Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini has urged electricity employees to call off a three-day statewide strike beginning Thursday, as the State government prepares to challenge a licence allowing a private company to distribute power alongside the State-owned discom in Gurugram and Nuh. The proposed industrial action could affect power services and essential operations during the festive season.
The Haryana Electricity Employees and Engineers Joint Front announced the strike after the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission (HERC), in an order dated October 19, granted Eleven Power Private Limited a 25-year parallel electricity distribution licence under Section 14 of the Electricity Act, 2003. The order means more than 8.3 lakh consumers in Gurugram and Nuh—including households, farms, shops, industrial units and offices—can choose between two electricity distribution companies.
At a review meeting with administrative secretaries, Mr. Saini said the State government stood firmly with the employees in opposing the decision. He said Haryana would challenge the HERC order before the Appellate Tribunal for Electricity and pursue the case vigorously. The government was also willing to fight the case through lawyers chosen by the unions, he said, while adding that channels for dialogue remained open.
The unions have alleged that the licence could weaken Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam (DHBVN) by allowing a private operator to enter high-revenue areas. Farmers’ organisations and Opposition parties have also criticised the decision, describing it as anti-people. The State government has said it opposed the grant of the licence from the outset.
Power Minister Anil Vij said the Haryana government had not invited applications for a private distribution licence. The HERC rules, however, allowed any eligible company to apply, he said. Mr. Vij added that the government and the Haryana Power Engineers’ Association had opposed the private licence since the process began.
Mr. Saini directed all departments to ensure that the strike did not inconvenience residents. He asked Deputy Commissioners to constitute district-level committees to monitor the situation and report regularly to a high-level committee headed by the Chief Secretary. Officials were also instructed to prevent antisocial elements from exploiting the strike to create disorder.
In Gurugram, Deputy Commissioner Uttam Singh directed electricity officials to ensure uninterrupted supply and maintain essential services during the proposed strike. Officials were asked to closely monitor electricity supply to hospitals, water supply facilities and metro operations, and to make arrangements for emergencies. Residents were advised to contact DHBVN’s toll-free helplines in case of outages or other power-related emergencies.
Employees of both State-owned distribution companies—DHBVN and Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran Nigam—are expected to participate in the strike, along with members of several unions. Staff of Haryana Power Generation Corporation Limited and Haryana Vidyut Prasaran Nigam Limited, which manage generation and transmission operations respectively, are also likely to join. The discoms have said they are making alternative arrangements to maintain electricity supply during the strike.
