Haryana Governor approves bill mandating 75% reservation for locals in private sector jobs

In a key development on Tuesday, the Haryana government notified a law to ensure that 75% of the jobs in the private sector companies are reserved for local candidates. This comes after Governor Satyadev Narayan Arya approved The Haryana State Employment of Local Candidates Act, 2020 on February 28. While a bill in this regard was originally passed in the state Assembly on November 5, 2020, the Governor sought some clarification pertaining to its constitutional validity. 

Weighing in on this development, Haryana Deputy Chief Minister and JJP leader Dushyant Chautala congratulated the people of the state. It is pertinent to note that JJP had made this promise in its manifesto for the 2019 Haryana Assembly polls. Some of the objections to this legislation include that it is unconstitutional and that the state has no right to indulge in such discrimination in contravention of Article 16(2) of the Constitution. 

Read: In Haryana, 54 Students Of Sainik School Test COVID-19 Positive, Hostel Sealed

Read: Haryana Health Min Anil Vij Not Taking 2nd Vaccine Jab; Joins Bihar DyCM In Slamming Oppn

Here are the provisions of the new law:

• This law shall cease to have effect on the expiry of 10 years from the date of its commencement
• Every employer shall register employees receiving a monthly salary of not more than Rs.50,000 on the designated portal within three months of coming into force of this law
• Every employer shall employ 75% of local candidates in jobs where the monthly salary is not more than Rs.50,000
• The employer has the option of restricting the recruitment of local candidates from any district to 10% of the total number of local candidates
• Every shall local candidate will need to register on the designated portal to avail the benefits of this law
• The employer can claim exemption from these provisions if an adequate number of local candidates having the desired skill and proficiency are not available
• The designated officer can either reject or accept this claim or direct the employer to train local candidates accordingly
• While an employer shall file a quarterly report on the local candidates employed and appointed during the quarter, an authorised officer can pass any order for complying with the objectives of this Act after examining this report
• An employer aggrieved by the order of either the designated officer or the authorised officer can appeal within a period of 60 days
• The guilty persons will have to pay a fine ranging from Rs.10,000 to Rs.5,00,000 besides the imposition of a daily penalty till the time contravention is continued
• No court inferior to that of a Metropolitan Magistrate or a Judicial Magistrate of the First Class can try offences punishable under this Act

Read: BJP-JJP Combine Enjoys Majority In Haryana Assembly: CM Khattar