Uproar in Punjab as Centre lists Bill in Parl session to club Chandigarh with other UTs

In a move that has triggered a political storm in Punjab, the Centre has listed a Bill in the upcoming winter session of Parliament that seeks to bracket Chandigarh with Union Territories (UTs) Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu and Puducherry. These UTs are without legislatures and are administered by independent Lieutenant Governors appointed by the President.

The Constitution (131 Amendment) Bill-2025 listed for introduction, consideration and passing in the parliamentary bulletin proposes "to include the UT of Chandigarh in Article 240 of the Constitution of India, in alignment with other UTs without legislatures — namely Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Puducherry (when its Legislative Assembly is dissolved or suspended)."

Article 240 deals with the power of the President to make regulations for the UTs covered under the provision and empowers the President to legislate directly and to frame regulations regarding governance of the said UTs.

The winter session of Parliament is scheduled from December 1 to 19.

Although the government has so far only listed the Bill along nine other new legislations for the upcoming session and its actual intent is yet to be revealed, the legislative move has spawned fears for its intent to grant the President powers over the Chandigarh Administration.

These fears stand accentuated by the fact that all UTs with which the Centre wants to bracket Chandigarh are currently governed by L-Gs.

Appointment of an independent L-G for administering Chandigarh would amount to the reversal of a 41-year-old system under which Punjab Governor was named the Administrator.

The practice began in 1984, when terrorism hit Punjab.

Punjab’s political leaders have now united in outrage over the proposed Bill, saying the move threatens the state’s historic claim and autonomy over its joint capital. While the opposition parties have vowed fierce resistance, the BJP has remained silent.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said, “Punjab strongly and unequivocally opposes the proposed Bill. This move is blatantly against Punjab’s interests. We will not allow any conspiracy against our state to succeed.”

Opposing the amendment, SAD president Sukhbir Singh Badal said it was a direct assault on Punjab’s rights and a violation of federal principles. "We will never accept this,” he said.

PCC president Amrinder Singh Warring said the Bill, if enacted, would have serious consequences for the state. "This is an ill-advised misadventure with far-reaching repercussions. Chandigarh belongs to Punjab, and any attempt to alter its status will face unprecedented resistance.” Chandigarh Congress MP Manish Tewari said, “I would like to read the Bill before commenting on it.”

Reacting to the proposed Bill, Rajya Sabha MP from Punjab Vikramjit Singh Sahney urged all MPs from the state to rise above party lines and call on Home Minister Amit Shah to prevent the Bill that might dilute Punjab's claim over the capital city, which Haryana also claims.

Though the Centre is yet to clarify intentions behind the Bill to bring Chandigarh under Article 240, Sahney said with the new Bill, Chandigarh is likely to be administered by an independent Administrator and would have similar administration rules such as Lakshadweep and others.

The listing of the new Bill follows a meeting of the Northern Zonal Council, where CM Mann made a strong case for the transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab. The capital of Punjab was officially shifted from Lahore to Shimla in 1947 and subsequently to the newly planned city of Chandigarh on September 21, 1953.

Section 4 of the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, designated Chandigarh as a UT effective November 1, 1966, following the state's trifurcation.

The proposed amendment also evokes memories of the Centre’s dramatic 2016 experiment, when the BJP-led NDA government appointed former IAS officer and ex-MLA KJ Alphons Kannanthanam as Chandigarh’s first independent Administrator, overturning a 32-year arrangement.

That decision sparked an immediate political storm in Punjab, with the then NDA ally and CM Parkash Singh Badal of SAD strongly objecting to it. Within 24 hours, the Centre reversed course, restoring the Administrator’s role to the Punjab Governor.

The development comes days after the government withdrew a controversial notification that sought to change the governance structure of Panjab University, triggering massive protests.

The notification that altered PU's Senate strength was seen as the Centre's attempt to restructure the university's governance and an interference with Punjab's rights over the varsity.

With Punjab Assembly elections due in early 2027, the move to bring a Constitution Amendment Bill is poised to snowball into a major electoral flashpoint, giving opposition parties a fresh rallying point.

Leaders across parties argue that once Chandigarh is placed under Article 240, Punjab’s demand for the city’s transfer will be pushed permanently into rhetorical irrelevance.

The Centre, however, is yet to issue any statement clarifying the long-term administrative vision behind the amendment.