News / Author / Hitender Rao

Hitender Rao

Hitender Rao is Senior Associate Editor covering the state of Haryana. A journalist with over two decades of experience, he writes on politics, economy, migration and legal affairs with a focus on investigative journalism.

Articles by Hitender Rao

Haryana assembly polls: BJP and Cong in eyeball-to-eyeball contest

Political analysts say that BJP’s 10-year rule in Haryana would affect party’s prospects in the state assembly elections

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 17, 2024 07:46 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana assembly elections: Anti-incumbency, farmers angst, bickering can spoil BJPs poll plans

While the BJP is taking a third shot at the power, hoping to cash in on its win in the Parliamentary elections leading to the formation of party led NDA government for a third consecutive term at the Centre, the principal Opposition party in the state, the Congress, is gung-ho over its vastly improved outing in the Lok Sabha polls

A Panjab University based political scientist Prof Ashutosh Kumar says that after the Lok Sabha poll results, the Congress seems to be on a strong wicket. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 17, 2024 07:44 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Subclassification of scheduled castes: Haryana govt asks SC panel to analyse data

Data on inadequacy of representation in the services must be collected as it indicates backwardness, says top court’s ruling

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 09, 2024 08:28 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Top court ruling on SC subcategories to have twin implications on Haryana

The apex court rules that a 1994 Haryana government notification by which the scheduled castes in Haryana were classified into two categories for reservation is also valid.

Chandigarh

Updated on Aug 02, 2024 12:19 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

PhD degrees of contractual college lecturers come under scrutiny

Top officials said that chief minister Nayab Singh Saini recently gave the approval for conducting an inquiry by the anti-graft agency in the matter after taking legal advice from the advocate general

Officials said that two committees of the higher education department were constituted in March 2024 to examine the genuineness of the PhD degrees of the extension lecturers engaged by government colleges as well as regular assistant/associate professors who obtained their degrees while being in service. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 31, 2024 06:06 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Khattar virtually absolves Robert Vadra of illegality

The deal took place when the state was governed by a Congress administration under Bhupinder Singh Hooda

The land deal in question concerns a 2.701-acre parcel of land in Gurugram’s Shikohpur village (now Sector 83). (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 30, 2024 08:52 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana couldn’t have proposed gallantry medals pending report on use of force

When the high court-appointed panel is yet to give its report on the use of force on protesters at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border, experts ask how the state government can propose medals for police personnel.

The Haryana government’s proposal for award of gallantry medals to two police officers for showing exceptional courage during farmers’ protest at Khanauri border in Jind was not in consonance with the Union ministry of home affairs guidelines. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 25, 2024 03:23 PM IST

ByHitender Rao

Explainer: A closer look at newly laid creamy layer criteria for BCs

Social sector experts believe the exclusion of salary and income from agricultural land for determining gross annual income may make the entire exercise a farce as many deserving candidates may have to compete with those who have more resources and thus more opportunities.

The BJP government in Haryana on Tuesday notified fresh criteria for identifying persons in the creamy layer among the backward classes (BCs) for reservation in public employment and educational institutions. (Representational photo)

Chandigarh

Published on Jul 17, 2024 12:51 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana releases stilt-and 4-floors policy; mixed reactions in Gurugram

While many were happy with the policy, others pointed out that the new policy will strain the city’s already stressed public infrastructure

Around 168K plots in HSVP sectors are eligible. (Parveen Kumar/HT)

Gurugram

Updated on Jul 03, 2024 05:52 AM IST

ByLeena Dhankhar, Hitender Rao

Haryana government gives nod for construction of stilt and 4 floors

Haryana govt's decision drew mixed reactions from developers and residents. Violators can apply for composition of offence by paying penalty

Officials said the new policy was broadly based on recommendations from an expert committee. (HT Photo)

Gurugram

Updated on Jul 02, 2024 07:16 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Leena Dhankhar

Haryana allows construction of stilt-plus-4 floors but with riders

In cases where such constructions have been done without approval, violators can pay penalty 10 times the rate prescribed for the same

In 2018, registration of fourth floor was allowed as a separate dwelling unit but the authorities were inundated with complaints from residents who pointed out overburdening of the existing infrastructure, damage to adjoining houses and congestion due to parking of vehicles on the roads. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jul 02, 2024 07:12 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Creamy layer criteria: Haryana CM’s move to woo backward classes may not be expedient

The move is aimed at wooing about 33 % of backward classes in the state with an eye on the upcoming October assembly elections in Haryana

Haryana chief minister Nayab Saini, who himself is a BC leader and is piloting the move, also announced a more significant aspect - income from salary and agriculture will be excluded from determining the gross annual income. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 29, 2024 08:16 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Intense heatwave: Energy demand set to go through the roof this summer, Haryana buys expensive power

The projections made by the power utilities have shown that Haryana is expected to experience a peak energy demand of 14,287 MW in June, 14,262 MW in July, 13,811 in August and 13,548 MW in September.

