HC seeks data on youth employed through employment exchanges in Haryana

The Punjab and Haryana high court has sought data on number of people employed through employment exchanges in the state of Haryana. Besides, the chief secretary has been told to also give details of manpower and total funds spent by the state for running these employment exchanges.

“…prima facie it appears that employment exchange(s) have almost become non-functional for the desired purpose,” the bench of justice Mahabir Singh Sindhu observed while hearing an anticipatory bail plea from a person facing allegations of taking money for providing jobs.

The plea was from one Harpreet Singh, being investigated in a June 27, 2024, criminal case registered in Fatehabad on allegations of cheating, forgery and criminal conspiracy.

The allegations were that one Sushil Kumar allegedly cheated 15 odd people by promising them government jobs and took ₹60,000 each from them. The present accused’s name had figured in investigation as his bank account was used by the main accused.

His counsel, senior advocate Bipan Ghai had argued that the petitioner had no role to play in the crime and his name was added later in the FIR. Neither complainants nor any other person had named the present petitioner, Ghai had told the court. The court granted him interim protection from the arrest and asked him to join the probe. Lodging of FIR(s) on similar allegations is perennial problem in Haryana, thus functioning of employment exchanges ought to be examined, it remarked.

Now, the chief secretary has been told to file an affidavit giving the complete details of employment exchanges, established in the state, along with manpower deployed therein. “The affidavit shall also indicate the total number of un-employed persons registered as on February 28, 2025, with these exchanges. It shall further indicate about the appointment made through employment exchange(s) in the past three years and also about the total funds spent by the state for running these employment exchanges,” the court directed while posting the matter for further hearing on May 8.