Won’t accept your demand, Himachal CM tells patwaris, kanungos who are on strike for 12 days

Kangra: Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu met striking patwaris and kanungos in Kangra on Saturday (March 8, 2025), addressing their concerns over the newly introduced state cadre system.

While making it clear that the government’s decision to implement the state cadre would not be revoked, CM Sukhu assured that necessary steps would be taken to prevent any adverse impact on promotions.

The CM appealed to the patwaris and kanungos, who are on strike for the past 12 days, to resume work, promising to hold a detailed meeting with them in April after the budget session.

He said that their suggestions would be considered and, if needed, some adjustments could be made within the district establishment to ensure fair promotions.

Rejecting the demand to withdraw the state cadre notification, Sukhu said, “If the government starts rolling back notifications, what meaning will they hold?” However, he assured that necessary amendments would be made to address concerns.

The striking patwaris and kanungos highlighted that in smaller districts, several employees were due for promotions in the coming months, but the state cadre implementation would halt their progress.
The Himachal Pradesh government had introduced the state cadre system for patwaris and kanungos last month, triggering protests across the state.

Since February 25, over 4,000 patwaris and kanungos have been on strike, leading to a disruption in essential services. Thousands of citizens are facing difficulties due to the closure of patwar circles, with key land-related tasks such as demarcation, mutations and partitions coming to a standstill.

Students, too, are struggling as they are unable to obtain necessary certificates for admissions and competitive exams.

Sunil Chadha