Archive · 26 Aug 2026
Himachal Assembly BJP Walkout Over Refused Employment Supplementaries
The Himachal Pradesh Assembly was discussing empty government jobs.
BJP members wanted to ask extra questions about the issue.
The Speaker said enough time had already been used on one question.
The BJP members protested by shouting slogans and leaving the House.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said jobs would be filled when needed.
He also described plans for outsourced workers and programs supporting self-employment.
BJP leader Jai Ram Thakur said many posts were still empty and recalled a promise to create permanent jobs.
Sukhu replied that the earlier BJP government had also left posts vacant and that his government had filled some police positions.
The Speaker said the BJP could raise its remaining questions in a later employment discussion.
BJP members walked out of the Himachal Pradesh Assembly after Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania refused additional questions during Question Hour.
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said vacant posts would be filled according to need and outlined measures for outsourced workers and self-employment.
BJP leaders claimed major vacancies remained across government departments and said the government had failed to meet its jobs promise.
Sukhu said the previous BJP government also left posts unfilled, while the current government had filled 1,350 police posts and begun recruiting 1,000 more.
The Speaker said more than 25 minutes had been spent on the question and offered a later discussion on employment under Rule 130.
- Who
- Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu, BJP leaders Jai Ram Thakur and Jeet Ram Katwal, Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania, and BJP Assembly members.
- What
- BJP members staged a walkout after the Speaker refused supplementary questions during a discussion about vacancies and employment.
- When
- Tuesday, August 25; the article does not specify the year.
- Where
- The Himachal Pradesh Assembly in Shimla.
- Why
- The Speaker said more than 25 minutes had already been spent on one question and that other questions needed to be taken up; BJP members wanted further answers on employment and vacancies.
Government and Speaker
BJP Opposition
Supplementary questions
Government and Speaker
Speaker Kuldeep Singh Pathania said more than 25 minutes had been spent on one question and that further questions could be raised during a scheduled Rule 130 discussion.
BJP Opposition
BJP members wanted to ask additional questions, argued that questions were not being answered promptly, and walked out when the request was refused.
Vacancies and recruitment
Government and Speaker
Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said vacant posts would be filled on a need basis, said the previous BJP government had also failed to fill functional posts, and cited 1,350 police posts already filled.
BJP Opposition
Jai Ram Thakur and Jeet Ram Katwal sought department-wide vacancy figures; Thakur claimed 37 per cent of departmental posts were vacant and listed thousands of unfilled positions.
Jobs promise
Government and Speaker
Sukhu said providing jobs to everyone was not feasible and highlighted self-employment measures, including the Rajiv Gandhi Startup Yojana.
BJP Opposition
Thakur said Congress had promised one lakh permanent jobs annually and argued that four lakh jobs should have been provided during the government’s four-year tenure.
- Main issue
- Vacant government posts, recruitment, and employment programs in Himachal Pradesh.
- Speaker’s position
- Kuldeep Singh Pathania said sufficient time had been devoted to one question and pointed to a scheduled Rule 130 discussion.
- Government recruitment
- Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu said 1,350 police posts had been filled and recruitment for another 1,000 had begun.
- BJP vacancy claim
- Jai Ram Thakur claimed 37 per cent of government department posts and 57 per cent of State Electricity Board posts were vacant.
- Specific vacancies claimed
- Thakur cited 10,853 vacancies in primary education, 3,753 in police, 3,635 in the State Electricity Board, 2,768 in the PWD, 3,432 in higher education, 1,298 in health, and 517 in Jal Shakti.
- Other government measures
- Sukhu cited recruitment-process changes, the Rajiv Gandhi Startup Yojana, and a proposed policy for outsourced employees.
- Medical staffing
- Sukhu said paramedical posts in all medical colleges would be filled between March and June next year.