Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Wednesday urged electricity employees’ unions to call off their three-day Statewide strike from Thursday and said the State government stands firmly with them in opposing the decision to grant a private company 25-year parallel electricity distribution licence in Gurugram and Nuh. At a review meeting with administrative secretaries, Mr. Saini said the government would challenge the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission’s (HERC) decision before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and vigorously pursue the case. He said the government is also willing to fight the case through lawyers of the unions’ choice, if they so wished, and that the doors for dialogue remain open. The Haryana Electricity Employees and Engineers Joint Front had announced the strike after the HERC, in an order dated October 19, granted Eleven Power Private Limited the licence under Section 14 of the Electricity Act, 2003. Now, over 8.3 lakh power consumers in Gurugram and Nuh, including households, farms, shops, industrial units and offices, can choose between two discoms. In a statement, the union had alleged that the decision would “undermine” the State-owned Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) by handing over high-revenue areas to a private player. Farmers’ organisations and Opposition parties had also condemned the move as “anti-people”. Mr. Saini directed all departments to remain proactive and ensure that the strike does not cause inconvenience to the public, particularly during the festive season. He also asked officials to ensure that antisocial elements do not exploit the situation to create disorder. The Chief Minister directed all Deputy Commissioners to constitute district-level committees to monitor the situation and regularly report to a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary. Meanwhile, Power Minister Anil Vij said the State government had not invited applications for granting the distribution licence to a private company. The HERC rules, however, allowed any company to apply for such a licence, he said. Mr. Vij said the government, along with the Haryana Power Engineers’ Association, had opposed granting the licence to a private company from the outset. Gurugram Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh has directed electricity officials to ensure uninterrupted power supply and the functioning of essential services during the strike. At a meeting with electricity officials, Mr. Singh directed them to closely monitor power supply to essential services, including hospitals, water supply facilities and metro operations, and to make adequate arrangements to deal with any emergency. He stressed the need for coordination among departments to minimise inconvenience to residents. He also appealed to residents to contact the DHBVN’s toll-free helpline numbers in case of power supply disruptions or emergencies. A large number of employees of both State-owned power distribution companies — the DHBVN and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam — and members of various unions are expected to participate in the strike. The discoms are making alternative arrangements to maintain uninterrupted electricity supply. Employees of Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited, which manages power generation through thermal and other State plants, and the Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited, which handles power transmission and State grid operations, are also likely to take part in the strike.
Published - October 22, 2026 12:53 am IST