Cabinet Approves Amendments to Service Rules of the Election Department

Chandigarh, 01 June (H.S.): The Punjab Cabinet,

led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann, on Monday approved an amendment to

the Election Department Service Rules to strengthen the state's election

machinery ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections.

The decision was taken during a Cabinet meeting held in

Chandigarh. The amendment is expected to remove long-pending administrative

hurdles, facilitate the smooth conduct of the ongoing Special Intensive

Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls, and ensure the availability of adequate

staff for election-related duties by filling key vacant positions.

According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Cabinet

has approved reducing the minimum experience required for promotion from the

post of Election Kanungo to Election Tehsildar from 15 years to 12 years. The

move became necessary as seven posts of Election Tehsildar are currently lying

vacant in the department.

Officials said the services of Election Tehsildars are

urgently required to manage election-related work efficiently, especially in

view of the ongoing revision of electoral rolls and preparations for future

elections. Under the existing rules, no serving Election Kanungo currently

fulfills the requirement of 15 years of experience, making them ineligible for

promotion.

To address the shortage, the department proposed

reducing the experience criterion to 12 years, enabling eligible Election

Kanungos to be promoted and ensuring that crucial positions are filled in a

timely manner. The government believes the amendment will strengthen the

election administration and improve the efficiency of electoral processes

across the state.

In another important decision, the Cabinet also approved

the Annual Administrative Report of the Water Resources Department for the

financial year 2025-26. The approval will facilitate documentation and review

of the department’s administrative activities, achievements and performance

during the financial year.

The state government said that the report will serve as

an important tool for assessing departmental progress and improving future

planning and implementation of water resource management projects. The Cabinet

decisions are aimed at improving governance, enhancing administrative

efficiency and ensuring the smooth functioning of key government departments in

Punjab.

Hindusthan Samachar / GURSHARAN SINGH