Chandigarh, March 28 – The Haryana Assembly Budget Session concluded with the passage of six significant bills. These include the Haryana Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025, Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025, Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025, The Aparna Institution (Taking over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025, Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025, and Haryana Legislative Assembly (Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025. These bills have substantial implications for the public and the state’s governance.
The Haryana Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025
The Haryana Appropriation (No. 2) Bill, 2025, authorizes the payment and appropriation of Rs. 2,58,339,98,37,030 from the Consolidated Fund of Haryana State for services during the financial year 2025-26, which ends on March 31, 2026.
The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025
The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025, has been passed to repeal the Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948. In pursuance of an agreement with Pakistan for the exchange of prisoners, for the transfer of certain prisoners from India to Pakistan and the reception in India of certain prisoners from Pakistan, the East Punjab (Exchange of prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 13 of 1948) was enacted. After about two years of the partition of India and Pakistan, as well as after the passing of ‘The East Punjab (Exchange of prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 13 of 1948)’, most prisoners were transferred.
On account of the creation of the State of Haryana vide Punjab Reorganization Act, 1966, the East Punjab (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948, was made applicable in the state of Haryana. The words ‘East Punjab’ in the title of the said Act have been replaced with ‘Haryana’ vide Government notification dated July 7, 2021. To provide a contingency for transferring prisoners from one state to another within India, the Transfer of Prisoners Act, 1950 (29 of 1950) was enacted. The State of Haryana Prisons Rules, 2022, have also been framed. The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 194,8 has become redundant. Haryana State Law Commission in its recommendation dated 25.01.2023 has recommended that this Act i.e. The Haryana (Exchange of Prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 1 3 of 1948) may be repealed. Therefore, the Haryana (Exchange of prisoners) Repeal Bill, 2025 has been passed to repeal the Haryana (Exchange of prisoners) Act, 1948 (Punjab Act No. 13 of 1948).
The Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025
The horticulture sector plays a vital role in Haryana’s agricultural economy. A regulatory framework for fruit nurseries exists, as per the Haryana Fruit Nursery Act of 1961 . However, the absence of a well-defined regulatory framework for horticulture nurseries other than fruit nurseries has resulted in the sale of substandard and disease-prone planting material, leading to reduced crop productivity and economic losses for farmers and customer’s. The existing Haryana Fruit Nursery Act, 1961 has limited applicability, as there is no quality control mechanism for horticulture nurseries dealing with vegetables, spices, condiments, flowers, ornamental, medicinal, and aromatic crops. Due to this gap, unauthorized nurseries operate without accountability, spreading planting material of unknown pedigree and the proliferation of pests and diseases among horticultural crops.
Scientific nursery management, quality assurance, and regulation are strongly needed to ensure that only certified, high-quality planting material reaches farmers. Therefore, the Government of Haryana considers it expedient to repeal the existing Haryana Fruit Nursery Act, 1961, and introduce a comprehensive law to regulate horticulture nurseries in the state.
The proposed Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025, seeks to provide for the registration and regulation of horticulture nurseries in the State of Haryana and ensure that the owner registers the nursery following the standards prescribed in the Act and the rules made thereunder.
The owner can register a nursery for whole horticulture plants of fruits, vegetables, spices, condiments, flowers, ornamental, medicinal, and aromatic crops. The owner shall be permitted to sell varieties and kinds thereof as per their choice of horticultural plants and the varieties of fruit plants specified in the Licence.
After obtaining a separate licence, the owner can own more than one horticulture nursery. The Act empowers the competent authority to suspend or cancel any license granted or renewed under it if it violates its provisions. The Act also requires the owner of a horticulture nursery to maintain records in the prescribed form and manner.
The Haryana Horticulture Nurseries Bill, 2025 has been passed to regulate and prohibit the sale and distribution of horticulture plants and plant material of unknown pedigree or those infected with pests and diseases. This bill aims to ensure that only certified, high-quality planting material reaches farmers, boosting crop productivity and reducing economic losses. The bill also imposes penalties on those who contravene its provisions, ensuring strict adherence to quality standards in the horticulture sector.
The Aparna Institution (Taking Over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025
The Aparna Institution (Taking Over of Management and Control) Bill, 2025 has been passed to provide for the taking over, in the public interest, for a limited period, for proper and efficient management and control of Aparna Institution situated withh the revenue estate of Village Silokhra, District Gurugram, falling within the territorial jurisdiction of the State of Haryana, and for matters connected therewith and incidental thereto.
Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari, a renowned yoga guru, believed that yoga is the only solution to all the problems and diseases not cured by allopathic/ other treatments. He left no stone unturned to popularise yoga through physical demonstrations and discussions of its benefits. His efforts brought some benefits to the people, but the dimensions of such benefits were limited. On review of his efforts after some time, he felt that individual efforts cannot effectively cure the health problem of the nation, and that to ensure enormous scale benefit to humanity, there was a great need for making yoga more popular through institutionalization, to enable people to regain their health and vigour by resorting to the practice of yoga.
In furtherance thereof, Swami Dhirendra Brahmachari incorporated and got registered a Society under the name and style Aparna Ashram (Reg. No.S-5766 of 1973-74) under the Societies Registration Act, 1860, with the Registrar of Societies, District South-East, New Delhi, having its registered office at A-50, Friends Colony, Mathura Road, New Delhi, for diffusion of sound knowledge of yoga among the masses through education, research, training and dissemination.
