District Administration

Deputy Commissioner

The responsibility of General Administration of the District lies with the Deputy Commissioner. He is the Executive Head and has three fold roles as (i) Deputy Commissioner,(ii) District Collector and (iii) District Magistrate.

He is assisted by the following officers for carrying out day to day work in various fields:--

  1. Additional Deputy Commissioner
  2. Sub Divisional Magistrate
  3. Assistant Commissioner (General)
  4. Assistant Commissioner (Grievances)
  5. Executive Magistrate
  6. District Revenue Officer
  7. District Transport Officer
  8. District Development and Panchayat Officer
  9. Civil Defense Officer
  10. Urban Ceiling Officer

The Deputy Commissioner is the Chief Revenue Officer as District Collector and is responsible for collection of Revenue and other Govt. dues recoverable as arrears of Land Revenue. He deals with the Natural Calamities like draught, unseasonal rains, hailstorms, floods and fire etc.

Under the Registration Act the District Collector exercise the Powers of Registrar of the District and he controls and supervises the work of Registration of deeds. He also function as Marriage Officer under the Special Marriage Act, 1954. Further under the Cinematograph Act, the District Magistrate is the Licencing Authority in his jurisdiction. The administration of the Police in a district is vested in the District Superintendent, but under the General direction and control of the District Magistrate as per provisions of section 4 of the Indian Police Act, 1861.

The District Magistrate is the head of the Criminal Administration of the District and the Police force is the instrument provided by Government to enable him to enforce his authority and fulfill his responsibility for the maintenance of Law & Order. The police force in a District is, therefore, placed by Law under the General control and direction of the District Magistrate, who is responsible that it carries out its duties in such a manner that effective protection is afforded to the public and against lawlessness and disorder."

District Magistrate is thus responsible for the maintenance of Law & Order within the limit of his jurisdiction. He is conferred with very wide powers by the law, which if used prudently can be very effective in maintaining peace and tranquility. The police force is mainly an instrument provided by Law for the District Magistrate. He can impose restriction on the movement of unlawful Assembly under Section 144 Cr.P.C. and can also impose curfew keeping in view the situation.

He is authorised to inspect the Offices/Courts of Sub Divisional Magistrate, Tehsildars, Naib Tehsildars, Treasuries, Sub Treasuries, Jails, Hospitals, Dispenseries, Schools, Blocks, Police Stations, Second Class Local Bodies, Improvement Trusts and all other offices of Punjab Government, the A.C.Rs of whose Heads of offices he is required to write. In this way, he has effective control over the Administration.

The Deputy Commissioner holds courts and hears appeals under the following Acts against the order of Sub Divisional Magistrate, passed as Assistant Collector Ist Grade and Sales Commissioner and Settlement Commissioner:--

  1. Under the Land Revenue Act,1887.
  2. Under the Punjab Tenancy Act,1887.
  3. Displaced Persons (Compensation & Rehabilitation) Act,1954.
  4. Punjab Package Deal Properties (Disposal) Act,1976.

Besides it, he decides the lambardari cases.

Additional Deputy Commissioner

The post of Additional Deputy Commissioner has been created to assist the Deputy Commissioner in his day-to-day working. The Additional Deputy Commissioner enjoys the same powers as that of Deputy Commissioner under the rules.

Functions of Additional Deputy Commissioner

With a view to lighten the enormously increasing workload of the Deputy Commissioner, the post of Additional Deputy Commissioner was created in the year 1979. He has been vested with the following powers under the various Acts-within the limits of the district:-

As Collector under the following Acts:-

  1. The Punjab Land Revenue Act,1887.
  2. The Punjab Occupancy Of Tenants(Vesting of Proprietary Rights)Act,1952.
  3. The Punjab Tenancy Act,1887.
  4. The Land Acquisition Act,1894.
  5. The Punjab Restitution of Mortgage Land Act,1938.
  6. The Punjab Village Common Land(Regulation) Act,1961.
  7. The Indian Stamp Act,1899.

As Registrar under the Registration Act,1908.

As Deputy Commissioner Under the Punjab Aided School (Security of Services) Act,1969.

As Executive Magistrate , Addl. Deputy Commissioner , D.M under the Criminal Procedure Code,1973.

As Additional District Magistrate under the Arms Act of India and Petroleum Act,1934,

He has been appointed as Chairman of District Consultative Committee under Personal Accident Social Security Scheme vide Punjab Government Notification No 13/434/88-SW /9794 dated 27.9.1988.

