The Punjab Cabinet has approved a series of measures aimed at enhancing public safety through forensic science upgrades and boosting rural incomes with a new farm stay policy.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann has announced a crop loss assessment following recent inclement weather and promised compensation to affected farmers. The announcement came as Mann presented a report on the power department and addressed other issues including sacrilege laws and drug enforcement.
The Punjab Assembly has passed the Punjab Prisons and Correctional Services Bill, 2026, to modernise the prison system, and the Societies Registration (Punjab Amendment) Bill 2026, to enhance transparency and accountability of societies.
The AAP government in Punjab successfully moved a Confidence Motion in the state assembly, following the defection of seven Rajya Sabha MPs to the BJP. Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann asserted the party's strength and national presence during the special session.
The Punjab Assembly has unanimously passed a bill proposing stricter punishment, including life imprisonment and a fine up to Rs 25 lakh, for any act of sacrilege against the Guru Granth Sahib.
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal and Punjab Vidhan Sabha Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan have appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi to take urgent steps for the evacuation of Indian citizens stuck in countries affected by the recent joint Israel-US attack on Iran.
Punjab Police and Chandigarh Police got into a minor scuffle on Tuesday over the custody of a Rajasthan native who is accused of filing his Rajya Sabha polls nomination with forged signatures.
AAP has nominated former cricketer Harbhajan Singh as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Punjab
Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday thwarted the Aam Aadmi Party government's plan to summon a special assembly session to bring in a confidence motion.
Congress chief had accepted the resignation of Punjab PCC chief Shamsher Singh Dullo, but had asked him to continue on the post till the appointment of the next PCC president.
The governor's approval came a day after the AAP government informed him about the issues to be taken up during the session.
The Punjab Assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution to not release any water from its share to Haryana, citing the state's water scarcity. The resolution also demanded the reorganization of the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) and the repeal of the Dam Safety Act of 2021. The decision comes amid a stand-off between the two states over the distribution of water from the Bhakra dam. The resolution was moved by Punjab's Water Resources Minister Barinder Kumar Goyal, who accused the BJP of trying to take away Punjab's water rights. The resolution was supported by all parties, including the opposition, which termed the Dam Safety Act of 2021 as an "attack" on the rights of Punjab. The resolution also criticized the BBMB, calling it a "puppet" of the BJP-led central government. The Punjab government maintains that the state does not have surplus water to spare and needs it for the upcoming paddy sowing season. The resolution has triggered strong reactions from the BJP, which has accused the Punjab government of politicising the issue.
Not only chemists, but several known private hospitals are selling medicines at higher prices than MRP, said Singh, adding that the matter was not peculiar to Punjab, but afflicts the whole country.
Three of the 23 MLAs are cabinet ministers. Another minister who had tested positive earlier has recovered. The chief minister gave the number during a video conference with Congress president Sonia Gandhi, who had held a virtual meeting with CMs of opposition-ruled states to discuss a range of issues faced by them.
'Punjab chief minister @capt_amarinder has decided to go into 7-day self quarantine, as per government protocol and the advise of his doctors, after two MLAs who met him in the Vidhan Sabha tested positive for #COVID19,' tweeted Raveen Thukral, the media advisor to the chief minister.
"The decision of extending the jurisdiction of the Border Security Force (BSF) from 15 km to 50 km by the Union Government is an expression of distrust towards the state Police and people of Punjab. This is their insult too," the resolution passed unanimously by the state Legislative Assembly stated.
The Haryana Cabinet has decided to offer wrestler-turned-politician Vinesh Phogat benefits equivalent to those of an Olympic silver medallist under the state's sports policy.
In its first decision, the Punjab cabinet led by Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday approved filling up 25,000 vacant posts in various state departments, including 10,000 in the police force.
The Punjab Assembly on Thursday passed a resolution against the Centre's Agnipath defence recruitment scheme.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Thursday said the session of the state assembly will be summoned on September 27.
The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has urged Muslims to wear a black armband on their right hand during Juma prayers on the last Friday of Ramzan as a mark of protest against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill. The AIMPLB has been vocal in its opposition to the Bill, calling it "controversial, discriminatory and damaging." The organization has planned nationwide protests against the Bill, with large sit-ins scheduled in several cities.
The Aam Aadmi Party has nominated former cricketer Harbhajan Singh, Lovely Professional University founder Ashok Mittal, AAP MLA Raghav Chadha, IIT Delhi faculty Sandeep Pathak and industrialist Sanjeev Arora for the March 31 Rajya Sabha polls.
The Haryana govt urged the Centre to not take any steps until all concerns related to the Punjab Reorganisation Act were addressed.
The additional director general of police (security), however, said in an order on Friday that the security personnel were 'being withdrawn on a purely temporary basis in connection with an emergent law and order duty'.
Aam Aadmi Party leader and Ludhiana West MLA Gurpreet Bassi Gogi has died of gunshot injuries, with police saying on Saturday it could be a case of 'accidental fire' from his own licensed pistol.
In 2019, an all-party meeting was held in Delhi and it was attended by 19 political parties to discuss critical reforms in governance. One of the subjects of the discussions was simultaneous elections
The government will set up 16 new medical colleges over the next five years.
Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi had convened an emergency meeting of newly reconstituted Council of Ministers in view of the 'Bharat Bandh' call given by the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) to protest against the three agri laws, an official statement said after the cabinet meeting.
The others to be elected to the Upper House from Punjab were Ashwini Kumar and Dharampal Sabharwal (Congress) and Virender Singh Bajwa (Shiromani Akali Dal).
The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal swept the by-polls in three assembly constituencies of Punjab by drubbing rival Congress on Thursday with SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal making his entry to the Vidhan Sabha.
Slogans of 'Shaheed Amar Rahe' and 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' rent the air as military vehicles carrying the mortal remains of the three soldiers reached their respective villages. Anti-Pakistan slogans were also raised.
Amid a row over the extension of the territorial jurisdiction of the Border Security Force in Punjab, a top officer of the border guarding force on Saturday said the powers of the state police remain intact and the BSF is only there to complement it.
The AAP government in the state had earlier claimed that some of its MLAs were approached by the BJP with an offer of Rs 25 crore to each of them.
The chief minister further informed that an FIR has been registered following the incident and a probe has been ordered to nab the culprits.
he Punjab government had also sought a judicial declaration that the assembly session held on June 19 and 20 was "legal and that the business transacted by the House is valid".
Addressing a press conference, Pawar said the trends of the assembly polls (in five states set to be held in November) suggest the situation is favourable for the opposition, but added he had no authentic information to comment on whether there would be a change (in government) at the national level.
"A call, 'No Vote to BJP', will be given during the Vidhan Sabha elections if assurances made by union leaders, including the Prime Minister, are not fulfilled shortly," samiti national president Yashpal Malik on Thursday said.
Referring to Monday's rocket-propelled grenade attack at Punjab police intelligence headquarters in Mohali, he said, "it could have been Shimla also."
Announcing the decision, Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh welcomed them in the party fold, saying Congress will be further strengthened ahead of the Punjab assembly elections with the joining of like-minded people.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances