Haryana’s Vidhan Sabha demand: Punjab LoP Partap Bajwa seeks PM Modi’s intervention

Chandigarh, November 21

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Leader of Opposition in the Punjab Assembly, Partap Singh Bajwa, has asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for critical evaluation of Haryana’s demand for 10-acre land in Chandigarh for construction of the new Vidhan Sabha complex.

In a letter written to the PM, Bajwa, while drawing his attention to the demand of Haryana CM Manohar Lal Khattar for 10-acre land for the construction of separate Vidhan Sabha on a land-to-land exchange basis in Chandigarh, said it was fraught with the danger of disturbing the already worrisome law and order situation in the state.

“The record would bear me out that the claim of Punjab over Chandigarh as its capital is well recognized as back as 1970. On January 29, 1970, nearly three years after Haryana came into being, the Centre had issued a formal communication declaring that Haryana, in due course, would have its capital and Chandigarh would continue to remain the capital of Punjab,” said the LOP.

“As per the constitutional scheme, the Parliament is competent for the alteration of areas, boundaries or names of existing states (including Union Territories) by framing a law. However, the proviso to Article 3 provides that no Bill for this purpose shall be introduced in either House of Parliament except on the recommendations of the President and unless, where the proposal contained in the Bill affects the area, boundaries or name of any of the states, the Bill has been referred by the President to the Legislature of that State for expressing its views thereon. So, the views of the State concerned shall have to be obtained by way of reference by the President to that effect as clarified under Explanation I to Article 3 in the Constitution,” said Bajwa in his letter.

Above all, the demand has no leg to stand because the boundaries of Panchkula, already a fully developed town of Haryana, start just 2 km beyond the Chandigarh railway station chowk on the Madhya Marg, Chandigarh, being demanded by the Haryana Chief Minister where buildings for both the High Court as well as Vidhan Sabha can be conveniently set up for Haryana without objection from any side, he said.