Haryana is expected to experience a peak energy demand of 14,287 megawatts (MW) this summer, resulting in a deficit of 1,177 MW to 2,411 MW till September. The forecast is as per the power demand and supply projections made by Haryana Power Purchase Centre (HPPC), a joint forum of state’s two distribution companies set up for power trading. The peak energy demand in 2023-24 summer was 13,055 MW and 12,768 in 2022-23, power utilities officials said. (Getty Images/iStockphoto/ Representational image)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 15, 2024 07:04 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Congress call to dismiss minority BJP govt in Haryana stems from its own dilemma

Constitutional provisions in light of SC judgment makes it hard to give marching orders to governments.

Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader Bhupinder Singh Hooda on Tuesday made it clear that the party was not seeking a floor test but dismissal of the government. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 12, 2024 12:04 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana Lok Sabha poll outcome: BJP, Congress on equal footing before assembly polls

As per the preliminary election statistics, the BJP led in 44 assembly segments while the INDIA bloc took the lead in 46 assembly segments across 10 parliamentary constituencies

The Congress led in all 18 assembly segments of Rohtak and Sirsa parliamentary constituencies from where Deepender Hooda and Kumari Selja won by huge margins of 3.45 lakh votes and 2.68 lakh votes, respectively. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 06, 2024 07:48 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana: As Congress cruises, bumpy ride ahead for Saini govt

The BJP had won 40 seats in the 90-member assembly in 2019 polls and formed the government with the support of 10 MLAs of Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), seven Independents and one Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA. Later, one Independent, Balraj Kundu withdrew his support.

Ruling BJP’s loss of five Lok Sabha seats in the state can have a bearing on the stability of its government in Haryana which is tottering being in minority. Doubts over the BJP government’s stability also arise in view of an improved Lok Sabha performance of the Congress in the state thus making it an attractive proposition for the party hoppers searching for a toehold. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 05, 2024 09:10 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

BJP tally down to five as Congress scripts comeback story in Haryana

The BJP which had won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, nine of them with substantial margins running into lakhs, could only retain Kurukshetra, Karnal, Gurugram, Faridabad and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh this election.

Some resounding wins, a few close shaves; and see-saw battles. This was the story in Haryana where the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and its principal rival, the Congress on Tuesday shared the spoils, bagging five Lok Sabha seats each in Haryana as the election results indicated a revival for the faction-ridden Congress in the state. (Manoj Dhaka/HT)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 05, 2024 09:08 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Delhi-Haryana water dispute: ‘Hry supplying 1,049 cusecs at Munak, Delhi needs better water mgmt’

Actual water delivered at Delhi contact point Bawana was 950 cusecs per day for entire May, which is 11 cusecs more as against 939 cusecs determined by Upper Yamuna River Board after accounting for en route losses - Haryana officials

Officials said that actual water delivered at Delhi contact point Bawana was 950 cusecs per day for the entire month of May. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on Jun 01, 2024 07:30 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Post-poll action: ‘Devious’ means: Govt employees, varsity teachers face the heat in Haryana

While 4 dist social welfare officers ‘sent recovery notices’ to beneficiaries during polls, 10 MDU teachers ‘took part’ in political activity

The notices were sent by the DSWOs for the recovery of social security pension amounts wrongly drawn by the beneficiaries. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 31, 2024 07:02 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

KEY contest: Karnal:Two-time chief minister takes on a tyro in a head-to-head contest

Call it a quirk of fate, the BJP leader who till March 12 morning was occupying the CMs chair, stepped down in the afternoon and was two days later fielded from Karnal Lok Sabha constituency by the party

The Karnal contest is being billed as David versus Goliath. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 23, 2024 06:42 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Bhavey Nagpal, Karnal

Campaign trail: Hooda starts quest to wrest power back from BJP in Haryana

At his Chandigarh residence, Hooda is surrounded by party workers, supporters and his advisers. His scheduled start of 10 am is delayed as he patiently listens to his workers and sort out things. In between, the AAP candidate, Sushil Gupta who is waiting for him at Ladwa grain market calls one of his aides to check his schedule.

