Employees vs. Panjab Govt. Standoff Intensifies After State-Wide Strike

September

2026

Nearly 750K government employees and pensioners observed a maha hartal (state-wide strike) on 27 Aug to pressure the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government to clear their long-pending Dearness Allowance (DA) dues. Employees across government departments, including Deputy Commissioner office, Tehsil (Revenue) Offices, Sub-Divisional Magistrate offices, service centers, water and sanitation, irrigation department, Municipal Corporation, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited, Punjab Pollution Control Boards, and Punjab Roadways, among others, proceeded on mass casual leave and staged protests outside government offices statewide. The call was given by Sanjha Mulazim Manch (United Employees Platform, SMM) comprising 150 employee bodies. Protestors also appealed to the public not to visit government offices on 27 Aug. Their other demands included implementation of the Old Pension Scheme (OPS) and regularization of contractual workers. In Patiala, the protestors broke barricades to march towards the residence of Health Minister Dr. Balbir Singh. In Jalandhar, the protest escalated into a confrontation with police after Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann called off the talks scheduled with a 16-member representative committee of the unions at 1 pm. Employees inside the Deputy Commissioner office complex began raising anti-government slogans, marched out onto the streets, and were met with anti-riot police barricading their path. CM Mann said talks will take place only after the employees end their protest. In Amritsar, the Punjab State Medical and Dental Teachers’ Association extended their support to the protesters. The Panjab government responded on 28 Aug by initiating action against nearly 2,500 employees. Department heads were directed to issue show-cause notices and initiate disciplinary proceedings. SMM announced a series of protests from September through October, including a mass leave on 8 Sep, if the government does not withdraw the show-cause notices issued to employees. The government has also transferred one of the protests' prominent leaders, Sukhchain Singh Khera, from the Administration Branch in the Punjab Civil Secretariat to the Planning Branch located outside the Secretariat. On 30 Sep, the protesters will hold an ‘Employees’ Assembly’ and invite Members of Legislative Assembly of all 117 constituencies, as well as the 13 Members of Parliament of the state, to Chandigarh to clarify their stand on the employees’ issues (earlier coverage).