Haryana Invokes Electricity Act to End Power Worker Strike

The Government of Haryana announced it will invoke Section 108 of the Electricity Act, 2003, to review a regulatory decision that allowed private power distribution in Gurugram and Nuh. The move follows a three-day statewide strike by electricity employees and engineers that began on October 21, causing widespread blackouts and disrupting municipal water supplies in cities including Ambala, Kurukshetra, and Faridabad.

The strike was organized by the Haryana Electricity Employees and Engineers Joint Struggle Front to oppose a 25-year parallel distribution license granted by the Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission to the private firm Eleven Power. Union leaders warned the action could become indefinite if their grievances remained unresolved, leading to resident protests and road blockades across several districts.

Energy Minister Anil Vij initially characterized the strike as unwarranted but later announced that the government reached an understanding with union leaders to invoke the legal provision for review. Vij scheduled a meeting in Panchkula to finalize the resolution and urged employees to restore power services immediately. He stated that the state administration opposed the private license and is seeking a stay of the regulator's order.