Important Institutions of Himachal Pradesh | HPPSC HPAS Preparation - HPPSC HPAS (Himachal Pardesh) PDF Download

Introduction 

The Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC) plays a key role in the administration and governance of the state by facilitating the recruitment of government employees, primarily for Class-I and Class-II posts. It also sets standards for maintaining transparency, integrity, and fairness in public administration. Below is a detailed overview of various commissions and institutions in Himachal Pradesh.

Himachal Pradesh Public Service Commission (HPPSC)

• Establishment Date: January 25
• First Chairman: General (Retd.) K.S. Katoch
• Present Chairman: Gen. (Retd.) D.V.S. Rana
• Only Woman Chairman: Bimla Bhagat
• Expansion in 1985: The strength of HPPSC members increased from two.
• Location: Nigam Vihar, Chotta Shimla
• Function: The HPPSC is responsible for direct recruitment to Class-I and Class-II posts across various departments of the Himachal Pradesh government.

Himachal Pradesh Institute of Public Administration (HIPA)

• Establishment Date: January 1
• Location: Fairlawns Circuit House (Fairlawns was initially constructed by R. Dixon. It was later bought by Nawab Muzaffar Ali Khan Quizzalbash of Malerkotla. After his migration to Pakistan in 1947, the property was taken over by the Government of Punjab.)
• First Director: K. Sharma
• Current Director: P. Verma
• Responsibilities:
  • Conducts Foundation Courses for new direct recruits to gazetted posts in the Himachal Pradesh Government.
  • Provides Training Programs for IAS officers, HPAS officers, and Block Development Officers (BDOs), ensuring they are well-prepared for their administrative duties.

Himachal Pradesh Lokayukta

• Establishment: The Himachal Pradesh Lokayukta Act was initially passed in 1983.
• First Lokayukta: Justice V.R. Tattachari was appointed on August 17, 1983.
• The Lokayukta Act was repealed and re-enacted in 2014 to make it more robust and effective.
• Current Status: The position of Lokayukta is currently vacant.
• Functions: Lokayukta primarily investigates cases of corruption and ensures transparency in government functioning.
• It acts as a check on administrative practices and aims to make the system more citizen-friendly.

Key Provisions of the 2014 Lokayukta Act

• Three-Member Body: Unlike the previous single-member model, the Lokayukta now comprises a three-member body.
• Chairperson: A former Supreme Court Judge or a former Chief Justice of a High Court.
• Other Members: One member should be a retired High Court Judge or a District Judge with at least 10 years of experience.
• All members must have a judicial background and should be known for their integrity and expertise in anti-corruption work.
• Appointment Committee: The Lokayukta's members are appointed by a committee comprising the Chief Minister, Speaker of Vidhan Sabha, Leader of Opposition, Chief Justice of the High Court, and an eminent jurist.
• Jurisdiction: The Lokayukta has authority over the Chief Minister, ministers, legislators, former and current public servants, and employees of various state-run corporations and organizations.
• However, it cannot investigate central government employees without approval from the central government.
• Inquiry Wing: The Lokayukta has a special inquiry wing headed by a Director of Inquiries to investigate corruption cases. The inquiry wing has powers similar to a civil court.
• It can summon individuals and requisition public records as part of investigations.
• Special Courts: The state government can establish special courts to handle corruption cases, ensuring swift trials.
• Property Confiscation: The Lokayukta has the power to attach and confiscate property acquired through corrupt means.
• Timelines: Preliminary inquiries should be completed within 90 days, and investigations must be concluded within six months.
• Removal of Lokayukta Members: Members, including the chairperson, can be removed by the Governor on grounds of misbehavior, based on a petition signed by at least 25 members of the legislative assembly and referred to the High Court.

Himachal Pradesh State Consumer Commission and District Forum

• Legislative Background: The Consumer Protection Act, 1986, passed by the Government of India, was adopted and implemented by Himachal Pradesh.
• Establishment: Himachal Pradesh set up the State Consumer Commission and a District Forum on November 1, 1989, in Shimla. The H.P. State Consumer Protection Council was also established to monitor consumer issues.
• First President of State Commission: Justice V.P. Gupta, a retired judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court.
• District Forums: In 1995, two more District Forums were established at Mandi and Kangra (Dharamshala), in addition to Shimla. In 1997, a fourth District Forum was opened in Una.
  The jurisdiction of these forums was organized as follows:
  • Shimla District Forum: Shimla, Sirmour, and Kinnaur
  • Mandi District Forum: Mandi, Kullu, and Lahaul Spiti
  • Una District Forum: Una, Hamirpur, and Bilaspur
  • Kangra District Forum (Dharamshala): Kangra, Solan, and Chamba

Himachal Pradesh High Court

• Establishment: The Himachal Pradesh (Courts) Order, 1948, issued on August 15, 1948, established the Court of the Judicial Commissioner in Himachal Pradesh. This court was initially located in Harvingtan (Kelston area, Shimla). The Judicial Commissioner’s Court Act, 1950, granted this court powers equivalent to a High Court. Alongside this, two District and Sessions Courts and 27 subordinate courts were also established.
• Statehood and High Court: After Himachal Pradesh attained statehood in 1971, a separate High Court was established at Revenswood, Shimla. The court started with a Chief Justice and two other judges.
• First Chief Justice: H. Beg
• First Woman Chief Justice: Leela Seth
• Longest Tenure as Chief Justice: Justice R.S. Pathak (six years)
• Shortest Tenure as Chief Justice: Justice Shashikant Seth (seven days)
• Current Strength: The High Court currently has a sanctioned strength of 13 judges, including the Chief Justice. However, only nine judges are serving at present.