Administration in Hoshiarpur

Hoshiarpur is one of the oldest districts of Punjab with huge potential of growth. There are land resources which are partly utilized for agricultural purposes and industries emanating the smoke of progress for the district. But the overall development lies in the hands of general administration machinery. In this regard, Hoshiarpur has a well managed civic infrastructure promoted by the local authorities.

Ever since the annexation of this district to British government in 1846, many significant changes have taken place in its administrative set up. Currently, it is divided into four tehsils for general and revenue administration. These tehsils are Hoshiarpur with Bhunga sub tehsil, Dasuya with Mukerian and Talwara sub tehsils, Balachur, and Garhshankar.



The general administration of this district is vested with the Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur. Acting as the executive head of district, he performs various tasks related to his post. For better control of all these tasks, Deputy Commissioner of Hoshiarpur is assisted by other officers. He works under the direct control of Commissioner of Jalandhar district which is the main revenue division for Hoshiarpur as well. There is a district level court and efficient police force in Hoshiarpur to maintain law and order.

Deputy Commissioner of Hoshiarpur

As the executive head of district, Deputy Commissioner has to play his role as the District Collector and District Magistrate also. In his capacity as Deputy Commissioner, he has to fulfill responsibilities for civil administration, local development, gram panchayats, and other local bodies. There is an office superintendent to assist him in controlling all the branches coming under the office of Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur. The main branches under his office are:

• Nazarat Branch
• Establishment Branch
• Development Branch
• Licensing Branch
• Local Funds Branch
• Complaints and Enquiries Branch
• District Revenue Accounts Branch
• Revenue Records Branch
• Civil Defence Branch
• Miscellaneous Branch
  
  

As the District Collector, Deputy Commissioner of Hoshiarpur acts as Chief Revenue Officer and entrusted with the collection of land revenue including the arrears of land revenue in entire district. He performs duties as Registrar of Hoshiarpur and supervises the registration of all deeds being prepared there. He appoints the revenue staff to work under his control and also supervises them in their duties. He is also the highest revenue judicial officer to settle the matters falling under his jurisdiction.

The duties of Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur also give him the powers to act as District Magistrate for criminal administration of district. He has duties to maintain law and order in the district with many powers being given to him. The departmental control of police lies with District Superintendent but duties regarding deployment and use of forces are at disposal of Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur.


The Deputy Commissioner of Hoshiarpur also has authority to inspect the offices of all his subordinate officers along with inspection of schools, hospitals, blocks, dispensaries, jails, treasuries, and all other state government offices in district. He acts as an appellate authority to hear appeals against the orders passed by Sub Divisional Officer (Civil) as Assistant Collector of 1st grade, Sales Tax commissioner, and Settlement Commissioner. He takes decision in Lambardari cases as well.

He has powers to take decision in cases pertaining to orders passed by Tehsildars, District Rent Officer, and Assistant Judicial Custodian. He also performs some administrative duties related to municipal committees, panchayats, community development blocks, market committees, and zila parishad.

Apart from these duties, there are some other functions that Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur is required to perform. These include duties at the time of elections, decennial census operations, disaster management, as well as functions related to distribution and supply.
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Additional Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur

Additional Deputy Commissioner is appointed in Hoshiarpur to assist DC in smooth functioning of his duties. Under the various rules of state government, he is given the same powers as the Deputy Commissioner. This post was created in the year 1979 with powers vested under the acts passed by Punjab government. These acts are:

• The Punjab Land Revenue Act, 1887
• The Punjab Occupancy of Tenants (Vesting of Proprietary Rights) Act, 1952
• The Punjab Tenancy Act, 1887
• The Land Acquisition Act, 1894
• The Punjab Restitution of Mortgage Land Act, 1938
• The Punjab Village Common Land (Regulation) Act, 1961
• The Indian Stamp Act, 1899

Additional Deputy Commissioner in Hoshiarpur is also entrusted with duties to work as Registrar under Registration Act 1908, Executive Magistrate, Additional District Magistrate under the Arms Act, and Chairman of District Consultative Committee.

