Punjab Newsline | Chandigarh
The Punjab Cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann on Monday approved a key amendment to the Service Rules of the Election Department to strengthen the state's election machinery ahead of the upcoming Punjab Legislative Assembly elections.
The decision was taken during a meeting of the Council of Ministers chaired by the Chief Minister. The amendment aims to remove long-pending administrative hurdles, facilitate the smooth conduct of the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls and ensure adequate manpower for election-related work.
According to the Chief Minister’s Office, the Cabinet has reduced the minimum experience required for promotion from the post of Election Kanungo to Election Tehsildar from 15 years to 12 years.
The amendment was necessitated as seven posts of Election Tehsildar are currently lying vacant. With the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls and preparations for the forthcoming Assembly elections, the department requires Election Tehsildars urgently to manage election-related responsibilities efficiently.
Under the existing rules, none of the serving Election Kanungos qualify for promotion due to the 15-year experience requirement. The revised eligibility criteria will allow qualified officials to be promoted in the near future, helping the department fill vacancies and strengthen its election infrastructure.
In another important decision, the Cabinet approved the Annual Administrative Report of the Department of Water Resources for the financial year 2025-26.
The approval will help document and review the department’s administrative performance, achievements, and functioning during the year, while supporting better planning and governance in the water resources sector.
