Sunil Chadha
DHARAMSHALA:
Drawing a parallel with Jammu and Kashmir’s historic Darbar Move where the government annually shifts between the summer capital Srinagar and winter capital Jammu, the Himachal Pradesh government too relocates its administrative focus once a year.
Instead of operating solely from Shimla, the administration temporarily shifts to Dharamshala for the Assembly’s winter session. This year’s 10-day sitting at Tapovan is set to begin on Wednesday (November 26, 2025), marking the start of a period of heightened political and administrative activity in the hill town.
VIP arrivals spike as ministers, MLAs and officials reach Tapovan
Legislators and senior bureaucrats will leave for Dharamshala on Tuesday, leading to a sharp rise in VIP movement. Key departmental heads are also scheduled to arrive to supervise preparations and ensure seamless coordination during the session.
With proceedings taking place at Tapovan, movement of petitioners and visitors is expected to shift from central Dharamshala to the Assembly complex.
To manage the surge in footfall, security has been stepped up across the region. Police teams began reaching Dharamshala on Monday evening and will be deployed sector-wise after Tuesday’s briefing. Traffic management, crowd control, and venue security will be the primary responsibilities of the police force, which has already begun ground assessments.
Throughout Monday, various departments remained stationed in Dharamshala to review arrangements. Senior officials conducted inspection rounds at the venue, checking infrastructure, logistics, and emergency preparedness. A series of coordination meetings also continued through the day to streamline inter-departmental roles.
Congress, BJP to hold separate meetings to firm up floor strategy
Political activity is expected to intensify on Tuesday as both major parties prepare for the session. The Congress Legislature Party, headed by Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, will meet to finalise its strategy, while the BJP Legislature Party, led by Leader of the Opposition Jai Ram Thakur, will deliberate on issues aimed at cornering the government in the House.
The Assembly Secretariat has already received more than 600 questions from MLAs, indicating a substantive and possibly heated session. The winter sitting will run from November 26 to December 5 at the Tapovan Assembly complex in Dharamshala, continuing Himachal’s own version of the annual “Darbar-style” administrative shift.