Sub Divisional Officers (Civil) in Hoshiarpur

Like Deputy Commissioner, Sub Divisional Officer is the executive head of his respective sub division. Their duties are under the direct control of Deputy Commissioner. A Sub Divisional Officer works as the principal agent of DC for all administrative matters in district. His duties involve coordination of the various departments in his sub division for revenue administration and maintenance of law and order. In cases of natural calamities, he has to take necessary actions and also respond to public grievances.

Sub Divisional Officer enjoys independent powers to exercise these duties within his jurisdiction. He has powers under acts related to tenancy and land revenue as Assistant Collector. He also works as an appellate authority for orders of revenue officers working under him. His magisterial powers include liaison with police department, recommending the issuance of arms license, and taking actions in emergencies.

Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars in Hoshiarpur

Tehsildar is the officer in charge of a tehsil. They are appointed by Financial Commissioner of Revenue and they exercise powers similar to executive magistrate, assistant collector, and sub registrar within the tehsils and sub tehsils. The most important duties performed by Tehsildars are the revenue duties. They are in charge of revenue records, accounts in tehsils and also work for recovery of government dues under different acts.

Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildars in Hoshiarpur district also supervise the functions of Kanungos and Patwaris working under them. They are known as Revenue Officers of their respective circles. They act as registrar of marriages and hear petitions for cases related to lands. While Tehsildars are the Magistrate Class II, Naib Tehsildars comes under Magistrate class III.

Kanungos in Hoshiarpur

There are office Kanungo, field Kanungo, and District Kanungo in Hoshiarpur. Office Kanungo assist Tehsildar for his various duties. Field Kanungo is entrusted with powers to control the working of Patwaris under him and also report about their work. Office Kanungo works as Tehsildar Revenue Clerk and exercise powers as custodian of records prepared by Patwaris. District Kanungo, on the other hand, looks after the working of both these and keeps all the records at Sadar Office in Hohiarpur.

Patwaris in Hoshiarpur

As an important officer in revenue agency of Hoshiarpur, there is a strong Patwari staff functioning there. He is the person who has duties to maintain agricultural records for every harvest season, keep punctual records of mutations, and maintain accounts of all statistical returns in a respective Patwar circle. He has to report any calamity affecting cultivation of land and occurrence of any severe disease in residents of respective areas. All the map and records f his circle remains in his safe custody ad he has to keep a daily record of his work as well.

Municipal Corporation of Hoshiarpur

In the year 1867, first Municipality was formed in Hoshiarpur city and it was brought under Class II municipality in 1884. It came under Class I municipality in the year 1951. It has 14 departments working for better civic administration of the city. The city is divided into 31 wards and these wards have elected Councilors to undertake the development work in them.

Hoshiarpur Municipal Corporation provides services like street lighting, water supply, drainage management, and waste disposal in the city. It also maintains a library, public parks, allopathic and Ayurvedic dispensaries. Road maintenance in and around the city is also entrusted with this Municipal Corporation.

Courts in Hoshiarpur

To maintain proper judiciary in the district, there is court of District and Sessions Judge in Hoshiarpur Judge is assisted by six Additional District and Sessions Judges, one Senior Judge of Senior Division, and four Civil Judges of Junior Division.

There is a Secretary of District Legal Service Authority in Hoshiarpur and judicial officers for each sub division of this district. Cases related to crime, corruption, land acquisition, and matrimonial cases are addressed in these courts.

District Police in Hoshiarpur

For maintaining strict law and order conditions in Hoshiarpur, the police department is efficiently managed here. Senior Superintendent acts as the district head of Police and there are Superintendents, Deputy Superintendents, and SHOs at local police stations to assist him in his duties.


Hoshiarpur Police also runs six tier body named as Saanjh as a community and police collaboration for offering community services, grievances redressal, social conflicts resolution, and legal aid to community at large.