Centre Moves to Take Direct Control of Chandigarh Administration
The Indian government has proposed a significant constitutional amendment that would allow it to administer Chandigarh directly, sparking immediate political backlash across Punjab. The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, scheduled for introduction in the upcoming winter session of Parliament beginning December 1, seeks to include Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution.
This legislative move would empower the President to make regulations for the Union Territory and legislate directly, paving the way for the appointment of an independent Administrator or Lieutenant Governor. The current system where the Punjab Governor holds additional charge as Administrator of Chandigarh would be replaced.
Historical Context and Political Reactions
The proposed amendment has triggered strong reactions from Punjab's political spectrum, with both the ruling Aam Aadmi Party and opposition Congress alleging that the move is designed to weaken Punjab's historical claim to Chandigarh. The city currently serves as the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly condemned the proposed legislation, stating in a social media post that "We will not allow the conspiracy to succeed. Chandigarh, built by uprooting the villages of Punjab, belongs solely to Punjab." He emphasized that his government would take all necessary steps to protect Punjab's rights over the city.
The controversy comes just days after CM Mann reiterated Punjab's claim to Chandigarh during the Northern Zonal Council meeting in Faridabad. The timing has raised questions about the Centre's intentions among political observers.
Constitutional Implications and Administrative Changes
According to parliamentary bulletins, the Bill aims to align Chandigarh's administrative status with other Union Territories without legislatures, such as Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Puducherry (when its Assembly is dissolved or suspended).
The historical administration of Chandigarh has seen several changes:
- After Punjab's reorganization on November 1, 1966, Chandigarh was administered independently by the Chief Secretary
- This changed on June 1, 1984, when the Punjab Governor took charge as Administrator
- The Chief Secretary's position was converted to Adviser to the UT Administrator
This isn't the first attempt to change Chandigarh's administrative structure. In August 2016, the Centre appointed former IAS officer K J Alphons as independent administrator, but faced strong opposition from the then Punjab government led by Parkash Singh Badal, despite the Shiromani Akali Dal being a BJP ally.
Cross-Party Opposition and Federal Concerns
The proposed amendment has united political parties across Punjab in opposition. AAP Rajya Sabha member Vikramjit Singh Sahney highlighted that "Chandigarh was historically Punjab's capital" and reminded that the Centre had previously promised to make Chandigarh Punjab's exclusive capital under multiple accords.
Punjab Congress president Amrinder Singh Raja Warring warned that "any attempt to snatch Chandigarh away will have serious repercussions" and urged CM Mann to immediately take up the matter with the Centre.
Leader of Opposition in Punjab Vidhan Sabha, Partap Singh Bajwa, called for political unity, describing the Bill as "a clear attempt to weaken Punjab's historical, constitutional, and emotional claim over its own capital."
Shiromani Akali Dal president Sukhbir Singh Badal appealed to the Centre to withdraw the Bill, calling it "an assault on the rights of Punjab" and against the principles of federalism.
The political storm over Chandigarh's status represents another flashpoint in Centre-State relations and highlights the ongoing sensitivity around territorial and administrative arrangements stemming from Punjab's reorganization in 1966.