Sub Divisional Magistrate

The duties of the Sub Divisional Magistrate within his Sub Division are almost similar to those of the Deputy Commissioner within his district. In all matters of administration, he has to be the Deputy Commissioner's principal agent.

He is also incharge of various development activities going on in the Sub Division and is also responsible for co-ordinating the work of various departments. For that he has to tour the area to keep a watch on the development activities, the revenue administration as also the law & Order situation in his Sub Division. Besides this he has to look after the grievances of the public and to attend to the problems arising out of the natural calamities. He supervises the work of Revenue agency in the Sub Division.

There is no denying the fact that the job of a Sub Divisonal Magistrate is independent in character to some extent. He is primarily responsible for everything that happens within his jurisdiction and must accordingly take his decisions to a large extent, independently.

Sub Divisional Magistrate is conferred with various powers under the land revenue and tenancy acts.

He also acts as Assistant Collector under the Punjab Land Revenue Act and Punjab Tenancy Act. He is also the appellate authority in cases decided by his subordinate revenue officers.

The Executive Magistrate placed by the State Government as incharge of the Sub Division is termed as the Sub Divisional Magistrate Under section 20(4) Cr.p.c.and under section 23 Cr.P.C. the Sub divisional Officer like other Executive Magistrates of the District is subordinate to the District Magistrate and is responsible for the maintenance of law and order within the limits of his local jurisdiction. He enjoys very wide powers under section 107/151,109,110,133,144,and 145 Cr.P.C. etc. He also hears court cases under these sections.

Tehsildar/ Naib Tehsildar.

Tehsildars are appointed by the Financial Commissioner, Revenue and Naib Tehsildar by the Commissioner of the Division. Their Duties within Tehsil /Sub Tehsil are almost similar and manifold (except that partition cases are decided by Tehsildar). They enjoy the powers of Executive Magistrate, Assistant Collector and Sub Registrar/Joint Sub Registrar. Although there has been a recent move to appoint full fledged Sub-registrar for some of the larger Tehsils. The Revenue Duties of Tehsildar are important. He is the Incharge of tehsil Revenue Agency and is responsible for proper preparation and maintenance of tehsil Revenue Record and Revenue Accounts. He is also responsible for recovery of government dues under the various Acts. He is supposed to have proper control over the working of Patwaris and Kanungos and for this purpose the Tehsildar and Naib Tehsildars make inspection of patwaris and kanungos working under them.

Tehsildars and Naib Tehsildar in fact are called Revenue officers holding separate circles and it is provided in para 242 of land Administration Manual that such allotted circle should be changed every year on October first, so that the responsibility of the Tehsildar for the whole of his charge may not be impaired. In Tehsil and Sub Tehsil, as and when Treasury Officers are not posted, then the tehsildar and Naib Tehsildar works as Treasury Officer in addition to their own duties. Tehsildar also registers the marriages solemnized.

Besides enjoying powers under a few other land laws, they also attest uncontested mutations. Tehsildar is further empowered to hear partition cases and to make allotment/transfer and auction of evacuee properties, land under the Displaced Person (Compensation & Rehabilitation) Act,1954 and Punjab Package Deal properties (Disposal Act 1976) as Managing Officer and Tehsildar Sales respectively.

Kanungos

The Kanungo establishment consists of field kanungo, office kanungo and the District Kanungos. Its strength in each district can only be altered with the sanction of the government.

The field Kanungo should be constantly moving about his circle supervising the work of patwari on the spot, except in the month of September when he stays at the tehsil to check the Jamabandis received from the patwaris. He also disposes of the demarcation applications marked to him by the Circle Revenue Officer. A field Kanungo is also responsible for the conduct and the work of the patwari under his charge and it is his duty to report the work or neglect of duty or misconduct on the part of any patwari.

The office Kanungo is the Tehsildar Revenue clerk and he is the custodian of all the record received from the patwari.

The District Kanungo is responsible for the efficiency of both the office and the field Kanungo and should be in camp inspecting their work for at least 15 days in each month from first October to 30th April. He is the keeper of all record received from kanungo patwari, at sadar office.

Patwaris

Patwari is an important and effective official of the lowest ebb in the Revenue Agency. No efficient Revenue Administration of a district is possible unless the patwari staff is strong, properly trained and strictly supervised.

