Punjab Erupts in Protest as Centre Proposes Bringing Chandigarh Under Article 240

Chandigarh, Nov 2025 : A major political storm has erupted in Punjab following the Centre’s move to bring Chandigarh under the ambit of Article 240 of the Constitution—a provision that empowers the President to directly frame regulations for specified Union Territories. The proposal has triggered widespread criticism across the state’s political landscape, with parties warning that the move threatens Punjab’s historical and territorial claim over its capital.

Currently, Chandigarh is administered by the Governor of Punjab and serves as the joint capital of both Punjab and Haryana. However, a bulletin issued by Parliament has indicated that the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, is expected to be introduced in the upcoming Winter Session beginning December 1. The Bill seeks to extend Article 240 to Chandigarh, placing it in the same category as Union Territories such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Puducherry.

The announcement has sparked immediate backlash from all major political parties in Punjab, including the Aam Aadmi Party, the Congress, and the Shiromani Akali Dal, all of whom have condemned the proposal as “anti-Punjab” and an attempt to dilute the state’s rights.

Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann strongly criticised the Centre, alleging that the BJP-led government was “conspiring to snatch” Punjab’s capital. Reiterating Punjab’s long-standing position, he said, “Chandigarh was, is, and will always remain an integral part of Punjab. Our villages were sacrificed to build this city. Punjab alone has the rightful claim over it.”

AAP national convenor and former Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal also lashed out at the Centre, calling the move an “assault on Punjab’s identity.” In a sharp message, he wrote, “History stands witness: Punjabis have never bowed to dictatorship. A state that feeds the nation with security, grains, and water is today being denied its constitutional rights.”

Punjab Congress chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring termed the development “totally uncalled for” and warned that any attempt to wrest Chandigarh from Punjab would have “serious repercussions.” He challenged the BJP’s state leadership to take a clear stand, declaring, “Whether you are with Punjab or against Punjab will be determined by your position on this issue.”

Shiromani Akali Dal president and former Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal was equally scathing, describing the proposed amendment as an “anti-Punjab Bill” and a “blatant attack on India’s federal structure.” He asserted that Punjab’s claim over Chandigarh was “non-negotiable” and vowed to resist the move “on every front—political, legal, and public.”

Chandigarh, built in 1966 following the reorganisation of Punjab and the creation of Haryana, has remained the shared capital of both states for nearly six decades. Punjab has repeatedly argued that Haryana should establish its own capital and that Chandigarh must be returned to Punjab in accordance with earlier commitments.

As the Winter Session approaches, tensions continue to escalate, setting the stage for a major constitutional and political confrontation over the future of Chandigarh.

(The content of this article is sourced from a news agency and has not been edited by the Mavericknews30 team.)