Centre’s plan to bring Chandigarh under Article 240 triggers fierce political backlash in Punjab

Chandigarh: A major political storm has erupted in Punjab after the Centre signalled its intent to bring Chandigarh under the purview of Article 240 of the Constitution, a move that would empower the President to directly frame regulations for the Union Territory.

At present, Chandigarh is administered by the Punjab Governor and serves as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

A Parliament bulletin has indicated that the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, is likely to be introduced during the Winter Session beginning December 1, setting off protests across the political spectrum in Punjab.

Parties including the AAP, Congress and the Shiromani Akali Dal have sharply criticised the proposal, calling it “anti-Punjab”.

They argue that placing Chandigarh under Article 240, which currently covers Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Puducherry, will undermine Punjab’s long-standing claim over the city.

Chandigarh was created as a Union Territory in 1966 when Haryana was carved out of Punjab and has since functioned as a shared capital.

While the Governor of Punjab also serves as Chandigarh’s administrator, political leaders in the state have consistently argued that Chandigarh belongs to Punjab and that Haryana should have a separate capital.

Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann denounced the Centre government’s decision, claiming that the BJP-led Centre was “conspiring to snatch” Punjab’s capital.

“Chandigarh was, is and will always remain an integral part of the state,” he said, adding that villages had been sacrificed to build the city and that Punjab alone holds the rightful claim.

AAP national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also attacked the move, calling it an “assault” on Punjab’s identity.

He wrote that “history is the witness: Punjabis have never bowed to dictatorship” and insisted that Punjab, which has contributed immensely to the nation through “security, grains and water,” was now being denied its rights.

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring described the development as “totally uncalled for” and warned that “any attempt to snatch it away will have serious repercussions.”

He called on BJP leaders in the state to clarify their stand, stating that “whether you are with Punjab or against Punjab will be determined by the position you take today.”

Akali Dal chief and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal said the “anti-Punjab Bill” amounted to a “blatant attack on the federal structure” and vowed to fight it “on every front,” adding that “Punjab’s right over Chandigarh is non-negotiable.”

IANS