A Patwari has three chief duties:-

  1. The maintenance of record of the crop grown at every harvest. <
  3. The keeping of the record of rights uptodate by the punctual record of mutations.
  5. The account of preparation of statistical returns embodying the information derived from the harvest inspections, register of mutation and record of rights.

The limits of "Patwar circle" is a matter for the Commissioner to decide under para 238 of Land Administration Manual.

It is the responsibility of Patwari to report at once all serious calamities affecting the land or the crops and all severe outbreaks of diseases amongst men and beasts. He must aid the headman in revenue collection. He keeps up a diary and a work book. The entries should be made on the day on which the events come to the notice of the patwari.

The Patwari is responsible for the safe custody of all the records, maps and equipments of his circle that are in his charge. In the work book the Patwari will enter the work done by him on each day. His work is supervised by the field Kanungo, Sadar Kanungo & Circle Revenue Officer.

List of Deputy Commissioners

Sr. No. Name Date of Joining at District Date of relieving from District
1 Sh. J.B. Goyal, IAS 04-11-1995 12-05-1997
2. Sh. B.R.Banga, IAS 12-05-1997 13-07-1998
3. Sh. Roshan Shankaria, IAS 13-07-1998 22-03-2001
4. Sh. Jagjit Singh, IAS 22-03-2001 07-03-2002
5. Sh. Ashok Kumar Gupta, IAS 07-03-2002 10-04-2003
6. Sh. Hussan Lal,IAS 10-04-2003 21-05-2003
7. Sh. S.J.S. Sandhu, IAS 21/05/2003 11/09/2003
8. Sh. H.I.S. Grewal, IAS 15/09/2003 11/05/2005
9. Sh. Krishan Kumar, IAS 13/05/2005 02/04/2007
10. Mrs. Bhawna Garg, IAS 03/04/2007 07/08/2007
11. Sh. Gurpal Singh Bhatti, IAS 13/08/2007 30/04/2008
12. Sh. Ajeet Singh Pannu, IAS 30/04/2008 09/07/2008
13. Sh. Nilkanth S. Avhad, IAS 10/07/2008 06/02/2009
14. Sh. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, IAS 07/02/2009 03/05/2009
15. Sh. Vikas Garg, IAS 04/05/2009 21/05/2009
16. Sh. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, IAS 25/05/2009 30/06/2009
17. Sh. Nilkanth S. Avhad, IAS 01/07/2009 24/08/2009
18. Sh. Gurkirat Kirpal Singh, IAS 24/08/2009 02/03/2010
19. Ms. Shruti Singh 19/03/2010 Till Date

List of Additional Deputy Commissioners

Sr. No. Name Date of Joining at District Date of relieving from District
1 Sh. H.S.Pabla, PCS 26-01-1996 14-08-1996
2. Sh. Ramesh Kumar, IAS 16-06-1997 01-09-1997
3. Sh. R.G.Sahota, PCS 01-09-1997 18-05-1998
4. Sh. G.K.Sabarwal, PCS 19-05-1998 17-08-1998
5. Sh. R.K.Verma, IAS 09-09-1998 28-12-1998
6. Sh. P.S.Johar, PCS 04-01-1999 31-05-1999
7. Sh. Dalip Kumar, IAS 31-05-1999 14-12-1999
8. Sh. G.S.Bhatti, PCS 30-05-2002 07-08-2002
9. Sh. Sumer Singh Gujjar, IAS 07-08-2002 03-10-2002
10. Sh. G.S.Bhatti, PCS 03-10-2002 28-11-2003
11. Sh. Vikash Garg 28-11-2003 25-08-2004
12. Sh. Balwinder Singh 30-08-2004 09-10-2006
13. Sh. Parveen Kumar, PCS 18-10-2006 12-03-2007
14. Sh. Kulbir Singh, PCS 13-03-2007 03-04-2007
15. Sh. Preetam Singh Johal, PCS 04-04-2007 31-03-2008
16. Dr. Amar Pal Singh, PCS 06-05-2008 31/10/2008
17. Sh. Manmohan Singh Kang, PCS 10/11/2008 17/12/2008
18. Sh. Birpal Singh, PCS 17/12/2008 10/02/2009
19. Sh. Harminder Singh, PCS 10/02/2009 04/01/2010
20. Sh. Narinder Singh Bath,PCS 04/01/2010 01/06/2011
21. Sh. Amarjeet Paul, PCS 01/08/2011 17/10/2011
22. Dr. Amarpal Singh, PCS 17/10/2011 Till Date

