-kMNB-U1021018938041uE-250x250%40HT-Web.jpg "Pawan Sharma")
Pawan Sharma, based in Chandigarh, is Assistant Editor in HT and presently writes on Haryana's politics and governance. During different stints over the past two decades, he covered Punjab extensively for 10 years and before that judiciary and Himachal Pradesh with focus on high-impact news breaking and investigative journalism.
Articles by Pawan Sharma
Verma deposits R10 lakh made through arbitration
Jalandhar divisional commissioner Anurag Verma followed in the footsteps of his predecessor Sucha Ram Ladhar and charged arbitration fee - without prior sanction of the Punjab government - for resolving disputes between farmers and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) over land acquisition compensation.
Updated on Jun 14, 2012 11:51 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Ladhar made R1.6 cr from arbitration
Sucha Ram Ladhar, a senior Punjab-cadre IAS officer, has allegedly made Rs 1.58 crore in arbitration fee for resolving disputes between farmers and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) over land acquisition compensation, according to top government sources.
Updated on Jun 01, 2012 11:39 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Ladhar in deep trouble as CM for action as per law
Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal has directed chief secretary Rakesh Singh to proceed as per law against Patiala divisional commissioner Sucha Ram Ladhar for charging arbitration fee from landowners while deciding their land acquisition compensation disputes.
Updated on May 26, 2012 11:41 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
No policy in place, Ladhar makes hay as arbitrator
Patiala divisional commissioner Sucha Ram Ladhar's money-minting practice of charging arbitration fee from landowners/farmers while deciding their land acquisition compensation disputes raises the "question of ethics", according to Punjab government's confidential records.
Updated on May 25, 2012 10:52 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Land rows yield a golden harvest for Punjab official
Patiala divisional commissioner Sucha Ram Ladhar has turned the tussle between farmers and the National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) over land acquisition compensation into a 'fertile' cash cow.
Updated on May 24, 2012 10:41 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, New Delhi/chandigarh
Punjab DGP orders bulk transfers to rid police of politics
The de-politicisation of the Punjab Police at the grassroots appears to have finally begun. Following directives of director general of police (DGP) Sumedh Singh Saini, 128 officers - 36 station house officers (SHO) and 92 police post in-charges allegedly appointed at the behest of the area MLAs - were transferred.
Updated on May 12, 2012 11:59 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab to snip extra cover
Well-connected people in Punjab seeking to boost their status by deploying gun-wielding policemen, citing the pretext of "threat to life", will have to beat the retreat. The Punjab government is overhauling its policy on security cover.
Updated on May 11, 2012 12:03 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Debt-ravaged Punjab to pitch for Rs 12,800-crore annual plan
Despite having failed to achieve the targets of its ambitious Rs 11,520-crore annual plan for 2011-12, the Parkash Singh Badal government has, in principle, decided to lift its 2012-13 annual plan to Rs 12,800 crore. The plan focuses on spending money on development and creating infrastructure.
Updated on Apr 22, 2012 03:59 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Badal govt reaches out to industrialists
The Punjab government has decided to roll out a red carpet along with a slew of incentives to attract top 23 industrial tycoons to invest in the state by assuring a conducive business environment.
Updated on Apr 20, 2012 04:24 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Capt haters find no love in Delhi
Leaders asking for the head of captain Amarinder Singh on Thursday made no headway with Rahul Gandhi.
Updated on Apr 13, 2012 11:19 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Punjab govt mulls hike in user charges
With its coffers running low, the Parkash Singh Badal government has launched a multi-pronged administrative exercise to mobilise resources.
Updated on Apr 12, 2012 04:50 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Ashwani bats for young face with clean image as PCC chief
Union minister of state Ashwani Kumar today maintained that a young face with clean image should be made Punjab Congress president in the wake of party's defeat in the recently-held assembly elections.
Updated on Apr 10, 2012 09:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Sonia sets up 3-member panel to look into Punjab poll debacle
Congress president Sonia Gandhi has set up a three-member committee to ascertain the reasons for the party's stunning defeat in Punjab assembly elections, it is learnt.
Updated on Apr 06, 2012 06:45 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
No food for thought at Punjab Congress tea party
The much-hyped 'introspection' meeting of 71 defeated party candidates called by Punjab Congress chief Capt Amarinder Singh in Chandigarh turned into a 30-minute gossip session over tea.
Updated on Apr 04, 2012 10:49 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Capt is corrupt, a liar, a coward: Bhattal
The war of words within the Punjab Congress over the assembly election debacle turned ugly on Sunday, with Congress leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal calling her long-time rival state party chief Captain Amarinder a "corrupt coward" and accusing him of levelling false accusations against her.
