Centre's proposal to appoint Lt Governor for Chandigarh backfires

After political uproar, the Central government has backtracked from its plan to appoint an Lt Governor for Chandigarh. The Ministry of Home Affairs clarified that no bill would be introduced to 'alter Chandigarh'. The Union government planned to introduce a bill to include the Union Territory under Article 240 in the upcoming Winter Session.

This has led to a political uproar, as Chandigarh is the joint capital of Punjab and Haryana. Punjab has claimed ownership of the territory, demanding a separate capital for Haryana. Article 240 gives powers to the President to appoint an independent administrator over Chandigarh.

Currently, Gulab Chand Kataria, the Punjab Governor, is the administrator of Chandigarh. This move has been criticised from all corners of the state. The ruling AAP and Congress have raised concerns over the proposed bill, stating that it will further dilute Punjab's claim over its own capital.