senior functionary of the Haryana Government said.
Meanwhile, Subhash Lamba, president, All-India State Government Employees Federation, doubted the intentions of the BJP government contending that the contractual employees were demanding regularisation of service and not mere job security at “low wages”.
However, Varinder Garg, member of the BJP state election committee, exuded confidence that getting permission from the ECI for the issuance of necessary letter should not pose any problem. “Since the ordinance was issued before the imposition of the model code of conduct, necessary permission from the ECI for its implementation should not pose any problem,” Garg asserted.