Updated on Apr 02, 2012 06:11 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Capt's detractors want 'young, clean' leader as PPCC chief
The blame game in Punjab over Congress debacle in assembly polls has reached party president Sonia Gandhi, with around four dozen state unit leaders urging her to appoint a "young leader with a clean image" as PPCC chief in place of Capt Amarinder Singh.
Updated on Mar 24, 2012 10:54 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Assembly session on Mar 19, Cong yet to elect CLP leader
With only two days left for the first session of 14th Punjab assembly - beginning on Monday - Congress seems in complete disarray, failing to even elect its Congress Legislature Party (CLP) leader.
Updated on Mar 16, 2012 08:46 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Sukhbir as CM? When, not if, is the question
The defeat of at least 15 top guns of the ruing alliance, including eight cabinet ministers and the Vidhan Sabha speaker — despite the Akali-BJP’s combine’s triumph in the Punjab assembly elections — is set to pave the way for a new-look cabinet.
Updated on Mar 09, 2012 11:03 AM IST
None | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
End of the road for Captain Amarinder?
Tuesdays' stunning defeat of the Congress may well mark the beginning of the end of an otherwise long and colourful political innings of Captain Amarinder Singh, the scion of the erstwhile Patiala royals.
Updated on Mar 07, 2012 12:48 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Polls over, parties worry over majority
A record turnout in the Punjab assembly elections has sent the political contenders for power into a tizzy over the possible scenarios that could unfold on the day of counting on March 6.
Updated on Mar 05, 2012 12:37 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
It’s familiar vs familial here
Raninder Singh, son of state Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh and Patiala MP Preneet Kaur, takes on former Shiromani Akali Dal MLA Surjit Singh Rakhra in a battle for prestige in Samana constituency. Pawan Sharma reports.
Updated on Jan 24, 2012 02:07 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Samana
Ticketless, they break promises
Take loyality pledges from politicians with a pinch of salt. Pawan Sharma reports.
Updated on Jan 13, 2012 01:35 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Rebellion bogging Congress down
Party struggling with dissidence like never before after announcement of candidates; top leaders dismiss it as ‘initial reaction’ and sign of ‘Congress comeback’, but their efforts to placate rebels indicate that all is not well, reports Pawan Sharma.
Updated on Jan 10, 2012 03:47 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Cong battles siege within, BJP at ease
The Congress is facing a siege within following rebellion over ticket allotment for the January 30 elections, but the BJP is sitting pretty even after changing 33% candidates.
Updated on Jan 10, 2012 01:46 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma and Vishal Rambani, Chandigarh/patiala
Family first in Punjab Cong list of 114
After a long-drawn-out intra party battle in Delhi, the Congress on Thursday midnight declared 114 candidates for January 30 assembly elections in Punjab with top state leaders securing berths for at least 14 of their kin.
Updated on Jan 06, 2012 08:15 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Family first in Punjab Cong list of 114
After a long-drawn-out intra party battle in Delhi, the Congress at the stroke of Thursday midnight declared 114 candidates for January 30 assembly elections in Punjab with top state leaders securing berths for at least 14 of their kin. Pawan Sharma reports.
Updated on Jan 06, 2012 08:43 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Quraishi hits back at Badal
The friction between the Punjab government and the Election Commission (EC) intensified on Tuesday after chief election commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi asked chief minister Parkash Singh Badal not to do anything that could undermine the ongoing election process in the state. Pawan Sharma reports.
Updated on Jan 04, 2012 12:45 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Quraishi wants to know why Badal's 'so upset'
Chief election commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi has taken note of Punjab chief minister Parkash Singh Badal's appeal that the Election Commission (EC) should ask its officials in the state "to act within the parameters of their constitutional brief."
Updated on Jan 04, 2012 01:48 AM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh
Cong ticket hopefuls in Delhi, edgy as clock ticks
The anxiety among Congress ticket contenders for the Punjab assembly elections is growing, and so is the rush at Punjab Bhawan, which has virtually turned into “Punjab Congress Bhawan” with leaders of all hues camping here in hordes in hope for ticket. Pawan Sharma reports.
Updated on Dec 30, 2011 01:50 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, New Delhi
EC directs state govt to shift ‘tainted’ ROs
The Election Commission has directed the Punjab government to shift the reappointed Punjab Civil Service (PCS) officers whose names had surfaced in the 2002 PPSC cash-for-job scam and who are currently holding the post of returning officer. Pawan Sharma reports.
Updated on Dec 26, 2011 11:05 PM IST
Hindustan Times | Pawan Sharma, Chandigarh