Centre says Chandigarh bill won’t be tabled in Winter Session; Congress hits back
Centre says Chandigarh bill won’t be tabled in Winter Session; Congress hits back
Centre rules out bringing the Chandigarh-related bill in Parliament’s Winter Session, triggering sharp politicking as parties clash over Article 240 powers.
With the Union Home Ministry stating it has no plan to bring the Chandigarh-related Constitution Amendment Bill in Parliament’s Winter Session, the Congress launched a swipe at the Modi government, accusing it of a "first announce, second think" approach to governance. The Parliament Bulletin for the forthcoming session had listed for introduction the Constitution Amendment Bill to enable the appointment of a full-time Lieutenant Governor for Chandigarh, a proposal immediately opposed by Congress and other parties in Punjab, whose Governor is also the Administrator of Chandigarh.
The Centre later clarified that the proposal does not seek to alter Chandigarh’s governance or administrative structure and that the decision will be taken after adequate consultations with all stakeholders. The Bill, formally the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025, aims to place Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution, empowering the President to regulate and legislate for the UT, in line with other Union Territories.
Punjab’s political scene has reacted with objections, with Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann and other leaders arguing that Chandigarh holds Punjab’s say over the city. The government asserts that the move is about simplifying law-making for the Centre and does not intend to change long-standing arrangements between Chandigarh and Punjab and Haryana. The discussion comes as the Winter Session is set to begin on December 1, and the bulletin of ten provisional bills has already raised questions about federal and administrative arrangements in northern India.
Cover image source: Centre says 'no intention' of presenting bill on Chandigarh's administration in Parliament's winter session 🔗
