Confusion regarding Chandigarh will be resolved, says Punjab BJP

Chandigarh: With his party facing flak over the Centre proposing a law to appoint an independent administrator in Chandigarh, Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Sunday said Chandigarh is an integral part of Punjab, assuring that the "confusion" regarding the Union territory will be resolved.

"Chandigarh is an integral part of Punjab, and the Punjab BJP stands firmly with the interests of the state, whether it is the issue of Chandigarh or the waters of Punjab. Whatever confusion has arisen regarding Chandigarh will be resolved by discussing it with the government. As a Punjabi myself, I assure you that for us, Punjab always comes first," said Jakhar in a post on X.

The Centre has proposed to include the UT of Chandigarh under the ambit of Article 240 of the Constitution, which empowers the president to make regulations for the UT and to legislate directly.

The Centre will bring the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, in the upcoming winter session of Parliament, beginning December 1, according to a Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha bulletin.

If the bill is passed, Chandigarh could have an independent administrator, similar to having had an independent chief secretary in the past. Chandigarh serves as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.

This proposed amendment has sparked political outrage in Punjab, with the ruling AAP, Congress, and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) criticising the BJP-led Centre, accusing the government of attempting to "snatch" Chandigarh from Punjab.

Currently, the Punjab governor serves as the Administrator of the UT of Chandigarh. It was previously administered independently by a chief secretary since November 1, 1966, when Punjab was reorganised.

However, since June 1, 1984, Chandigarh has been administered by the Punjab governor and the chief secretary's position was converted to an adviser to the UT administrator.

In August 2016, the Centre sought to restore the old practice of having an independent administrator by appointing former IAS officer K J Alphons for the top post.

However, the move was withdrawn after stiff opposition from the then-Punjab chief minister, Parkash Singh Badal, who was part of the NDA, and other parties, including the Congress and AAP.

Punjab, which has staked its claim on Chandigarh, also wants the immediate transfer of Chandigarh to it. The chief minister has reiterated this demand during a recent meeting of the Northern Zonal Council held in Faridabad.