List of Assistant Commissioners to Deputy Commissioner (General)

Sr. No. Name Date of Joining at District Date of relieving from District
1 Sh. Jaspal Singh, PCS 07-12-1995 13-12-1996
2. Sh. Ravinder Kumar,PCS (Addl.Charge) 14-12-1996 29-07-1999
3. Sh. Pritpal Singh Garewal,PCS 30-07-1999 17-12-1999
4. Sh. Ravinder Kumar,PCS (Addl.Charge) 18-12-1999 16-07-2002
5. Miss Surinder Kaur,PCS 17-07-2000 17-08-2001
6. Sh. Navtej Singh,PCS 18-09-2001 17-04-2002
7. Sh. Jarnail Singh,PCS 02-05-2002 23-05-2002
8. Sh. Pritam Singh,PCS (Addl. Charge) 25-06-2002 17-07-2002
9. Sh. Kuldeep Singh, PCS 17/07/2002 26/07/2002
9. Sh. Sunil Bhatia, PCS 29/07/2003 13-02-2004
10. Sh. Parminder Singh Sandhu, PCS 22/06/2005 16-04-2006
11. Sh. Upkar Singh, PCS 10/10/2006 29/08/2008
12. Sh. Sukhmander Singh, PCS 30/10/2008 31/01/2009
13. Sh. Birpal Singh ,PCS (Additional charge) 31-01-2009 31/03/2010

List of Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Nawanshahr

S.No. Name Date of Joining at District Date of Relieving from District
1 Sh. Pritam Singh, P.C.S. 01/04/1955 20/05/1958
2 Sh. P. N. Khana, P.C.S. 21/05/1958 01/06/1959
3 Sh. Biram Singh, P.C.S. 04/06/1959 30/05/1961
4 Sh. Waryam Singh, P.C.S. 02/06/1961 19/03/1963
5 Sh. J.C. Aggarwal, P.C.S. 20/03/1963 09/01/1964
6 Sh. Ripudaman Singh, P.C.S. 10/01/1964 21/09/1966
7 Sh. S.K. Sudhakar, I.A.S 22/09/1966 29/04/1967
8 Sh. S. P. Karwal, P.C.S. 30/05/1967 31/12/1968
9 Sh. Sher Singh Sidhu, P.C.S. 02/01/1969 26/05/1969
10 Sh. Gurdial Singh, P.C.S. 27/05/1969 09/03/1973
11 Sh. Ripudaman Singh, P.C.S. 12/03/1973 29/09/1974
12 Sh. Pritam Singh Kumedan, P.C.S. 30/09/1974 26/05/1976
13 Sh. Sh. P. D. Vashist, I.A.S. 27/05/1976 23/08/1976
14 Sh. K.S. Mahi, P.C.S. 24/08/1976 31/07/1977
15 Sh. Mukal Joshi, I.A.S. 02/08/1977 12/07/1979
16 Sh. D.S. Kalha, I.A.S. 21/07/1979 04/08/1980
17 Sh. Rakesh Singh, I.A.S. 05/08/1980 05/09/1980
18 Smt. Sujata Bhardwaj, I.A.S. 20/10/1980 22/04/1982
19 Sh. Jagjit Singh. P.C.S. 23/04/1982 13/05/1985
20 Sh. J.B. Goyal, P.C.S. 19/05/1985 10/06/1988
21 Sh. G.R. Bansal, P.C.S. 10/06/1988 07/02/1989
22 Sh. Amarjit Singh, P.C.S. 13/02/1989 19/07/1991
23 Sh. Gurpal Singh Bhatti, P.C.S. 29/07/1991 09/12/1992
24 Sh. Baljit Singh, P.C.S. 10/12/1992 23/08/1995
25 Sh. Harminder SIngh, P.C.S. 24/08/1995 30/08/1995
26 Sh. Baljit Singh, P.C.S. 31/08/1995 12/12/1995
27 Sh. Pritam Singh, P.C.S. 12/12/1995 20/03/1996
28 Sh. Balwinder Singh, P.C.S. 20/03/1996 02/04/1996
29 Sh. Dharam Dutt Ternach, P.C.S. 02/04/1996 27/11/1997
30 Sh. Praneet Bhardwaj, P.C.S. 19/01/1998 26/05/1998
31 Sh. S.R. Kaler, P.C.S. 02/06/1998 14/09/1998
32 Sh. Ashok Kumar Sikka, P.C.S. 14/09/1998 24/12/1999
33 Sh. S.R. Kaler, P.C.S. 24/12/1999 22/05/2000
34 Sh. Pritam Singh Johal, P.C.S. 02/06/2000 25/06/2001
35 Sh. Pritam Singh, P.C.S. 26/06/2001 25/07/2002
36 Sh. Harjinder Singh, P.C.S. 30/07/2002 29/05/2003
37 Sh. Kulbir Singh, P.C.S. 29/05/2003 25/08/2004
38 Sh. Nirbha Singh Toor, P.C.S. 25/08/2004 22/11/2004
39 Sh. Kulbir Singh, P.C.S. 22/11/2004 10/10/2006
40 Sh. Ashwani Kumar, PCS 25/10/2006 09/04/2007
41 Sh. Arshdeep Singh, IAS 15/04/2007 23/01/2008
42 Sh. Upkar Singh, PCS 24/01/2008 02/07/2008
43 Sh.Prem Chand, PCS 02/07/2008 07/11/2008
44 Sh. Birpal Singh, PCS 10/12/2008 07/10/2011
45. Smt. Neeru Katyal Gupta, PCS 07/10/2011 Till Date

