Centre steps back from Chandigarh plan amid cross-party backlash in Punjab

Facing cross-party backlash in Punjab, the Centre steps back from proposal to alter Chandigarh's administrative structure. Archis Mohan reports

Facing political blowback from every major party in Punjab, including the state unit of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the central government on Sunday pulled back, within a day, from its plan to introduce the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill. 

The Bill, listed in the proposed legislative business for the Winter Session (December 1-19) and posted on the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha websites on Saturday, sought to “include Chandigarh in Article 240 of the Constitution to ensure uniform treatment as other Union Territories without legislature”. Article 240 empowers the President to make regulations for the “peace, progress and good government”