Chandigarh & Article 240 | 24 Nov 2025

Why in News?

• The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has clarified that the government will not introduce the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025 in the upcoming Winter Session. The bill reportedly proposed to bring Chandigarh under Article 240 of the Constitution.

Key Points

• About Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill:
  • The proposal aimed to include Chandigarh under Article 240, which currently applies to select Union Territories such as Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Puducherry.
  • Chandigarh is presently administered as a Union Territory (UT), with the Governor of Punjab serving as its Administrator, since it acts as the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana.
• Article 240 & Potential Impact on Chandigarh:
  • Article 240 empowers the President to make regulations for the peace, progress, and good governance of certain UTs that do not have their own legislatures.
  • These regulations have the same effect as an Act of Parliament, giving the Centre direct administrative influence.
  • As Chandigarh currently lacks a legislative assembly, bringing it under Article 240 would mainly be a change in the method of governance, allowing the President to rule by regulation instead of Parliament legislating by Act.
  • This change would enable the Centre to:
    • Issue regulations for governance through the President or a delegated authority.
    • Possibly introduce a separate Lieutenant Governor (instead of the Punjab Governor), changing the administrative head.
  • Chandigarh's governance structure stems from the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, making it a shared capital with a unique administrative model.
  • Any alteration in its governance has implications for federal relations, state rights, and UT administration frameworks.