Much is at stake for former Haryana chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda. The 2024 Lok Sabha election could prove to be a defining moment for the Congress leader who has been out of power for a decade now. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 18, 2024 06:30 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Kurukshetra

New excise policy: Liquor set to get costlier in Haryana from June 12

Hike in excise duty, licence fee for bars, bottling fee for beer estimated to increase revenue by over ₹110 crore; the state government took approval from the Election Commission for bringing the new policy during the imposition of model code of conduct as the allotment of liquor vends has to be made by inviting e-tenders.

Liquor bottles being carried in a gunny bag for illegal sale in Bihar. Police seized it showing how the bootleggers are adopting new methods to smuggle liqour for sale in dry Bihar India on Sunday Jan 13,2019.(Photo by Santosh Kumar/Hindustan Times) (HT File/ Representational image)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 16, 2024 08:34 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana cabinet nod to new excise policy, prices to increase

The new policy, which is set to come into effect from June 12, will bring the state government an estimated increase in revenue of around ₹250 crore from the previous iteration of the policy

The Haryana cabinet on Wednesday approved the excise policy 2024-25, under which country, Indian-made foreign liquor (IMFL) and imported foreign liquor (IFL) are set to get costlier due to hike in various charges. (Representational Image)

Delhi

Updated on May 16, 2024 05:56 AM IST

ByHitender Rao

State of parties: Faction-ridden Congress pins hope on anti-incumbency, farmers

Haryana’s principal Opposition party, the Congress, is a divided house. Lack of organisational set up at the district and block levels for the past decade, the inability of the party to act as an effective opposition and pin down the ruling BJP and frequent desertions, the faction-ridden grand old party is often pulled in different directions by party leaders

The Congress scored a nought in 2019 and 1999 Lok Sabha polls, even losing former chief minister, Bhupinder Singh Hooda’s bastion, Rohtak. The 2019 loss can be attributed to Modi wave post Pulwama incident and Balakot air strikes in Pakistan, the Congress rout in 1999 Lok Sabha polls were an outcome of a decisive mandate the BJP got riding on the national sentiment of country’s Kargil War with Pakistan. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 15, 2024 05:22 AM IST

ByHitender Rao

Nayab Singh Saini-led Haryana govt’s future hinges on 2 key factors

Experts said the governor can use their discretionary powers under Article 163 (1) of the Constitution and ask the government to prove its majority

Haryana chief minister Nayab Singh Saini passed a trust vote on March 13 after the JJP pulled support, prompting the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to rejig the government. (PTI FILE)

India News

Updated on May 09, 2024 02:08 PM IST

ByHitender Rao

Haryana: Congress, JJP prompt each other to push for floor test

Congress and JJP prompt each other for a floor test to bring down BJP government in Haryana, but Congress hesitant to join hands with former BJP ally JJP.

The Congress has a strength of 30 MLAs and the JJP has 10 MLAs in the House. (HT Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 09, 2024 09:32 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana BJP govt turmoil: ‘No time bar on seeking trust vote in the legislature’

Legal and parliamentary affairs experts said that there was no time bar for seeking a repeat no-confidence motion against the government.

As per the Constitution, the intervening period between holding two sessions of the state assembly should be less than six months. (HT File Photo)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 09, 2024 03:22 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

BJP govt in Haryana may need JJP to abstain in case of trust vote

In fact, JJP’s abstention may prove crucial if the Opposition, Congress, pushes for convening an assembly session and moves a motion expressing want of confidence in the BJP-led ministry

The BJP and the JJP had joined hands in 2019 to form the government after the former fell short of winning a simple majority. (HT File)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 08, 2024 12:07 PM IST

ByHitender Rao, Chandigarh

Haryana political crisis: 3 MLAs turn back on BJP-led govt, go with Congress

Haryana BJP-led government faces crisis as three independent lawmakers withdraw support, back Congress.

Three independent MLAs Sombir Sangwan, Randhir Golan and Dharampal Gondar withdraw support from the BJP government in Rohtak on Tuesday. (ANI)

India News

Updated on May 08, 2024 12:24 AM IST

BySunil Rahar, Hitender Rao, Rohtak/chandigarh

Ticket to Brij Bhushan’s son may put BJP in tight spot in Haryana

Move gives fodder to Opposition leaders who gun for saffron party; a number of wrestlers, khap and Opposition leaders in Haryana on Friday slammed the BJP for giving a ticket to Karan Bhushan.

