Massive Sit-in and Protest by Electricity Employees; Direct Action Announced if Demands Are Not Met; 'Black Diwali' to be Observed.

Massive Sit-in and Protest by Electricity Employees; Direct Action Announced if Demands Are Not Met; 'Black Diwali' to be Observed.

Chandigarh 19 October ( Ranjeet Singh Dhaliwal ) : At the call of the UT Power Man Union, Chandigarh, a massive protest and sit-in were held today, October 19, 2026, in front of the Electricity Office in Sector 17, targeting the Chandigarh Administration and the CPDL management. The protest was organized to oppose the rigid and negative stance adopted by the Chandigarh Administration and the CPDL management regarding the employees' demands, as well as to protest against the harassment of staff by certain retired officials from the department who are now engaged with CPDL. The protest was presided over by the Union President, Amrik Singh. Presenting the demands, Union General Secretary Gopal Dutt Joshi strongly condemned the Chandigarh Administration and the CPDL management. He alleged that the Administration had treated government employees as mere commodities, handing them over to a private company—an unprecedented move in the nation's history. This has left the employees in a state of extreme hardship, forcing them to run from pillar to post and endure the ordeal of court proceedings just to protect their status as government employees. 

Meanwhile, the CPDL management is treating the staff unfairly, acting in an entirely arbitrary manner, and choosing confrontation over addressing the demands. Consequently, dozens of demands remain pending with both the Administration and the company; the Administration shifts the blame onto CPDL, while CPDL points the finger back at the Administration—leaving the employees caught in the middle. Due to this irresponsible attitude from both sides, these demands have remained unaddressed for the past two years. The protest was addressed by several individuals, including Union Vice-Presidents Gurmeet Singh, Harjinder Singh, and Surjit Singh; Joint Secretaries Virendra Singh, Vinay Prasad, Ram Gopal, Satkar Singh, Jagtar Singh, and Kashmir Singh; Federation General Secretary Harkesh Chand; Public Health Wing President Harpal Singh; Electrical Wing President Tarun Kumar; and representatives from the Pensioners' Union, including Senior Vice-President Ramswaroop, General Secretary Sucha Singh, and Harindra Prasad.

The speakers demanded that the administration ensure the retention of government employee status for those transferred to private companies and facilitate their adjustment into other departments under the administration. They also called for the provision of pensions, GPF, gratuity, and other retirement benefits to employees who retired before completing their probationary period; the unconditional processing of pending promotions; the cancellation of examinations required for the regularization of contractual employees (advocating instead for their absorption based on seniority and extensive experience); the conversion of part-time positions into full-time roles; the adoption and implementation of Finance Department circulars regarding promotion scales and the Assured Career Progression Scheme (ACPS); the prompt disbursement of salary increments following the completion of the probationary period; the timely release of GPF funds for employees seeking loans for children's weddings or housing; and action against officials who failed to deposit NPS deductions into the PFRDA fund. Furthermore, they demanded a 2% additional DC (Deputy Commissioner) rate for contractual employees with five years of continuous service, the restoration of the previous housing allotment policy, and the reimbursement of medical bills for pensioners—all of which are long-standing, unresolved demands. 

The speakers strongly condemned the CPL/KPDL management, asserting that officials are flagrantly violating safety norms and endangering the lives of employees; they noted that such policies have led to an increasing number of accidents. In his concluding remarks, Union President Amrik Singh thanked the employees for their large turnout. He issued a warning to the administration and the CPDL/PDL management, stating that if their demands are not addressed promptly, the electricity workers will intensify their struggle; this will include working strictly according to the rulebook and observing a 'Black Diwali.' During the protest, a memorandum addressed to the Administrator of Chandigarh was submitted through the Deputy Commissioner (DC), requesting his intervention. It was announced that if the demands remain unresolved, the workers will continue to hold rallies, sit-ins, and demonstrations—including the burning of effigies. Furthermore, a large-scale protest will be staged on November 3rd, accompanied by the observance of a 'Black Diwali' and a 'work-to-rule' (adhering strictly to official regulations) campaign.