Fresh Controversy at BBMB: Rules for Appointments to Top Posts Revised, Punjab-Haryana’s Dominance end

April 15, 2026

The dominance of Punjab and Haryana over key positions within the BBMB has come to an end. The Ministry of Power has issued the Bhakra Beas Management Board (Amendment) Rules, 2026, under which the doors for appointments to top BBMB posts have now been opened to officers from other states as well.

Previously, these positions were exclusively filled by officers from Punjab and Haryana. This move has sparked protests in both Punjab and Haryana. Punjab Cabinet Minister Harjot Bains stated that this constitutes an assault on the federal structure and will not be tolerated.

These new rules have been issued specifically for appointments to the posts of Member (Irrigation) and Member (Power) on the Board. Although the amendments state that priority will be accorded to Haryana and Punjab during the recruitment process for both positions, there is no longer a guarantee that these posts will be filled exclusively by officers from these two states, as was the practice in the past.

The amended rules stipulate higher standards of qualification and experience as eligibility criteria for candidates. This has heightened concerns within Punjab, as the state government has already been accusing the Central Government of attempting to dilute its rights within the Board.

What are the New Rules?

According to the new rules, candidates applying for the post of Member (Irrigation) must hold an engineering degree in Civil or Mechanical Engineering from a recognized university and possess at least 20 years of regular professional experience. Similarly, for the post of Member (Power), candidates are now required to hold an engineering degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering, along with 20 years of relevant experience.

The Central Government notified the rules for these positions on Monday, making it clear that if suitably qualified officers from Haryana and Punjab are not available, candidates from other states may also be appointed. A controversy surrounding the BBMB first erupted last year when the Punjab government refused to release water to Haryana.

Punjab alleged that Haryana had already utilized its full share of water and, therefore, refused to provide any additional water. This issue sparked a major dispute, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Singh Mann personally taking charge of the situation in Nangal and accusing the BBMB of attempting to release excess water. Here, along with the MLAs, local residents also staged a sit-in protest.