The government has introduced the Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill 2025, and it could fundamentally change how Chandigarh is governed. This move would shift Chandigarh from its current status to fall under Article 240 of the Constitution—a significant administrative change that affects millions of citizens in the union territory.
What’s Happening to Chandigarh?
Right now, Chandigarh operates as a union territory with its own lieutenant governor and a legislative assembly. But the new bill proposes to reorganize this structure by placing Chandigarh directly under Article 240 of the Constitution.
Article 240 is basically a provision that gives the President direct power to frame laws for a union territory. It’s typically used for smaller territories or those without their own legislative bodies. If this bill passes, Chandigarh would lose its current assembly structure and operate more directly under central government control.
Why Is This Happening Now?
The timing of this bill reflects ongoing debates about efficient governance in union territories. Chandigarh has been at the center of political discussions for years, especially regarding whether a shared capital between Punjab and Haryana should have its own legislative assembly or operate under central administration.
The constitutional amendment process requires Parliament to pass this bill, and if successful, it would represent a major shift in how the union territory functions administratively.
Currently, Chandigarh has a 26-member legislative assembly that makes local decisions. Under Article 240, those powers would shift to the President or directly to Parliament, meaning local representatives would have less say in day-to-day governance.
What This Means for You
If you live in Chandigarh or have connections there, this change would affect how local decisions are made—from budgets to policies on education and infrastructure. The people of Chandigarh would lose their direct representation through an elected assembly.
For ordinary citizens, this means less local control over local matters. Currently, when you vote in Chandigarh assembly elections, your representatives make decisions about your neighborhood. Under Article 240, those decisions would come from Delhi instead.
This bill also has ripple effects for Punjab and Haryana, which share various administrative ties with Chandigarh. Any change to Chandigarh’s status could impact how these three regions coordinate on issues like water supply, transportation, and shared resources.
Constitutional amendments like this don’t happen overnight. Parliament will debate this bill, and it requires a two-thirds majority to pass. This means we’ll likely see significant discussion about whether this is the right move for Chandigarh’s future.
The real question is whether centralized control will make Chandigarh more efficient or whether local governance matters more than administrative convenience. Your answer depends on whether you believe decisions are better made locally or from the capital.