Haryana Amends Outstanding Dues Settlement Act, Extends Eligibility Period

The Haryana Settlement of Outstanding Dues (Amendment) Act, 2023, an amendment Act, received the assent of the Governor of Haryana on December 27, 2023, and was subsequently published for general information in the Haryana Government Gazette on December 28, 2023. This legislation, designated as Haryana Act No. 30 of 2023, came into force on the date of its publication in the Official Gazette. The primary purpose of this enactment was to further amend the Haryana Settlement of Outstanding Dues Act, 2017 (referred to as the principal Act), which established a framework for the settlement of various outstanding dues. The amendment specifically modifies key provisions of the principal Act, impacting the period for which outstanding dues are eligible for settlement under the existing scheme.

The core change introduced by the 2023 Amendment Act involves the substitution of a crucial date within the principal Act. Specifically, in clause (ii) of section 2 and in section 3 of the Haryana Settlement of Outstanding Dues Act, 2017, the phrase "upto the 31st March, 2017" was replaced with "upto the 30th June, 2017." This alteration effectively extends the eligibility window for outstanding dues by three months, allowing for the settlement of dues accumulated until June 30, 2017, instead of the previously stipulated March 31, 2017. The legislation provided: “In clause (ii) of section 2 of the Haryana Settlement of Outstanding Dues Act, 2017 (hereinafter called the principal Act), for the words, figures and sign upto the 31st March, 2017, the words, figures and sign upto the 30th June, 2017 shall be substituted.” This change directly impacts individuals and entities with outstanding dues that fall within this extended period, potentially broadening the scope of beneficiaries under the settlement scheme.

The legislative intent behind the Haryana Settlement of Outstanding Dues (Amendment) Act, 2023, was to refine and expand the application of the original 2017 Act. The earlier legal position limited the settlement of outstanding dues to those accumulated up to March 31, 2017. This amendment addresses a statutory limitation by extending this cut-off date, thereby allowing a greater number of outstanding dues to be considered for settlement. By substituting the date in sections 2 and 3, the Act aims to provide an expanded opportunity for the resolution of dues that might have accrued in the subsequent three months. This adjustment reflects a policy rationale to potentially offer relief or a mechanism for resolution to a wider segment of the population or entities that incurred outstanding dues during the extended period. The amendment does not introduce new enforcement mechanisms but rather modifies the eligibility criteria for the existing framework established by the principal Act.

Keywords: Haryana, Outstanding Dues, Amendment Act, 2023, Settlement, Legislation, Law, Government, Debt, Eligibility

Geo Tags: India, Haryana District: Not Applicable