In Gurugram, Haryana, the City Magistrate-cum-Nodal Officer for Census 2027 has ordered bank staff to work for the census.
Bank staff requested that it’s practically impossible to work for the census along with banking work. To this, the city magistrate replied that bank staff should work beyond normal office hours, including evenings, Saturdays, and Sundays, so that routine banking services remain unaffected.
The city magistrate said that the staff deployed for Census duties are also entitled to honorarium as per the prescribed norms of the government. Therefore, no complete relieving from regular bank duties is envisaged, and bank staff is expected to discharge their Census duties in addition to their official responsibilities, strictly in accordance with the notified schedule.
Now, Bank Unions have written a letter to the Chief Secretary of the Haryana Government, apprising him of the hurdles that bank employees might face in doing census work.
INBOC state secretary Preeti Sahu stated that Bank Employees are already functioning under significant work pressure. In many cases, officers are required to remain in branches until late evening (often up to 8:00 PM or 9:00 PM) to complete essential banking operations. Assigning additional duties beyond official working hours, without adequate rest or relief, is neither practical nor sustainable, and may adversely impact their health and overall work-life balance.
She also said that these instructions have reportedly been issued only in Gurugram and not in other districts of Haryana. She said that Gurugram is a major commercial and financial hub and any disruption or overburdening of banking personnel could have wider implications for essential financial services in the district.
She requested the Government that Census duties should be assigned to bank officers during working hours, after duly relieving them from their regular banking duties.
