Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann Fights 131st Amendment: Chandigarh Battle Heats Up

The chief minister said it goes against Punjab's interests and could weaken the state's authority over Chandigarh.

He asserted that Punjab would not allow any move that threatens its rights over the Union Territory.

In a post on X, CM Mann wrote, "We strongly oppose in the strongest terms the proposed Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill being brought by the Central Government in the upcoming Winter Session of Parliament."

"This amendment is against the interests of Punjab. We will not allow the conspiracy being hatched by the Central Government against Punjab to succeed in any way. Chandigarh, built by razing our Punjab's villages, belongs solely to Punjab. We will not let our right slip away just like that. For this, we will take whatever steps are necessary," the post read.

The Constitution (131st Amendment) Bill, 2025, aims to add Chandigarh under Article 240, bringing its administration in line with Union Territories without legislatures, such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Puducherry, during periods when their Assemblies are dissolved or suspended.

Although the exact details of the Bill remain unclear, there is speculation that it could weaken Punjab's influence over Chandigarh.

Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has announced that the winter session of Parliament will be held from December 1 to 19.

The President Murmu has approved the government's proposal to convene the Winter Session of Parliament from December 1 to December 19, 2025, Kiren Rijiju mentioned in a post on X.

On the Winter Session of Parliament, Union Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal told ANI, "We are going to have a meeting with the Secretaries of various departments. We will conduct a scrutiny of all the pending bills that are supposed to be passed, and then an all-party meeting will be held where we will share the list of bills with the leader of the opposition, and then we will form strategies according to the suggestions by the opposition leaders."

- ANI