Haryana Issues New Unified Guidelines for Granting Guard of Honour Across the State

Chandigarh, November 17 — The Haryana government has issued comprehensive new guidelines to regulate the Guard of Honour extended to dignitaries across the state. The updated directions aim to ensure uniformity, clarity, and discipline in all protocol-related processes so that departments, district administrations, and police units follow the same standards.

According to the notification issued by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi, dignitaries eligible for a Guard of Honour have been placed into two distinct categories. The first category includes top-ranking individuals who receive the honour under Government of India protocol norms. This category consists of the President, Vice President, Prime Minister, Defence Minister, Ministers of State, heads of diplomatic missions of foreign and Commonwealth nations, heads of state or governors-general of Commonwealth countries, and prime ministers or foreign ministers of foreign or Commonwealth nations. The Guard of Honour for this category will continue to follow the central government’s guidelines.

The second category covers Haryana’s dignitaries who will receive the Guard of Honour under specific circumstances. These include the Governor of Haryana, Chief Minister, Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Chief Justice of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, Cabinet Ministers, Deputy Speaker, Ministers of State, High Court Judges (acting as District Administrative Judges), Chief Secretary, Administrative Secretaries of the Home and Revenue Departments, Director General of Police, Divisional Commissioners, Range ADGPs, Inspectors General of Police, Police Commissioners, District Magistrates, and Superintendents of Police.

The notification clearly outlines the structure and number of personnel to be deployed on different occasions. For example, the Governor of Haryana will receive a full ceremonial Guard of Honour—comprising one gazetted officer, two non-gazetted officers, four head constables, 100 constables, and a full band—during assumption and relinquishment of office, assembly address, and other special events. During routine official visits, the Governor will be accorded a smaller honour, consisting of one non-gazetted officer, two head constables, ten constables, and one bugler. Similar structured provisions have been laid out for the Chief Minister, Chief Justice, Speaker, ministers, and senior administrative officials.

District Magistrates and Superintendents of Police will receive a Guard of Honour only when assuming or relinquishing office, consisting of one head constable, four constables, and one bugler.

The government has clarified that detailed Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) related to composition, dress code, ceremonial drills, and other protocol procedures will be issued separately by the Director General of Police after approval from the Home Department. If any department requires relaxation from the prescribed norms, prior approval must be obtained from the General Administration Department (Protocol Wing).