Olympic medal-winning grapplers Sakshi Malik and Bajrang Punia along with many others had staged a sit-in at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar last year demanding action against Brij Bhushan. (PTI FILE)

Chandigarh

Updated on May 04, 2024 08:06 AM IST

ByHitender Rao, Sunil Rahar, Chandigarh

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Hitender Rao

Hitender Rao is Senior Associate Editor covering the state of Haryana. A journalist with over two decades of experience, he writes on politics, economy, migration and legal affairs with a focus on investigative journalism.

Political analysts say that BJP’s 10-year rule in Haryana would affect party’s prospects in the state assembly elections

Data on inadequacy of representation in the services must be collected as it indicates backwardness, says top court’s ruling

The apex court rules that a 1994 Haryana government notification by which the scheduled castes in Haryana were classified into two categories for reservation is also valid.

Top officials said that chief minister Nayab Singh Saini recently gave the approval for conducting an inquiry by the anti-graft agency in the matter after taking legal advice from the advocate general

The deal took place when the state was governed by a Congress administration under Bhupinder Singh Hooda

When the high court-appointed panel is yet to give its report on the use of force on protesters at Khanauri on the Punjab-Haryana border, experts ask how the state government can propose medals for police personnel.

Social sector experts believe the exclusion of salary and income from agricultural land for determining gross annual income may make the entire exercise a farce as many deserving candidates may have to compete with those who have more resources and thus more opportunities.

While many were happy with the policy, others pointed out that the new policy will strain the city’s already stressed public infrastructure

Haryana govt's decision drew mixed reactions from developers and residents. Violators can apply for composition of offence by paying penalty

In cases where such constructions have been done without approval, violators can pay penalty 10 times the rate prescribed for the same

The move is aimed at wooing about 33 % of backward classes in the state with an eye on the upcoming October assembly elections in Haryana

The projections made by the power utilities have shown that Haryana is expected to experience a peak energy demand of 14,287 MW in June, 14,262 MW in July, 13,811 in August and 13,548 MW in September.

Constitutional provisions in light of SC judgment makes it hard to give marching orders to governments.

As per the preliminary election statistics, the BJP led in 44 assembly segments while the INDIA bloc took the lead in 46 assembly segments across 10 parliamentary constituencies

The BJP had won 40 seats in the 90-member assembly in 2019 polls and formed the government with the support of 10 MLAs of Dushyant Chautala’s Jannayak Janta Party (JJP), seven Independents and one Haryana Lokhit Party (HLP) MLA. Later, one Independent, Balraj Kundu withdrew his support.

The BJP which had won all the 10 Lok Sabha seats in 2019, nine of them with substantial margins running into lakhs, could only retain Kurukshetra, Karnal, Gurugram, Faridabad and Bhiwani-Mahendergarh this election.

Actual water delivered at Delhi contact point Bawana was 950 cusecs per day for entire May, which is 11 cusecs more as against 939 cusecs determined by Upper Yamuna River Board after accounting for en route losses - Haryana officials

While 4 dist social welfare officers ‘sent recovery notices’ to beneficiaries during polls, 10 MDU teachers ‘took part’ in political activity

Call it a quirk of fate, the BJP leader who till March 12 morning was occupying the CMs chair, stepped down in the afternoon and was two days later fielded from Karnal Lok Sabha constituency by the party

The new policy, which is set to come into effect from June 12, will bring the state government an estimated increase in revenue of around ₹250 crore from the previous iteration of the policy

Experts said the governor can use their discretionary powers under Article 163 (1) of the Constitution and ask the government to prove its majority

Congress and JJP prompt each other for a floor test to bring down BJP government in Haryana, but Congress hesitant to join hands with former BJP ally JJP.

Legal and parliamentary affairs experts said that there was no time bar for seeking a repeat no-confidence motion against the government.

In fact, JJP’s abstention may prove crucial if the Opposition, Congress, pushes for convening an assembly session and moves a motion expressing want of confidence in the BJP-led ministry

Haryana BJP-led government faces crisis as three independent lawmakers withdraw support, back Congress.

Move gives fodder to Opposition leaders who gun for saffron party; a number of wrestlers, khap and Opposition leaders in Haryana on Friday slammed the BJP for giving a ticket to Karan Bhushan.

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