Haryana Cabinet sets age limits for tourist vehicles, clears unified Municipal Bill for 2025

Posted on by Vividh Bharathi

Chandigarh, Dec 8 (IANS) The Haryana Cabinet, presided over by Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini here on Monday, accorded approval to fix the age of tourist vehicles for operation under the Haryana Motor Vehicles Rules, 1993.

These rules may be called the Haryana Motor Vehicles (Amendment) Rules, 2025. As per the amendment, vehicles operating with all-India tourist permits in the NCR region will be allowed to operate for 12 years if they run on petrol or CNG, whereas diesel vehicles under this permit category will be permitted for a maximum of 10 years.

For non-NCR areas, all-India tourist permit vehicles running on petrol or CNG and diesel will also have a maximum operational age of 12 years.

For all other permits, including stage carriage, contract carriage, goods carriage and school buses in the NCR region, their maximum permissible vehicle age has been fixed at 15 years for vehicles operating on petrol, CNG, electric or other clean fuels.

However, for diesel vehicles operating under these permit types, the maximum age has been fixed at 10 years only in the NCR region.

For non-NCR areas, all other permits, including stage carriage, contract carriage, goods carriage and school buses running on petrol, CNG, electric or other clean fuels and diesel will have a maximum operational age of 15 years.

The Cabinet also approved a major reform in urban governance by introducing the Haryana Municipal Bill, 2025, aimed at replacing the existing Haryana Municipal Act, 1973, and the Haryana Municipal Corporation Act, 1994.

The new unified Act has been drafted to bring all categories of municipalities — municipal corporations, municipal councils and municipal committees — under a single legal framework.

At present, 87 municipalities function under two separate Acts, causing administrative complexities, inconsistent service delivery and challenges in interpretation of rules, an official statement said.

The department has undertaken extensive consultations over the past two years to prepare the draft legislation, incorporating relevant provisions from the Model Municipal Law circulated by the government of India.

The Haryana Municipal Bill, 2025, aims to streamline governance, remove ambiguities, modernize municipal administration and strengthen financial autonomy of urban local bodies.

Key provisions include empowering municipalities to determine taxes and fees between minimum and maximum government-fixed rates and provisions for credit rating to facilitate market borrowings, etc.

The Act also introduces provisions for urban transport planning, urban forestry, and the prohibition of illegal colonies similar to the Haryana Development and Regulation of Urban Areas Act, 1975.

For municipal staff, the Act proposes common service rules to reduce litigation arising from transfers and promotions under separate legal frameworks. Additionally, a provision has been made for the appointment of a municipal magistrate for the trial of municipal offences, and penalties or fines for various violations have been enhanced. The initiative marks a significant step towards establishing a modern, uniform and efficient municipal governance system across Haryana, aligned with current and future needs of urbanisation.

–IANS

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Mukesh Sahani slams Chirag Paswan, says he has no courage like Ram Vilas Paswan

Patna, April 22 (IANS) In a strongly worded attack, Vikassheel Insaan Party (VIP) President Mukesh Sahani criticised Union Food Processing Minister Chirag Paswan and claimed that he has no political strength and courage like his late father, Ram Vilas Paswan.

“Ram Vilas Paswan fought for Dalits, EBCs, and OBCs. He once withdrew support from Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s government, leading to its fall. Chirag Paswan, on the other hand, was used by the BJP in the 2020 Assembly election to weaken Nitish Kumar, and was then discarded,” Sahani said while speaking to the media persons in Patna.

He mocked Chirag Paswan’s allegiance to Prime Minister Modi, saying: “Despite his party breaking apart and being removed from the residence of Delhi, Chirag Paswan still calls himself Hanuman of PM Modi. He doesn’t have the capability to contest all 243 seats in Bihar.”

Mukesh Sahani’s statement came after Chirag Paswan expressed his view to a media channel that he wants to do politics in Bihar rather than the Centre.

Reacting to Dilip Jaiswal’s claim that he would rejoin the NDA, Sahani said: “He’s daydreaming. He knows that if I don’t join the NDA, they can’t form a government in Bihar. That’s why they’re afraid of me.”

Targeting Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, the VIP chief alleged that the CM is no longer in control of the government and that bureaucrats have taken over.

“Nitish Kumar is unconscious. Officers are running the state. Since bureaucrats don’t contest elections, they have no accountability to the public. They are scared of elected representatives who are sitting on the constitutional posts, but as the Chief Minister is unconscious, they have no fear of it,” Sahani said.

He further stated: “Between 2005 and 2010, Nitish worked for Bihar. But since then, he’s been switching alliances only to retain his chair. His health is failing, and this bureaucratic rule is dangerous for democracy.”

–IANS

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Need to differentiate unintentional financial crimes from greed-driven ones: Ex-CJI Sanjiv Khanna

New Delhi, Oct 11 (IANS) Former Chief Justice of India Sanjiv Khanna on Saturday said there is probably a need to treat unintentional financial offences differently from the premeditated ones that are driven by greed.

Addressing the TPF-Dayitva: National Legal Conference on Combating White-Collar Crime, organised by the Terapanth Professional Forum (TPF) at Bharat Mandapam, Former CJI Khanna said while ignorance of law cannot be a defence against committing a financial crime, “offences committed without malicious intent cannot be equated with offences that are motivated by greed and premeditated”.

