Latest news with #BDPO
Time of India
4 days ago
- General
- Time of India
Panchayati land auction sparks unrest in Patiala village
Patiala: Farmers belonging to Bathoi Kalan in Patiala district on Wednesday staged a protest at the Patiala BDPO office in an effort to halt the ongoing auction process of panchayati land within the village. During the protest, a minor clash also erupted between two groups from the village, which included Dalits and the farmers currently cultivating the panchayati land. Secretary, BKU (Ekta Ugrahan), Patiala, Balraj Joshi explained that the village possesses a total of 603 acres of panchayati land. This land has been under cultivation by the farmers for several decades. However, the district administration now intends to allocate this land to the members of the SC community living in the village. Joshi said those who had been tilling the land were opposed to this move, leading to a petition being filed in the Punjab and Haryana high court. According to Balraj: "The high court has stayed over 450 acres of this panchayati land, but more than 80 acres of agricultural land did not receive a stay due to technical issues experienced during the filing of the petition. The administration has now attempted to auction this land with the aim of distributing it to the SC community members and subsequently to corporate houses." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Alarme c/ Câmera Mais moderna do Mercado por até 40% Off Verisure Saiba Mais Undo BDPO Sukhwinder Singh Tiwana said: "The auction of nearly 98 acres of panchayati land was being held when some villagers along with farmer union members started to oppose the move. Out of 603 acres, 98 acres land was not under stay of the high court. We wanted to auction these 98 acres of which 1/3rd share was supposed to be given to the SC community members in the village as per law. Those who have illegally occupied the panchayati land are opposing this auction. " MSID:: 121626566 413 |
Hindustan Times
22-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Peddler's under-construction house razed in Kapurthala: Police
The district police, in coordination with the civil administration, razed an 'illegal' construction being carried out by a drug peddler on government land in Toti village in Sultanpur Lodhi sub-division of Kapurthala district on Wednesday, officials said. Senior superintendent of police (SSP) Gaurav Toora said the drug trafficker, identified as Surjit Singh, had illegally acquired 10 marlas of panchayat land and constructed a house using the drug money. He said the demolition was carried out on the orders of block development and panchayat officer (BDPO) Gurmeet Singh, with civil and police authorities using bulldozers to raze the illegal construction. 'Surjit Singh has faced seven cases under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act since 2013 across various police stations. His wife Kulwant Kaur is facing four and son Rahul seven NDPS cases. He is absconding. Surjit is in jail,' Toora said. He added that the district administration has escalated its crackdown by seizing properties worth ₹3.5 crore linked to drug trafficking with an additional ₹1.5 crore in properties under process for seizure. 'The court proceedings are actively underway to auction these assets, ensuring stringent action against illicit gains from the drug trade,' he said. BDPO Gurmeet Singh confirmed that Surjit Singh had encroached on panchayat land, and despite issuing notices for vacation, no valid response was received, leading to the demolition following due legal process.
