Member of Parliament Manish Tewari has once again taken up the cause of securing a Rajya Sabha seat for the Union Territory (UT) of Chandigarh by proposing a private bill in Parliament. Tewari, who previously represented the Anandpur Sahib constituency, had introduced a similar bill in December 2022, but it failed to pass. Now, as the MP for Chandigarh, he has reintroduced the bill, emphasizing the need for the UT to have representation in the Council of States.
The proposed bill seeks to amend Article 80 of the Constitution by adding a clause that would allow a representative from Chandigarh to be elected to the Rajya Sabha by an electoral college consisting of elected members of the local municipal corporation. Tewari argues that this amendment is necessary to address the lack of representation for Chandigarh in the upper house of Parliament.
In his statement, Tewari pointed out that while UTs like Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir, and Delhi have representation in the Rajya Sabha, Chandigarh, along with other UTs such as Ladakh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, and Lakshadweep, remain unrepresented. He believes it is his moral responsibility to advocate for this representation, given his deep emotional connection with Chandigarh.
The bill also underscores the importance of enacting a special law under Article 80(5) of the Constitution to provide representation to unrepresented UTs, specifically targeting Chandigarh in this instance. If passed, the bill would grant Chandigarh a voice in the Rajya Sabha, potentially increasing the UT’s influence in Parliament and providing additional funds for developmental projects through the Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) scheme.
