Good governance, not who governs, is what matters

Chandigarh became a Union Territory on November 1, 1966, besides being the capital of Punjab and Haryana. It was headed by a Chief Commissioner under the administrative control of the Central Government. In June 1984, the Governor of Punjab was made the Administrator and the Chief Commissioner was redesignated as Adviser to him. Irrespective of who governs it, the need of the hour is good governance with transparency, especially when the city is heading for its jubilee celebrations.

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UT needs dedicated Administrator

Even when the UT Administration is put under Punjab Governor, it is the UT Adviser who mostly looks after its governance. But the Punjab Government always wants to maintain its hold on the UT, through the Governor. For the overall development and upkeep of Chandigarh, it is decidedly better that an independent dedicated Administrator is appointed. But politics calls for different shots, not always dictated by merit.

Tejinder Singh Kalra, Mohali

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Will help tackle day-to-day problems

The Parliament enacted the Chandigarh Disturbed Area Act in 1983 to deal with the problem of militancy. Now, the situation has improved as militancy was wiped out of Punjab way back in the nineties. Just to establish their claim over Chandigarh, political parties are adamant over an independent Administrator. Chandigarh needs an independent Administrator to look into the day-to-day problems with special emphasis on development as this is not an unimportant post, to be looked at as just as an additional charge.

Sandeep Kumar, Chandigarh

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Present arrangement effective

It is always better to have an independent boss as sometimes the interests of Punjab and Chandigarh may clash and the Administrator may not act impartially. Until now, the arrangement has worked nicely. All the Administrators have worked well with able officers. It helps cut expenditure.  The present arrangement is working effectively as seen in the case of Metro and the mushrooming of unauthorised constructions in the neighbourhood. 

Bharat Bhushan Sharma

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Resolve the issue permanently

In the absence of a democratic set-up and accountability, the officials have failed to develop the city in terms of generating job opportunities for the youth of the UT and the states of Punjab and Haryana. Now, the UT as well as Punjab and Haryana are ruled by the same party. The Centre should resolve this issue permanently by declaring and gifting the people of Punjab and Haryana their state capitals as part of their golden jubilee celebrations.

Col Balbir Singh Mathauda (retd), Chandigarh

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Present arrangement should continue

Whether the Punjab Governor should be the ex officio Administrator of Chandigarh or should there be an independent Administrator is simply a matter of political manipulation and should have no relevance to better administration. Engrossed in gaining materialistic advantage, political parties hardly have an ideology or pain for the citizens. An independent Administrator will cause undue additional financial burden on the exchequer. If the incumbent justifies his/her role towards the welfare of citizens, I feel the existing system of Punjab Governor functioning as the UT Administrator should persist.

MPS Chadha, Mohali

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Rollback a right decision

For over three decades, the present arrangement of Punjab Governor being the Chandigarh Administrator has worked satisfactorily. Therefore, the Centre’s decision to annul the proposed appointment of a separate Administrator for Chandigarh is a step in the right direction. This will not only avoid another gubernatorial appointment in the city, but will save taxpayers some money on account of his salary, perks, staff and establishment.

SS Arora, Mohali

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Separate Administrator will help expedite work

Chandigarh should have its own independent Administrator if it has to be a smart city in the real sense. And the person should be a senior bureaucrat or a senior retired defence officer, but definitely not a politician. Once we get back the Chief Commissioner/Administrator, he can devote more time, understand his officers better, and achieve the targets laid down for the city. Files, which are gathering dust, will move and development projects can be executed speedily.

Col RD Singh (retd), Ambala Cantt

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Independent Administrator will not dilute Punjab’s claims

By no stretch of political imagination will the appointment of an independent UT Administrator by the Centre have withered the prolonged and just claims of Punjab over Chandigarh lingering on for the last 50 years. The regular and whole-time independent appointment of a multi-faceted personality of the calibre of KJ Alphons as the Administrator would have certainly done a lot to nurse Chandigarh in all directions and help its onward march towards the smart city tag.

Sham Murari Sharma, Chandigarh

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Interference not required

I am of the firm belief, like a majority of the residents of Chandigarh, that there should not be any interference for the smooth and efficient working of this beautiful city. It has been observed that ever since this city came into existence, there has been a vast improvement here as compared to the other cities. More important is that our city has an international presence and is among the best tourist spots.

Tarlok Singh, Mani Majra

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With peace, revert to old arrangement

The transfer of charge of the UT Administration to the Governor of Punjab three decades ago was due to the declaration of Punjab and Chandigarh as disturbed area and to enforce uniform law and order with a single administration. In the present scenario, there is almost complete peace and prosperity prevailing in the region and the original structure of the Chandigarh Administration, as envisaged in the Constitution, should be restored for the independent growth of the city.

Bhupinder S Sealopal, Mohali

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Decision stalled due to political compulsions

Chandigarh should have its own independent Administrator. The city has grown in area with an increase in population. The stakeholders have increased manifold. Governance of the UT has become a major factor. Maybe with this in mind, the Central Government had planned to depute an independent Administrator for Chandigarh. However, the decision was stalled due to political considerations. The problems of the citizens have also multiplied during these decades.

Rajeev Kumar, Chandigarh

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Full-time Administrator needed

The city will improve further if an independent Administrator is appointed to look after the affairs of Chandigarh. The city needs a full-time Administrator to look after its special requirements to maintain its status. The Governor of Punjab remains busy with numerous functions and day-to-day appointments and hardly finds any time to look after the needs of the city. There is also a huge gap between the protocol and status of the Governor of a state and the city Administration which normally becomes the cause of personal interactions.

