Punjab Assembly Passes Resolution Seeking Transfer Of Chandigarh To State, BJP MLAs Stage Walkout

The one-day special Assembly session was held nearly a week after Amit Shah's announcement that the central service rules will apply to employees of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

File Photo: PTI

New Delhi: Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Friday moved a resolution in the State Assembly demanding immediate transfer of Chandigarh to the state.

It was passed with a complete majority in the absence of two BJP legislators, who earlier staged a walkout from the House, news agency PTI reported.

The resolution came as Punjab Assembly held a one-day special session to discuss the Union government’s decision to extend the Central service rules to employees of UT of Chandigarh.

Moving the resolution in the House, CM Bhagwant Mann exhorted the Centre to honour the principles of federalism enshrined in the Constitution while urging it to not take any steps which may disturb the balance of the administration of Chandigarh and that of other common assets.

"Punjab was reorganised through the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 wherein, the state of Punjab was reorganised into the state of Haryana, Union Territory of Chandigarh and some parts of Punjab were given to the then Union Territory of Himachal Pradesh," the resolution stated, as quoted by PTI.

"Since then a balance was maintained in the administration of common assets like Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB), by way of giving management positions in some proportion to the nominees of state of Punjab and state of Haryana. Through many of its recent actions the central government has been trying to upset this balance," it added.

The resolution mentioned that the Centre advertised the posts of members of BBMB to officers of all states and central government, whereas these posts were traditionally filled up by officers from Punjab and Haryana. Similarly, the Chandigarh administration has always been managed by officers of Punjab and Haryana in the ratio of 60:40, it stated.

"However, recently the central government has posted officers from outside to Chandigarh and has introduced central civil service rules for employees of Chandigarh administration, which goes completely against the understanding in the past," the resolution moved by Bhagwant Mann reads.

"Chandigarh city was created as the capital of Punjab. In all past precedents whenever a state has been divided, the capital remains with the parent state. Punjab, therefore, has been laying its claim for the complete transfer of Chandigarh to Punjab," it adds.

CM Bhagwant Mann mentioned that the House has passed a number of resolutions in the past urging the Union government to transfer Chandigarh to Punjab.

"For maintaining harmony and taking the sentiments of people into account, this House once again recommends to the state government to raise the matter with Central government to immediately transfer Chandigarh to Punjab," he stated, as quoted by PTI.

"This House also requests the central government to honour the principles of federalism enshrined in our Constitution and not to take any steps which may disturb the balance the administration of Chandigarh and that of other common assets like BBMB," the resolution reads.

Punjab Assembly passed the resolution with a complete majority as members of political parties including AAP, Congress, Shiromani Akali Dal, and the lone Bahujan Samaj Party MLA came out in support of the resolution, dubbing the Centre's move as dictatorial and autocratic.

Amit Shah's Announcement On Central Service Rules

The one-day special Assembly session was held nearly a week after Union Home Minister Amit Shah's announcement that the central service rules will apply to employees of the Union Territory of Chandigarh.

Amit Shah's announcement has evoked sharp reactions from the ruling AAP, Congress and SAD leaders, who termed it as "another big blow to the rights of Punjab" after changes in the Bhakra Beas Management Board (BBMB) rules.

According to the Union Home Minister, the move will benefit Chandigarh UT employees as their retirement age will increase from 58 to 60 years and women employees will get childcare leave of two years instead of the current one year.

However, CM Bhagwant Mann said that it goes against the Punjab Reorganisation Act while stressing that Punjab will fight for its rightful claim over Chandigarh.

Previously, the Centre had changed rules for the selection criteria of BBMB members.

The BBMB, which is a statutory body under the Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966 and manages the water resources of Sutlej and Beas, has a whole-time chairman and two members: a member (irrigation) and a member (power).

According to the convention, the member (power) is always from Punjab and the member (irrigation) is from Haryana as selected from a panel of senior engineers. But the changes in the rules for selection criteria allowed anyone to apply for these posts.

(With Agency Inputs)