Himachal governor gives assent to Bill denying contractual employees benefits from date of joining

Himachal Pradesh governor Shiv Pratap Shukla on Friday gave his assent to the Recruitment and Conditions of Service of Government Employees Bill, 2024, which denies contractual employees salary and other benefits on par with regular employees from the date of joining.

The Bill, introduced by chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu in the state assembly during the winter session on December 18, 2024, was passed on December 20, 2024.

It specifies that contractual employees will receive benefits only from the date of regularisation. Earlier, the Himachal Pradesh high court had ruled in favour of contractual employees. However, with the governor’s assent, they will now be denied benefits from the date of joining.Chief minister Sukhu met the governor on Thursday, following which the Bill was given assent on Friday.

The BJP had opposed the Bill, arguing that contractual employees were already informed at the time of appointment that they would be eligible for benefits only from the date of regularisation. Contractual recruitment has been in practice for over two decades, with the regularisation period being gradually reduced. Currently, contractual employees are regularised after two years of service.