List of Sub-Divisional Magistrate, Balachaur

S.No. Name Date of Joining at District Date of Relieving from District
1 Sh. G.S. Grewal, P.C.S. 07/09/1980 15/06/1981
2 Sh. H.R. Garg, P.C.S. 16/06/1981 20/04/1982
3 Sh. Harjit Singh, P.C.S. 03/05/1982 31/08/1982
4 Sh. Darbara Singh Guru, I.A.S. 01/09/1982 19/10/1983
5 Sh. Mukhtiar Singh Sandhu, P.C.S. 02/11/1983 17/10/1984
6 Sh. Rattan Singh, P.C.S. 18/10/1984 11/06/1987
7 Sh. Karam Singh, P.C.S. 20/07/1987 23/08/1987
8 Sh. Arun Goyal, I.A.S. 24/08/1987 31/05/1988
9 Sh. Hans Raj Megh, P.C.S. 23/06/1988 26/08/1988
10 Dr. G. Vajralinganm, I.A.S. 18/09/1988 29/05/1990
11 Sh. Malkit Singh Dhaliwal, P.C.S. 29/05/1990 22/05/1992
12 Sh. Harmesh Singh Pabla, P.C.S. 22/05/1992 25/08/1995
13 Sh. G. Ramesh Kumar, I.A.S. 29/08/1995 16/06/1997
14 Sh. Pritam Singh Johal, P.C.S. 16/06/1997 01/06/2000
15 Sh. Surinder Mohan Sharma, P.C.S. 02/06/2000 27/11/2003
16 Sh. Amarjit Singh Shahi, PCS 04/12/2003 10/10/2006
17 Sh. Arshdeep Singh, IAS 10/10/2006 14/04/2007
18 Sh. Davinder Singh, PCS 30/04/2007 05/12/2007
19 Sh. Manmohan Singh Kang, PCS 30/01/2008 26/02/2009
20. Sh. Narinder Singh Batth, PCS 05/03/2009 03/01/2010
21. Sh. Pardeep Aggarwal, IAS 06/01/2010 15/09/2010
22. Sh. Mohammad Tayyab, IAS 01/10/2010 30/06/2011
23. Sh. Neeraj Kumar Gupta,PCS 10/07/2011 Till Date

List of District Revenue Officers

Sr. No. Name Date of Joining at District Date of relieving from District
1 Sh. Inderpreet Singh Kahlon, PRS 29-02-1996 21-05-1999
2. Sh. Khajan Chand Anand, PRS 01-03-2000 31-03-2000
3. Sh. Pushpinder Singh Kailey,PRS 19-06-2000 06-05-2002
4. Sh. Ranjit Kanwar,PRS 13-05-2002 05-07-2002
5. Sh. Yashdev Saini, PRS 05-07-2002 23-05-2005
6. Mrs. Balraj Kaur Grewal, PRS 14-08-2006 27-10-2006
7. Sh. Yashdev Saini, PRS 01-11-2006 27-11-2006
8. Mrs. Balraj Kaur Grewal, PRS 30-11-2006 16-05-2007
9. Sh. Sukhwinder Singh Dhillon, PRS 02-06-2007 03/10/2011
10. Smt. Balraj Kaur, PRS 19/10/2011 Till Date