Indian Express
15-05-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
Punjab and Haryana HC okays direct recruitment to 50% posts of BDPOs in Haryana
The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld a key amendment to the Haryana Development and Panchayat Rules, 2016, dismissing two petitions that challenged the state's move to allow up to 50% of promotional quota posts for Block Development and Panchayat Officers (BDPOs) to be filled by direct recruitment. The verdict, delivered on May 14 by a bench of Justice Sanjeev Prakash Sharma and Justice Meenakshi I. Mehta, backs the state government's decision to tackle a critical shortage of BDPOs in rural areas. The two writ petitions – CWP Nos. 2975 and 3067 of 2024 – were filed by Harish Kumar and others, and Jagdish Ram and others, all serving as Social Education and Panchayat Officers (SEPOs). They contended that the 2019 amendment unfairly restricted their promotion prospects by diverting 50% of BDPO posts from promotion to direct recruitment if eligible SEPOs were unavailable. The petitioners argued that the move violated Article 14 of the Constitution, which guarantees equality before the law. Justice Sharma, however, underscored the state's authority under Article 309 to frame and amend service rules. 'The power of the State Government to frame rules and also amend the same is absolute… Judicial review is only limited to the extent of examining the nexus and the purpose sought to be achieved,' he said. He clarified that the proviso enabling direct recruitment in place of promotion was not an override, but a necessary exception owing to the 'huge paucity of BDPOs.' Initially, the 2016 Rules mandated that 50% of BDPO posts be filled by promotion from SEPOs and the other 50% through direct recruitment. The 2019 amendment reduced the qualifying experience for promotion from 10 to 7 years and added a proviso: if no eligible SEPOs were available, promotional posts could be filled directly, with a return to promotion-based filling for future vacancies. The petitioners, appointed as SEPOs in 2021, argued that this would delay their promotion until 2028, by which time they would be eligible, since directly recruited BDPOs would occupy posts for years. They claimed this frustrated legitimate career progression. Advocate General Parvindra Singh Chauhan, representing the state, defended the amendment as a step to ensure uninterrupted rural governance. An affidavit by Secretary Dusmanta Kumar Behera revealed that of 143 sanctioned BDPO posts, only 84 were occupied, with 25 still vacant despite recruitment efforts. Rejecting the petitioners' contentions, the court observed, 'We are satisfied that sufficient reasons are available with the State Government for making the amendment… The contention regarding non-availability of posts for promotion in future is wholly misconceived.' The bench added that as BDPOs are promoted further, opportunities for SEPOs would naturally open up. The court also vacated interim stay orders and allowed the state to go ahead with the recruitment process for 37 BDPO posts, advertised on November 17, 2023. Marked non-reportable, the judgment was delivered without costs and disposed of all pending applications.
Time of India
26-04-2025
- Time of India
Daulewala, village in Moga district declared ‘notorious for drugs' in 2014, faces ‘bulldozer justice'; houses of 4 accused in NDPS cases demolished
Bathinda: A village in Moga district, once known for distilling hooch and now infamous for the sale of heroin, on Saturday stood witness to Punjab Police's "bulldozer justice" against people involved in the drug trade. Punjab Police personnel and officials of Moga district administration reached Daulewala village in Dharamkot subdivision during the day to bulldoze houses belonging to three men and a woman from the village who are facing multiple drug FIRs in drug cases. The demolished structures, said Moga senior superintendent of police Ajay Gandhi, had been built by encroaching upon land illegally or constructed with ill-gotten money. On May 29, 2014, Punjab Police had installed a board outside the village which stated that Daulewala was notorious for drugs and people coming to the village were under surveillance. This evoked sharp reactions, and the board was removed the next day. Whenever a drive against drugs is launched, it passes through Daulewala. For quite some time now, the village had not been in the news. Falling under Kot Ise Khan police station, Daulewala lies close to the Satluj river. A number of residents of Daulewala migrated from Pakistan during Partition. Being close to the Satluj, there were earlier complaints of people distilling illegal liquor, and over time, the village became infamous for various types of drugs, including chitta (Heroin). Gandhi said, "As per the report prepared by Moga block development and panchayat officer (BDPO), the four houses in Daulewala were found to be built on encroached land, and when the entire record was checked, it was also found that the owners face multiple FIRs under sections of IPC and NDPS Act under commercial quantity." by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Her Outfit Caught Everyone's Eye The Stadium True Edition Undo He said the houses of Buta Singh, who is in jail and faces 7 FIRs; Paramjit Singh, who is also in jail and faces 9 FIRs; Lakhwinder Singh, who is out on bail and faces eight FIRs; and Rajwinder Kaur, who is also out on bail and faces 15 FIRs under various sections, have been razed under police protection as per the report prepared by civil authorities. Further investigations about other persons, if any, from the village involved in the illegal drug trade and facing NDPS Act FIRs are being made, and any further action will be taken as per the findings.
