Chandigarh: Amid a political furore in Punjab over the Centre’s proposal to deliver Chandigarh underneath the ambit of Article 240 of the Structure—which empowers the President to make rules for union territories and to legislate immediately—the house ministry has issued a clarification, saying there may be “no intention of introducing any Invoice to this impact” within the Winter Session of Parliament.

The MHA replace got here Sunday afternoon, a day after a Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha bulletin mentioned the federal government would introduce the Structure (131st Modification) Invoice 2025 within the Winter Session, which begins on December 1, to impact the modifications.

The bulletin triggered a political backlash in Punjab, resulting in state BJP chief Sunil Jakhar issuing an announcement that the “confusion” shall be “resolved” in discussions with the federal government.

“Chandigarh is an integral a part of Punjab, and the Punjab BJP stands firmly with the pursuits of the state, whether or not it’s the subject of Chandigarh or the waters of Punjab. No matter confusion has arisen concerning Chandigarh, shall be resolved by discussing it with the federal government. As a Punjabi myself, I guarantee you that for us, Punjab all the time comes first,” Jakhar posted on X.

Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana, and each states declare unique possession over town. The Centre’s transfer was seen as an try and weaken Punjab’s declare on Chandigarh and it was vociferously opposed by political events within the state, barring the BJP, who warned of “unprecedented protests”.

Because the row threatened to snowball into a serious controversy, the Ministry of House Affairs issued an announcement, saying the proposal was “solely to simplify the Central Authorities’s law-making course of for the Union Territory of Chandigarh” and “remains to be into account with the Central Authorities”.

The assertion added that the proposal in “no approach seeks to change Chandigarh’s governance or administrative construction”, nor does it purpose to alter the standard preparations between Chandigarh and Punjab or Haryana

“An appropriate resolution shall be taken solely after satisfactory consultations with all stakeholders, conserving in thoughts the pursuits of Chandigarh. There isn’t any want for any concern on this matter. The Central Authorities has no intention of introducing any Invoice to this impact within the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament,” it posted on X.

Earlier than that, Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann vowed the Punjab authorities wouldn’t permit any “conspiracy” of the BJP-led NDA authorities to “snatch” Chandigarh from the state. In an announcement issued Saturday, the AAP chief mentioned that Chandigarh was, is, and can all the time stay an integral a part of the state, including that the modification proposed by the Union authorities wouldn’t be allowed.

He mentioned that although each dad or mum state has the only real proper over its capital, grave injustice had been meted out to Punjab by denying the capital metropolis solely to the state. He mentioned there may be hardly any parallel to this. Mann mentioned it’s a bare fact that the BJP-led Union authorities was doing grave injustice to the state by “conspiring to grab our capital from us”.

He mentioned no person can deny that, being the dad or mum state, Punjab has the only real proper to its capital metropolis of Chandigarh. He claimed that successive governments on the Centre have accomplished a grave injustice to the state by denying its capital.

The proposal solely to simplify the Central Authorities’s law-making course of for the Union Territory of Chandigarh remains to be into account with the Central Authorities. No remaining resolution has been taken on this proposal. The proposal by no means seeks to change Chandigarh’s…

— PIB – Ministry of House Affairs (@PIBHomeAffairs) November 23, 2025

 

Senior Congressman and Chief of the Opposition Partap Singh Bajwa had mentioned the transfer was a “deliberate assault” on Punjab.

“Chandigarh was created in 1966 as Punjab’s capital, with the Punjab Governor serving as its Administrator for many years. Now the Centre’s 131st Modification transfer to tug Chandigarh underneath Article 240 is nothing in need of snatching town away from Punjab — an open assault on historical past, federalism, and Punjab’s rights,” he mentioned in a publish on X.

He claimed the  BJP authorities was pushing a “politically loaded” invoice to recast Chandigarh like another UT. “That is yet one more deliberate assault on Punjab. From Chandigarh, to river waters to Panjab College, the Centre is repeatedly chipping away at Punjab’s professional rights. All political events in Punjab should unite and construct a method to cease this unprecedented overreach,” he wrote on X.

Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president Sukhbir Singh Badal had additionally appealed to the Union authorities to not introduce the Invoice, saying doing so would quantity to betraying and discriminating in opposition to courageous Punjabis who had sacrificed essentially the most for the nation. He mentioned it will be like going again on all commitments made to Punjab handy over Chandigarh to it. 

In an announcement issued Saturday, the SAD president mentioned, “(The invoice) seeks to finish Punjab’s declare to Chandigarh as its capital metropolis”. 

Describing the proposed laws as an assault on the rights of Punjab, Badal had mentioned it was “additionally in opposition to federalism and quantities to discriminating in opposition to Punjabis who’ve been within the vanguard of the liberty wrestle in addition to safety of the borders of the nation, apart from ushering within the inexperienced revolution which ensured meals safety to the nation”. 

Asserting that the proposed Invoice would additionally go in opposition to the solemn commitments given by the Centre to revive Chandigarh to Punjab, Badal mentioned the Union authorities accepted in precept to switch Chandigarh to Punjab in 1970. 

He mentioned that subsequently, the Rajiv-Longowal accord mounted a deadline of January 1986 for the switch of Chandigarh to Punjab. “The accord was additionally ratified by parliament however didn’t see the sunshine of day”. 

Badal claimed that over the previous couple of a long time, the Centre had steadily diluted Punjab’s declare over Chandigarh by not adhering to the 60:40 ratio in posting workers from Punjab and Haryana, respectively, within the union territory, posting officers from the UT (AGMUT) cadre in Chandigarh, and different measures, together with “diluting” Punjab’s management over the Panjab College.

In a publish on Sunday, he mentioned the SAD has referred to as an emergency assembly of the social gathering’s core committee “to plan and formulate a powerful and decisive response in opposition to the anti-Punjab Structure (131st Modification) Invoice”.

Chandigarh was created in 1966 as Punjab’s capital, with the Punjab Governor serving as its Administrator for many years. Now the Centre’s 131st Modification transfer to tug Chandigarh underneath Article 240 is nothing in need of snatching town away from Punjab — an open assault on historical past,…

— Partap Singh Bajwa (@Partap_Sbajwa) November 22, 2025

Congress state chief Amarinder Singh Raja Warring mentioned any transfer to alter the standing of Chandigarh could be met with “unprecedented” resistance. 

AAP MP Malvinder Kang mentioned all parliamentarians from Punjab wanted to take this up unitedly. 

“This second calls for unity. Each MP from Punjab, throughout political traces, should stand collectively, forge a standard entrance, and defeat this modification within the Winter Session. Historical past won’t forgive those that select silence,” he wrote on X.

(Edited by Ajeet Tiwari)

---

Additionally Learn: Why Panjab College row struck such a chord. A 143-yr legacy formed by Partition, patronage & politics

---