A political controversy over the use of government bungalows in Chandigarh has intensified in Punjab ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections. The dispute began with allegations by Congress MLA Sukhpal Singh Khaira, who questioned whether some Aam Aadmi Party leaders and functionaries were occupying official residences meant for Punjab ministers and government officials.
The controversy centres on government accommodation in Chandigarh's Sector 39. Khaira has alleged that certain AAP functionaries and leaders who are not members of the Punjab Cabinet are staying in residences allotted to ministers. He has specifically raised questions about bungalow numbers 926, 960 and 961 and sought clarity over their occupants and the authority under which they are being used.
One of the main figures involved in the dispute is Gayatri Bishnoi, an AAP functionary associated with the party's organisational work in Punjab and president of the AAP women's wing in Rajasthan. Khaira alleged that Bishnoi was staying at a government residence linked to AAP leader Manish Sisodia and minister Ravjot Singh.
Bishnoi rejected the allegation and gave a different account of her accommodation. In a video statement, she said she was staying with her parents at the official residence of Punjab Health Minister Balbir Singh. She said her father was undergoing treatment in Chandigarh and that the accommodation had been provided with the minister's permission. She also objected strongly to Khaira's personal remarks and said she would take legal action against him.
The distinction between the residences has become an important part of the dispute. Khaira had referred to bungalow number 960, which he alleged was connected to Manish Sisodia and was allotted to Punjab minister Ravjot Singh. Bishnoi, however, identified her accommodation as bungalow number 961, associated with Health Minister Balbir Singh.
The dispute has also moved beyond the statements of the two politicians. The Punjab State Women's Commission took note of Khaira's remarks concerning Bishnoi. Commission chairperson Raj Lali Gill said that comments targeting a woman's dignity could attract action under the law. The development added another dimension to what had initially been a political dispute over government accommodation.
The Shiromani Akali Dal has also raised questions about the alleged use of government accommodation. Senior SAD leader Bikram Singh Majithia questioned the circumstances surrounding the residences and sought greater clarity over their use. Other Opposition leaders have also demanded details about who has been allotted the properties, who is occupying them and whether the necessary permissions have been obtained.
The issue has also revived questions raised in previous reports about government accommodation in Chandigarh. The Economic Times reported that similar questions had been raised in 2025 regarding the alleged use of ministerial bungalows by AAP functionaries who were not members of the Punjab Cabinet. The earlier reports referred to residences in Sector 39A, including bungalow numbers 926 and 960.
More recently, ThePrint reported that Khaira circulated a list of people whom he alleged were occupying houses allotted to Punjab ministers and other government functionaries. According to the report, the Punjab government and AAP had not provided a detailed response to the allegations at the time of publication.
The controversy has also led to demands for an examination of official records. Questions have been raised about the original allotment of each residence, the actual occupants, permissions granted by ministers or the government, and whether rent and other charges are being paid according to applicable rules.
These questions are significant because government accommodation is normally governed by administrative rules concerning eligibility, allotment and occupation. However, whether any particular residence has been occupied unlawfully or in violation of government rules would require verification from official records and the relevant authorities.
The political context has added further importance to the issue. Punjab is scheduled to face an Assembly election next year, and Opposition parties are using the bungalow controversy to question the functioning of the AAP government. The ruling party and its leaders have faced demands to explain the arrangements involving government residences.
At the same time, the personal allegations surrounding Gayatri Bishnoi and Manish Sisodia have become a separate part of the controversy. Bishnoi has denied Khaira's allegations and said they were defamatory. Her stated reason for staying at the minister's residence was her father's medical treatment, and she said the arrangement had been made with the minister's permission.
Khaira has continued to question the arrangement and has asked for clarification regarding the residences. He has also raised allegations concerning other AAP leaders and government accommodation. These claims remain allegations and have not been established as facts through an official finding cited in the reports reviewed for this article.
The controversy has therefore developed into two connected issues. The first concerns the specific allegations involving Gayatri Bishnoi, Manish Sisodia and ministerial residences in Sector 39. The second concerns the broader question of whether government accommodation allotted to Punjab ministers and officials is being occupied in accordance with applicable rules.
The matter has also attracted calls for greater administrative transparency. Opposition leaders have sought house-wise information regarding allotments and occupants, while the government has been asked to clarify the basis on which individuals who are not ministers or government officials may stay in official residences.
As the political debate continues, the key facts that need to be established are the official allotment records, the names of authorised occupants, any permissions granted for temporary stays and the applicable government accommodation rules. Until those details are officially verified, allegations made by political parties should be treated as claims rather than established findings.
The bungalow controversy is now part of the wider political discussion in Punjab ahead of the Assembly elections. What began as a dispute involving one government residence has expanded into questions about several properties, political functionaries and the administration of official accommodation in Chandigarh. Further clarification from the Punjab government and relevant administrative authorities could determine whether any rules were violated and what action, if any, may follow.