Categorising financial offences in different categories, the Former CJI said that the most serious of the white collar crimes are the ones motivated by greed and include cases of fraud, embezzlement, insider trading, money laundering and bribery or corruption.

He said there is a prevailing perception that law enforcement agencies exist to harass rather than help, and this fear prevents people from approaching them, allowing cybercriminals to exploit the situation and harass individuals digitally.

“Instead of seeking justice, many end up paying the harassers out of fear,” he said, adding, “it’s time law enforcement became more approachable and public awareness increased, a two-way process that can truly help address the issue.”

He described white-collar crime as “an evolving threat that corrodes the moral fabric of society” and called for greater sensitivity in applying financial laws.

“Every act or failure to act that has financial implications cannot be painted with the same brush,” he said, urging lawmakers to distinguish between intentional fraud, unintentional error, and procedural lapse.

He added, “The strength of the justice system lies not in the severity of punishment but in the certainty of justice.”

Raj Kumar Nahataa, National Convenor, TPF, said, “White collar crime is not a victimless offence. Every scam robs us of opportunity, every fraud delays our development,”

He said in this wake there is an urgent need for the professional class to get ready to shoulder new responsibilities by becoming collective whistleblowers, guardians of ethics and protectors of our nation/s moral wealth.

Bringing a public health perspective, Dr Poonam Khetrapal, IAS (Retd) and Regional Director Emeritus, WHO South-East Asia Region, said white-collar crime in healthcare is not about money alone; it is about life and trust.

“When poor-quality care is knowingly delivered, when the poor are denied treatment despite entitlement, and when safety rules are ignored for profit, it ceases to be negligence. It becomes a white-collar crime,” she said.

Citing a landmark global study, Dr Khetrapal noted that 8.6 million preventable deaths occur globally every year due to poor-quality healthcare, including 1.6 million in India. She called for “robust forensic auditing, health outcome tracking, regulatory performance indicators, and judicial oversight,” adding that accountability must “follow the money — from boardrooms to approval desks.”

Offering an economic perspective, Ashish Kumar Chauhan, Managing Director and CEO of the National Stock Exchange (NSE), observed that as societies become more prosperous, “crimes turn more white.”

Citing a senior judge’s observation, he noted that the ratio of violent to commercial crimes had reversed over two decades, from 80 per cent physical offences to 80 per cent financial or cybercrimes. “Today, money is no longer stolen from pockets but from systems. UPI may have removed cash, but not corruption. It has only made the thefts digital,” he remarked.

The TPF–Dayitva Conference, attended by over a thousand professionals from law, finance, medicine, and academia, featured discussions on ethics, compliance, governance, and the evolving statutory framework to address financial crimes – aligning with India’s vision of ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’.

As the day concluded, a unifying message echoed across the sessions: India’s journey towards development will remain incomplete without restoring public faith and integrity in institutions. As Justice Khanna summed up, white-collar crime “challenges not only the boundaries of law but the conscience of governance itself.”

–IANS

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‘Caste census participation voluntary’, says Shivakumar after Narayan Murthy’s refusal

Bengaluru, Oct 16 (IANS) Reacting to Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and his wife, Sudha Murthy, declining to participate in the ongoing caste census, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar said on Thursday that one can’t be forced to provide information, and the participation in the survey is voluntary.

Speaking to reporters in Bengaluru on Thursday, Shivakumar, while answering a question, stated, “We can’t force anyone. To provide their information in the survey is left to their discretion. I can only say that one can’t be forced in this matter.”

Meanwhile, at Cauvery residence, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah patiently responded for more than 45 minutes to the enumerators who had come for the economic, social, and educational survey.

Releasing a statement on the caste census after his enumeration, CM Siddaramaiah stated that through the Backward Classes Commission, the government is conducting the social and educational survey.

“I fulfilled my duty successfully by providing information to the officials who visited my home for this purpose. Intending to eliminate inequality and poverty and build an equitable society, our government has undertaken this survey,” he stated.

“Everyone must participate in this survey without fail and provide their information honestly. Only then will we obtain accurate data about the real condition of society, which will help identify the economically, socially, and educationally backward sections and frame welfare programs for their progress,” he appealed.

Siddaramaiah said that this is not a survey limited to any one caste, but a scientific effort to shed light on the lives of every individual in the state, adding that by giving your information in this survey, your personal details will certainly not be misused.

“Do not worry, share your information with the officials confidently,” he claimed.

The Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, said that in the caste survey, all information about people is being collected.

“If money is lost from people’s bank accounts, the government itself will be responsible. No one should provide personal information,” he said.

He said that Siddaramaiah is pressuring officials to get the work done, adding that the government should have known that the survey cannot be done in 15 days.

“Because of this, school children’s studies are being spoiled,” he said.

Narayana Murthy and his wife, Sudha Murthy, have declined to participate in the caste census. Both submitted a self-attested letter to the Karnataka State Backward Classes Commission, the autonomous government body carrying out the survey.

The deadline for Karnataka’s caste census has been extended, with the survey in Bengaluru set to conclude by October 24, after the initial October 7 deadline was missed due to incomplete data collection.

–IANS

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