Job Security of 1.20 Lakh Haryana Employees in Jeopardy

The Haryana government had approved an ordinance to provide job security to 1.20 lakh temporary employees working in various government departments, boards, corporations, and institutions for over five years. However, the model code of conduct has come into force before the ordinance could be implemented, putting the employees' job security in jeopardy. 

The ordinance was approved in a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on August 14, and its notification was issued the same day. However, the next day was a holiday, and the model code of conduct came into force on August 16, putting a halt to the implementation of the ordinance.

Two reasons have been cited for the delay in implementing the ordinance. Firstly, the necessary instructions for implementing the ordinance have not been issued yet, and now the government will need to seek permission from the Election Commission of India (ECI) to issue these instructions. Secondly, officials are hesitant to issue such orders during the model code of conduct period as it may lead to controversy.

This development has not only affected the temporary employees but also the extension lecturers working in government colleges, who were expecting job security through an ordinance that was to be introduced in the next cabinet meeting. Similarly, NHM employees who are on strike will also not get any relief from the government.

It is worth noting that in 2014, the then Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda's government had issued regularization policies in June 2014, but some department officials did not issue orders for regularization till the model code of conduct came into force, leaving many temporary employees without regularization.