Apart from incorporating the said Society, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari also created an institution, Aparna, as a separate entity through an instrument of a Memorandum of Incorporation (Mol). He constituted its independent Governing Council consisting of four members, including himself, to carry out the aims and objectives of the said institution and entrusted it with its control and management.
The aims and objectives enumerated under the Mol empower the institution to acquire, purchase, or own any movable or immovable property for establishing yoga ashrams, guest houses, undertaking agricultural and dairy farming, gardening, plantation pursuits, health resorts, and swimming places. The said Society was made for the benefit of the public at large; therefore, it comes within the definition of a public trust.
Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari wanted to develop the institution as a research, development, and training centre of yoga, a medical centre for various patients, and a conference centre for various yoga scholars worldwide. He believed that the necessity of spreading the knowledge of yoga in the present mechanized world is of great importance as the cases of physical and mental diseases resulting in disappointment, frustration and mental worries are increasing day by day among the people.
In furtherance to set up, develop and establish the proposed institution, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari purchased land ad-measuring 24 acres 16 marlas situated within the revenue estates of Village Silokhra, Tehsil Wazirabad, District Gurugram, in the name of Aparna Ashram with the help of donations, grants and the financial assistance received by him from time to time from the Central Government and vested the said land in the institution. Various buildings were constructed over the said land after spending crores of rupees, and various yoga-related activities were started therein. The said institution is located near Sector 30, Gurugram.
In the year 1989, the Government of Haryana, published notification dated 30.01.1989 under Section 4 of the Land Acquisition Act, 1894, notifying that the lands of Villages Silokra and Sukhrali, Tehsil & District Gurgaon, described therein are required for the public purpose which also included the aforesaid and land and building of the institution. After publication of the said notification, the General Body and/or the Governing Council of the Society were prohibited from dealing with the said land and building of the institution as a free agent and from creating any encumbrances whatsoever. Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari filed objectives dated 07.03.1999 under Section 5A of the L.A. Act, 1894 before the Land Acquisition Collector seeking release of the said land and building of the institution from acquisition on the grounds stated therein. The objections were dismissed, and a declaration dated 25.01.1990 under Section 6 was issued. Aggrieved therefrom, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari filed CWP No. 3117/1990 before the High Court of Punjab and Haryana, praying to issue writ of certiorari for quashing the said notifications. Perusal of averments of the said writ petition reveals Swami Dhirender Brhamchari’s mission of life and the aim and objectives with which he incorporated and got registered the said Society.
On 09.06.1994, Swami Dhirendra Brahamchari died in a plane crash. After his demise, the Society was divided into two groups, one led by Laxman Chaudhary and the other by Murali Chaudhry. Later, Murli Chaudhry removed Subash Dutt and K. S. Pathania from society’s primary membership, forming separate groups. Occasionally, these groups enrolled persons of their confidence to increase their majority.
For the past several years, inter-se disputes have been going on between the Society and its members, and for more than two decades, these groups have been litigating with each other. These groups are trying to illegally and unauthorisedly sell the aforesaid land and building of the institution against the aims and objects of the institution for their gains. There is every likelihood that the movable and immovable properties of the institution may get destroyed, which will frustrate the very purpose for which the institution was created. Therefore, for the management, administration, control, and regulation of the institution’s activities, it is expedient in the public Interest to take over the management and control thereof to achieve the institution’s aims and objectives and fulfil the wish and will of a yoga guru. Any delay in taking over the management of the said institution would be highly detrimental to the interests, aims, and objectives of the said institution as well as those of the general public, and for that purpose, to provide for the taking over of the management and control of the said institution. Therefore, the Bill has been passed to achieve the above objectives.
The Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025
Under section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986, every member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly is entitled to such medical facilities for himself and for such members of his family. The Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986, does not contain any provision for providing such medical facilities to the recipient of the family pension.
After a spouse’s death, his/her medical facilities cease as per the present provisions in the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986.
With advancing age, health issues become more prevalent, along with increasing family responsibilities.
Considering the age factor and associated family responsibilities, it is essential to make provisions for extending medical facilities to family pension recipients.
Considering the above suggestion, the Bill seeks to substitute section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Medical Facilities to Members) Act, 1986, to provide such medical facilities to family pension recipients.
The Haryana Legislative Assembly(Facilities to Members) Amendment Bill, 2025
Under section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Facilities to Members) Act, 1979, every member of the Haryana Legislative Assembly is entitled to a repayable advance of up to eighty lakh rupees for house building and motor cars, which the Haryana Vidhan Sabha Secretariat may disburse to the member.
Considering the present inflation scenario, the existing entitlement of a House-Building and Motor Car repayable advance of eighty lakh rupees is insufficient to construct a house and purchase a motor car.
Every Member has different requirements or preferences for the House and Vehicle, hence they require different amounts as ‘repayable advances for this purpose. Therefore, an adequate increased amount of the joint total of the prevalent amount for both the advances may be earmarked for flexible granting of any or both the advances”.
At present, provision in the Haryana Legislative Assembly Facilities to Members) Act, 1979, a member can draw up to 80 Lakhs and Motor Car repayable advance up to 20 Lakhs, and suggested that the amount of the House Building and Motor Car repayable advance be increased sufficiently. Therefore, considering the above suggestion, the Bill seeks to substitute section 3 of the Haryana Legislative Assembly (Facilities to Members) Act, 1979.