Wg Cdr Jasbir Singh Minhas (retd), Mohali

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Part-time Administrator will not do

City residents are not pleased with a part-time Administrator. Being a growing city, Chandigarh requires more than a part-time Administrator, who can devote more time and energy to the city.

Wg Cdr JS Bhalla (retd)

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Problems main concern, not the office

It is immaterial whether the residents have a Governor-cum-Administrator or an independent Administrator for Chandigarh as their main concern is to get their grievances resolved. Moreover, the residents of Chandigarh have become used to the institution of a Governor for a long time and will have to continue with the same system because in the present political scenario, there is remote possibility of Chandigarh getting a separate Administrator.

AS Ahuja, Chandigarh

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Long-pending demand of parties in UT

The decision of the Central Government to appoint a retired bureaucrat as the Administrator of Chandigarh was good news for some time, but the appointment was put on hold after objections were raised by a political party. The political parties in the city – Congress and BJP – had been demanding the appointment of a Commissioner for long. The residents and bureaucracy became the victim of a political game.

M Lal Garg, Chandigarh

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Why change a system that works?

The present practice of the Punjab Governor holding the charge of Chandigarh Administrator has been working smoothly for long and there never has been any hindrance, either from the Governor or from the Administration. The Governor has never expressed his unwillingness to hold the additional charge of Chandigarh Administrator. In such a situation, there is no reason why a system that has been functioning smoothly should go on. If at all it is changed, it will be just for political reasons.

HBS Batra, Mohali

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Form panel to suggest changes

The Central Government should appoint a commission to recommend the restructuring of the administrative set-up of the Union Territory.  Till then, the status quo should continue.

SS Beniwal

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Parties should list demand in MC poll manifesto

The City Beautiful requires a full-time Administrator for effective functioning of the Administration. There is a need to appoint a separate full-time Administrator with freedom to work independently for good governance and betterment of society at large to solve the issues immediately. All political parties should come forward to urge the Centre and include the subject in their election manifesto in the coming Municipal Corporation election.

Sukhpal Singh, Chandigarh

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Punjab Governors have done the work admirably

Since the abolition of the post of Chief Commissioner, Chandigarh, the Punjab Governor is holding the additional charge of the city’s Administrator. For more than three decades, there has been no complaint regarding the working of Punjab Governor as the Administrator, neither has there been any demand for a separate Administrator for Chandigarh. This clearly indicates that the Punjab Governor is rightly working as the Chandigarh Administrator. In such a situation, the present practice should continue.

Balbir Singh Batra, Mohali 

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Administrator should be independent

As per my opinion, Chandigarh should get an independent Administrator because in a political/administrative system, change always leads to something better. If one person holds on to power for too long, he will surely exploit it. Moreover, every person has some limitation in his thought process — for development and ideas for future. So, I must say that Chandigarh should get an independent Administrator.

Monika Kashyap

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Reason for decision quite obvious

A midnight diktat from the Modi government baffled the city residents who were happy at the prospect of getting the first-ever independent UT Administrator. The reason for the last minute change was obvious. Not that the present incumbent VP Singh Badnore is not capable of donning two caps simultaneously, but the history of Chandigarh has not exactly been very pleasant with such instances.

SC Luthra, Mani Majra

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Punjab Governor not accessible

It is really sad and disheartening that the appointment of KJ Alphons as an independent Administrator for the Union Territory of Chandigarh, after a gap of 32 years, was withdrawn on the advice of Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal, who for his vested interests, wanted that the newly appointed Punjab Governor should also hold the additional charge of the UT Administrator. The people of Chandigarh are not happy with the decision as the Punjab Governor is not always accessible to them. 

RK Kapoor, Chandigarh

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Administrator needed for quick decision-making

The only reason why the appointment of an independent Administrator is being opposed is Punjab`s claim over Chandigarh. It can hardly be denied that the earmarking of sectors in neighbouring Mohali indicates its being an extension of Chandigarh. It seems to be a well thought out plan for the future. But at this juncture, it would prove to be more beneficial for the city to get an independent Administrator for quick decision-making. It is not going to affect the ultimate decision.

Surinder Paul Wadhwa, Mohali

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Chandigarh should remain with Centre

Chandigarh should get an independent Administrator. The Punjab Governor has to take care of Punjab. Areas near the periphery of Chandigarh are in a worse condition. He has to take care of that also. Chandigarh should remain with the Centre only.

Sangeeta Thakur

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Revival of post will lead to UT’s development

Citizens of Chandigarh resent the stalling of appointment of an independent boss for Chandigarh at the eleventh hour by Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal. It is understandable how the interests of Punjab are being safeguarded in doing so. But he has definitely done great harm to 

the people of Chandigarh. Revival of the post of Chief Commissioner for Chandigarh can accelerate the pace of development for the UT.

TR Goyal

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Pro-active Administrator will work better

A pro-active Administrator who can devote time to the city and work towards its betterment can be in a better position to address multiple issues effectively and expeditiously, especially relating to neighbouring states. The new Governor, VP Singh Badnore, may put in place a robust system for the redressal of public grievances.

PC Sanghi

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UT needs independent governance

Yes, Chandigarh needs an independent Administrator to work more efficiently as the city is facing many serious problems which the Punjab Governor cannot otherwise handle which come with its City Beautiful and the smart city tag. 

Opinder Kaur Sekhon, Chandigarh

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Opposition by Punjab SAD

It is sad to say that the Punjab Government strongly opposed the appointment of independent Administrator for City Beautiful. Chandigarh is the capital of Punjab and Haryana and also a UT at the same time. How can the Governor of Punjab then act as Chandigarh’s Administrator? For the smooth working of Punjab and UT, Chandigarh needs its own Administrator.

Suman Kansal, Panchkula