Haryana Employee Unions Initiate Strike, Demand Regularisation of 1.35 Lakh Contractual Workers
Employee unions across Haryana have commenced a significant strike today, intensifying their call for the regularisation of approximately 1.35 lakh contractual staff members. This industrial action forms part of a broader nationwide protest, with a particularly sharp focus in Haryana, where unions are pressing for multiple key demands.
Core Demands and Government Response
The unions are advocating for the full regularisation of contractual employees, a move aligned with a recent directive from the Punjab and Haryana High Court. Additionally, they seek the restoration of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and the urgent filling of all vacant sanctioned positions across various government departments. Sources within the state government indicate that authorities are exploring a balanced approach, with ongoing discussions to assess the feasibility of regularising employees who qualify under existing policies, while noting that some may not be covered at this stage.
High Court Directive and Union Stance
Justice Sandeep Moudgil of the Punjab and Haryana High Court issued a landmark judgment on December 31, 2025, allowing 41 petitions. The court mandated the government to regularise these petitioners in accordance with applicable laws and regularisation policies, such as those from 1993, 1996, 2003, and 2011. Furthermore, it ordered that employees with over ten years of service as of that date should also receive regularisation benefits, including pay fixation, arrears, and 6% annual interest from the due date. The entire process must be completed within eight weeks from receiving the certified judgment copy.
Subhash Lamba, national president of the All India State Government Employees Federation and Haryana affairs in charge, emphasised the union's position, stating, We demand full regularisation of HKRN employees, not merely job guarantees until age 58 for those with five years of service. The state government must act promptly in line with the high court's directive.
Historical Context and Political Developments
The issue of regularisation has a complex history in Haryana. The former Congress government under Bhupinder Singh Hooda formulated a policy in 2014 to regularise over 20,000 contractual employees ahead of assembly elections, but the high court overturned this policy in 2018. The subsequent BJP government appealed to the Supreme Court, where the matter remains sub judice. In a pre-election move in October 2024, the Haryana Cabinet approved an ordinance ensuring job security for contractual employees until superannuation. More recently, the government reopened the HKRN Limited portal to update and verify data for eligible employees.
Government and Union Perspectives
Haryana BJP spokesperson Sanjay Sharma defended the government's stance, asserting, The job guarantee provided to HKRN employees is nearly equivalent to regular employment, offering security until age 58. However, the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam issued a stern warning to employees participating in the strike, invoking the no work-no wages principle and threatening disciplinary action under relevant regulations for absenteeism.
This strike underscores the ongoing tensions between employee unions seeking permanent status and benefits and the government's cautious approach amid legal and policy considerations. The outcome of these discussions and the implementation of the high court's orders will be closely monitored in the coming weeks.
