Photo Source: Babushahi Bureau

Haryana Vidhan Sabha: Six bills passed on the last day of budget session

Babushahi bureau

Chandigarh, March 28, 2025 – On the last day of the Haryana Assembly Budget Session, six bills were passed. These include, Haryana Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025, Haryana (Exchane of Prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025, Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025, The Aparna Institution (Taking over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025, Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025 and Haryana Legislative Assembly (Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025.

The Haryana Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025

The Haryana Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025 has been passed to authorize the payment and appropriation of a total amount of Rs. 2,58,339,98,37,030 from the Consolidated Fund of Haryana State for services during the financial year 2025-26, which ends on the 31st of March, 2026.

The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025

The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025 has been passed to repeal the Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948. In pursuance of an agreement with Pakistan for the exchange of prisoners, for the transfer of certain prisoners from India to Pakistan and the reception in India of certain prisoners from Pakistan, the East Punjab (Exchange of prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 13 of 1948) was enacted. After about two years of the partition of India and Pakistan as well as after passing of 'The  East Punjab (Exchange of prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 13 of 1948)', majority of the prisoners stood transferred.

On account of creation of State of Haryana vide Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the East Punjab (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948 was made applicable in the state of Haryana. The words ‘East Punjab' in the title at said Act has been replaced with the words 'Haryana' vide Government notification dated 7 July, 2021. For the purpose of providing a contingency for transfer of prisoners from one state to another within India, the Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 (29 of 1950) was enacted and the Haryana Prisons Rules, 2022 have also been framed in the State of Haryana.

Now, the Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948 has become redundant. Haryana State Law Commission in its recommendation dated 25.01.2023 has recommended that this Act i.e. The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 1 3 of 1948) may be repealed. Therefore, the Haryana (Exchange of prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025 has been passed to repeal the Haryana (Exchange prisoner) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 13 of 1948).

The Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025

The Horticulture  sector plays a vital role in the agricultural economy of Haryana, A regulatory framework of fruit nurseries exists as the Haryana Fruit Nursery Act, 1961 .

However, the absence of a well-defined regulatory framework for horticulture nurseries other than fruit nurseries has resulted in the sale of substandard and disease-prone planting material, leading to reduced crop productivity and economic losses for farmers and customer's.

The existing Haryana Fruit Nursery Act, 1961 has limited applicability, as there is no quality control mechanism for horticulture nurseries dealing with vegetables, spices, condiments, flowers, ornamental, medicinal, and aromatic crops. Due to this gap, unauthorized nurseries operate without accountability, leading to the spread of planting material of unknown pedigree and the proliferation of pests and diseases among horticultural crops.

The need for scientific nursery management, quality assurance, and regulation has been strongly felt to ensure that only certified, high-quality planting material reaches farmers. Therefore, the Government of Haryana considers it expedient to repeal the existing Haryana Fruit Nursery Act, 1961 and to introduce a comprehensive law to regulate horticulture nurseries in the state.

The proposed The Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025, seeks to provide for the registration and regulation of horticulture nurseries in the State of Haryana, ensure that the owner of a horticulture nursery registers it in accordance with the standards prescribed in the Act and the rules made thereunder.

The owner can register a horticulture nursery for whole horticulture plants of any of the categories of fruits, vegetables, spices, condiments, flowers, ornamental, medicinal, and aromatic crops.

The owner shall be permitted to sell varieties and kind thereof as per their choice of horticulture plants and whereas, the varieties of the fruit plants as specified in the Licence.The owner can have more than one horticulture nursery after obtaining a separate licence. 

Empower the competent authority to suspend or cancel any license granted or renewed under the Act if it violates its provisions. Require the owner of a horticulture nursery to maintain records in such form and manner as may be prescribed.

Regulate and prohibit the sale and distribution of horticulture plants and plant material of unknown pedigree or those infected with pests and diseases'.  Impose penalties on those who contravene any provisions of this Act or the rules made thereunder. Therefore  The Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025  Bill has been passed to achieve the above objectives.

The Aparna Institution (Taking Over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025

The Aparna Institution (Taking Over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025 has been passed to provide for the taking over, in the public interest, for a limited period, for proper and efficient management and control of Aparna Institution situated withh the revenue estate of Village Silokhra, District Gurugram, falling within the territorial jurisdiction of the State of Haryana, and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.

Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari, a renowned yoga guru, was of the view that yoga is the only solution to all the problems and the diseases which are not been cured by allopathic/ other types of treatments. He left no stone unturned to popularise yoga through physical demonstrations and speaking about its benefits. His efforts did lead to some benefits to the people, but the dimensions of such benefits were limited. On review of his efforts after a period of time, he felt that the health problem of the nation cannot be effectively cured by individual efforts, and that to ensure large scale benefit to humanity, there was a great need for making yoga more popular through institutionalization, to enable people to regain their health and vigour by resorting to the practice of yoga.

In furtherance thereof, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari incorporated and got registered a Society under the name and style Aparna Ashram (Reg. No.S-5766 of 1973-74) under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, with the Registrar of Societies, District South-East, New Delhi, having its registered office at A-50, Friends Colony, Mathura Road, New Delhi, for diffusion of useful knowledge of yoga among the masses through education, research, training and dissemination

Apart from incorporating the said Society, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari also created an institution namely Aparna as a separate entity through an instrument of Memorandum of Institution (Mol) and constituted its independent Governing Council consisting of four members including himself for carrying out the aims and objectives of the said institution and entrusted it the control and management of the institution.

