Whose Chandigarh is it anyway? Punjab and Haryana HC calls for evidence to answer 'capital' question

More than 50 years since Chandigarh came into existence, the 'capital' question keeps getting drawn into the legal domain. The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Tuesday asked the two states to provide a document or a notification to establish that Chandigarh is their capital.

During the hearing of a petition filed by a Chandigarh resident, Phool Singh, a bench of Justices Rakesh Kumar Jain and Arun Kumar Tyagi told Advocates General of both the states to provide any documentary evidence to show that Chandigarh is the common capital for Punjab and Haryana.

The petitioner had submitted before the high court that he was considered as a general category candidate in the two states and ineligible to apply under the reserved category as he is domiciled in Chandigarh.

The case is distinctive, as the petitioner was seeking reservation in both the states for recruitment in the superior judiciary on the basis of his being an Scheduled Caste candidate in Chandigarh — the capital of both states.

The bench, among other things, was told that the petitioner was an advocate, who had appeared for recruitment in the superior judiciary in both Punjab and Haryana. He cleared the preliminary examination for the post of Additional District and Sessions Judge, but could not make it in the mains as he was treated as a general category candidate.

Adjourning the matter for hearing on July 29, High court told Punjab & Haryana Advocate General to present any notification or letter or any documents which can establish that Chandigarh is the captial of both Haryana and Punjab.

Zee Media Newsroom