State PCS - Haryana (HCS)

• 15 Jul 2025

Internet and SMS Services Suspended in Nuh

Why in News? 

The Haryana government has suspended mobile internet and bulk SMS services in Nuh district for 24 hours as a precautionary measure to prevent unrest, maintain public peace, and curb the spread of misinformation. 

Key Points

• About the Order: 
  • The Haryana Home Department issued the suspension directive under: 
    • Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, and 
    • Rule 3 of the Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024. 
  • The order suspended mobile internet services (2G/3G/4G/5G/CDMA/GPRS), bulk SMS services (except those related to banking and mobile recharge), and dongle-based internet access. 
  • Essential communication channels such as voice calls, broadband internet, and corporate lease lines remain operational to minimize disruption to the public. 
• Telecommunications (Temporary Suspension of Services) Rules, 2024: 
  • Mandatory Publication: All orders suspending telecom services, including internet shutdowns, must be published with specific reasons, geographical area, and duration. 
    • The suspension duration cannot exceed 15 days. 
  • Competent Authority: The suspension order can only be issued by the "competent authority," which is the Union Home Secretary for the central government and the State Home Secretary for states. 
  • Review Mechanism: A review committee is required to meet within 5 days of an order’s issuance to review its validity. 
    • The central review committee is chaired by the cabinet secretary, while the state committee is chaired by the chief secretary. 
  • Nodal Officers: Licensed service providers must appoint a nodal officer per service area to receive and implement suspension orders. 
  • Secure Communication: Only officers ranked superintendent of police or higher can communicate these orders, in writing or via secure electronic means.

Note: In the Anuradha Bhasin v. Union of India, Case 2020, the Supreme Court emphasized that government-imposed restrictions on Internet access must be temporary, limited, lawful, necessary, and proportionate. 

Ashim Kumar Ghosh Appointed Governor of Haryana

Why in News? 

The President appointed Professor Ashim Kumar Ghosh as the new Governor of Haryana. 

• Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju was also appointed as the Governor of Goa, and Kavinder Gupta as the Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh. 

Key Points

• Constitutional Functions of the Governor: 
  • Executive Head of the State: The Governor serves as the chief executive head of the state, functioning as a nominal authority while also acting as an agent of the central government.  
    • As per Article 154, all executive actions of the state government are carried out in the Governor’s name, and under Article 166, rules for the transaction of business are formulated by the Governor.   
    • Additionally, the Governor appoints the Chief Minister and, on their advice, the Council of Ministers.  
  • Legislative Role and Assent to Bills: As the constitutional link between the state legislature and the Union, the Governor summons, prorogues, and dissolves the state assembly under Article 174.   
    • A Bill must receive the Governor's assent to become law, similar to the President at the Union level, or it may be reserved for the President’s consideration under Article 200.  
    • The Governor plays a crucial role in the state’s financial governance, as no Money Bill can be introduced in the assembly without their recommendation under Article 207.   
      • They also ensure state finances comply with constitutional and fiscal responsibilities.  
  • Discretionary Powers and Role in Hung Assemblies: The Governor exercises discretionary powers in certain situations, such as recommending President’s Rule under Article 356 or inviting a party to form the government in case of a hung assembly.  
    • They also decide on matters where the Constitution grants them discretion, independent of the Council of Ministers' advice.   
  • Role in Appointments and Administration: The Governor appoints key functionaries, including the Advocate General, and members of the State Public Service Commission under Articles 165 and 316.   
    • They appoint Vice-Chancellors of state universities, which has been a contentious issue in recent years.   
    • This function ensures the smooth administration of the state, but must be exercised in consultation with the state government.  
  • Role in Implementing President’s Rule: Under Article 356, if the Governor believes that the constitutional machinery in a state has failed, they can recommend President’s Rule.   
  • Judicial Powers: The Governor of an Indian state holds pardoning powers under Article 161 of the Constitution, allowing them to grant pardons, reprieves, respites, or remissions of punishment for offenses against state laws.   
    • However, this power is limited compared to the President’s authority in cases of pardoning, as the Governor cannot pardon death sentences or court-martial cases.  
  • Special Responsibilities for Scheduled Areas and Tribal Welfare: In the states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram, the Governor has special powers over Scheduled Areas.  
    • These states are administered as Autonomous Districts under the Sixth Schedule of the Constitution.  
    • They can intervene in tribal administration to protect indigenous rights and promote welfare policies.

Governors of Haryana

Governors of Haryana	Tenure
Dharam Vira	1st November 1966 - 14th September 1967
Birendra Naryan Chakravarty	15th September 1967 -26th March 1976
Justice Ranjit Singh Narula	27th March 1976 -13th August 1976
Jai Sukhalal Hathi	14th August 1976 -23rd September 1977
Sardar Harcharn Singh Brar	24th September 1977 – 9th December 1979
Justice Surjit Singh Sandhawalia	10th December 1979 – 27th February 1980
Ganpatrao Devaji Tapase	28th February 1980 – 13th June 1984
Sayed Muzaffar Husain Burney	14th June 1984 – 21st February 1988
Hari Anand Barari	22nd February 1988 – 6th February 1990
Dhanik Lal Mandal	7th February 1990 – 13th June 1995
Mahabir Prasad	14th June 1995 – 18th June 2000
Babu Parmanand	19th June 2000 -1st July 2004
Om Prakash Verma	2nd July 2004 - 7th July 2004
Dr. Akhlaq-UR- Rahman Kidwai	7th July, 2004 - 27th July, 2009
Shri Jagannath Pahadia	27th July, 2009 - 26th July, 2014
Kaptan Singh Solanki	27th July, 2014 - 24th August 2018
Satyadev Narayan Arya	25th August, 2018 - 07th July 2021
Bandaru Dattatraya	7th July 2021 - July 2025
Ashim Kumar Ghosh	July 2025- Present