The aims and objectives enumerated under the Mol empowers the institution to acquire, purchase, or own any movable or immovable property for establishing yoga ashram, guest houses, undertaking agricultural and dairy farming, carrying out gardening, plantation pursuits, health resorts and swimming places. The said Society was made for the benefit of the public at large, therefore, the said Society comes within the definition of a public trust.

Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari wanted to develop the said institution as a research, development and training centre of yoga, a medical centre of various patients and a conference centre for various yoga scholars of the world. He was of the view that the necessity of spreading the knowledge of yoga in the present mechanized world is of great importance as the cases of physical and mental diseases resulting in disappointment, frustration and mental worries are increasing day by day among the people.

In furtherance to set up, develop and establish the proposed institution, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari purchased land ad-measuring 24 acres 16 marlas situated within the revenue estates of Village Silokhra, Tehsil Wazirabad, District Gurugram, in the name of Aparna Ashram with the help of donations, grants and the financial assistance received by him from time to time from the Central Government and vested the said land in the institution. Thereafter, various buildings were constructed over the said land after spending crores of rupees and various yoga related activities were started therein. The said institution is located near Sector 30, Gurugram.

In the year 1989, the Government of Haryana, published notification dated 30.01.1989 under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, notifying that the lands of Villages Silokra and Sukhrali, Tehsil & District Gurgaon, described therein are required for the public purpose which also included the aforesaid and land and building of the institution. After publication of the said notification, the General Body and/or the Governing Council of the Society were prohibited to deal with the said land and building of the institution as a free agent and to create any encumbrances whatsoever in respect of the same. Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari field objectives dated 07.03.1999 under Section 5A of the L.A. Act, 1894 before the Land Acquisition Collector seeking release of the said land and building of the institution from acquisition on the grounds stated therein.

The said objections were dismissed and declaration dated 25.01.1990 under Section 6 was issued. Aggrieved therefrom, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari filed CWP No. 3117/1990 before the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, praying for issuance of writ of certiorari for quashing the said notifications. Perusal of averments of the said writ petition reveals Swami Dhirender Brhamchari's mission of life and the aim and objectives with which he incorporated and got registered the said Society.

On 09.06.1994, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari died in a plane crash. After his demise, the Society stood divided in two groups, one led by Laxman Chaudhary and the other led by Murali Chaudhry. Later on, Murli Chaudhry removed Subash Dutt and K. S. Pathania of his group from the primary membership of the Society and the said persons formed their separate group. From time to time, these groups enrolled persons of their confidence to increase their majority.

For the past several years inter see disputes are going on between the Society and its members and for the last more than two decades these groups are litigating with each other. These groups are trying to illegally and unauthorisedly sell the aforesaid land and building of the institution against the aims and objects of the institution for their personal gains. There is every likelihood that the moveable and immoveable properties of the institution may get destroyed which will frustrate the very purpose with which the institution was created.

Therefore, for the management, administration, control and regulating the activities of the institution, it is expedient in the public Interest to take-over, the management and control thereof in order to achieve the aims and objectives of the institution and to fulfil the wish and will of a yoga guru.

Any delay in taking over the management of the said institution would be highly detrimental to the interests, aims and objectives of the said institution as well as that of the general public and for that purpose to provide for the taking over for the management and control of the said institution. Therefore, the Bill has been passed to achieve the above objectives.

The Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025

Under section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986, every member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly is entitled to such medical facilities for himself and for such members of his family. At present, the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986, does not contain any provision for providing such medical facilities to the recipient of the family pension.

After the death of a spouse his/her medical facilities ceased as per the present provisions in the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986.With advancing age, health issues become more prevalent, along with increasing family responsibilities.

Keeping in mind the age factor and associated families responsibilities, it is essential to make provisions for extending medical facilities to recipients of the family pension.

Considering the above suggestion, the Bill seeks to substitute section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986, to provide for  such medical facilities to family pension recipients.

The Haryana Legislative Assembly(Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025

Under section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Facilities to Members) Act, 1 979, every member of the Haryana Legislative, Assembly is entitled to a House Building and Motor Car repayable advance of up to eighty lakh rupees, which the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat may disburse to the member.

The existing entitlement of a House Building and Motor Car repayable advance of eighty lakh rupees is insufficient for constructing a house and  purchasing a motor car, keeping in mind the present inflation scenario.

Every Member has different requirements or preferences for the House and Vehicle, hence they require different amounts as 'repayable advances for this purpose. Therefore, an adequate increased amount of the joint total of the prevalent amount for both the advances may be earmarked for flexible granting of any or both the advances".

At  present provision in the Haryana Legislative Assembly Facilities to Members) Act, 1979, a member can draw the House Building upto 80 Lakhs and Motor Car repayable advance up to 20 Lakhs and suggested that the amount of the House Building and Motor Car repayable advance be increased sufficiently. Therefore, considering the above suggestion, the Bill seeks to substitute section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Facilities to Members) Act, 1979.