Parliament’s Winter Session lists ten Bills, including the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025.
According to the Bill, Chandigarh would come under Article 240, treated like a Union Territory without a legislature.
The Bill sparked sharp political backlash, with leaders warning it undermines Punjab’s claim and shifts control.
The Winter Session of Parliament is scheduled from December 1 to 19, 2025, with 15 sittings planned. A Parliament bulletin issued on November 21, 2025 listed ten Bills for introduction and passage, including one from the Ministry of Home Affairs: The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025.
The proposal sought to bring Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution, placing it on the same footing as Union Territories without legislatures. However, as soon as the Bill appeared in the bulletin, it sparked strong criticism in Punjab, where Chandigarh’s status has remained a sensitive issue since the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966.
Amid growing political tensions, the Ministry of Home Affairs issued a clarification on Sunday stating that the Centre has “no intention” of introducing the Bill in the Winter Session. The ministry said the proposal was only meant to streamline the central government's law-making process for Chandigarh and that no final decision has been taken. It also emphasised that the Bill does not aim to alter Chandigarh’s governance structure or disrupt existing arrangements involving Punjab and Haryana. Any final call, it added, will be made only after consulting all stakeholders.
See Also: Princess Diana’s Visit to the Taj Mahal: The Photo that Marked the End of a Royal Marriage
The Bill’s inclusion in the bulletin quickly triggered a political storm. AAP MP Vikramjit Singh called the amendment “politically sensitive” and urged Punjab MPs to meet Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He warned that placing Chandigarh under Article 240 would shift administrative authority from the Punjab Governor to an independent Administrator appointed by the Centre. He also reiterated Punjab’s long-standing claim to Chandigarh, noting that it was built as the state’s modern capital after Partition and was meant to be transferred to Punjab under various accords.
Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann condemned the proposal, calling it a conspiracy to “snatch” Punjab’s capital. He asserted that Chandigarh “was, is, and will always remain an integral part of Punjab.” AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal supported this view, calling the move an attack on federal rights and saying the Centre was “tearing apart the federal structure.”
The issue revived decades-old historical and constitutional debates. Designed by Le Corbusier and inaugurated in 1953, Chandigarh was built after displacing several Punjabi villages. During the 1966 reorganisation, Haryana was allowed to use Chandigarh’s government buildings for five years and was financially assisted to build its own capital—yet it continues to operate from Chandigarh even today.
The Bill proposes placing Chandigarh under Article 240, which would group it with Union Territories such as Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Daman & Diu, and Dadra & Nagar Haveli. Under this provision, the President would be empowered to issue regulations directly for Chandigarh. The move could also pave the way for appointing an independent Administrator or Lieutenant Governor.
Chandigarh’s administrative structure has shifted several times. After becoming a Union Territory in 1966, it had its own independent Chief Secretary. This changed on June 1, 1984, when administration was placed under the Governor of Punjab, and the Chief Secretary’s post became the Adviser to the Administrator.
In 2016, the Centre briefly attempted to restore the earlier system by appointing former IAS officer K. J. Alphons as an independent Administrator, but withdrew the decision after objections from then Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal.
Article 240 empowers the President to make regulations for certain Union Territories “for the peace, progress, and good governance” of those regions, with the same authority as Acts of Parliament. Punjab continues to assert its claim over Chandigarh, which serves as the capital of both Punjab and Haryana while also being a Union Territory.
[Rh]
Suggested Reading:
