Master10
Indian States & Union Territories Module

Union Territories Administration & Governance

Union Territories (UTs) in India are centrally administered administrative units governed under Part VIII (Articles 239 to 241) of the Constitution. Administered directly by the President through appointed Lieutenant Governors or Administrators, UTs possess varying degrees of administrative autonomy. While territories like Chandigarh, Ladakh, and Lakshadweep are fully under central executive oversight, the National Capital Territory of Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir feature legislative assemblies and council of ministers under Articles 239A and 239AA. Landmark structural changes include the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019 and the merger of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu in 2020.

Key Concepts & Examination Highlights

  • India currently comprises 8 Union Territories: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Delhi (NCT), Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
  • Article 239AA of the Constitution granted special constitutional status to the National Capital Territory of Delhi, establishing a Legislative Assembly and Council of Ministers in 1991.
  • The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, bifurcated the former state into two Union Territories—Jammu & Kashmir (with a legislature) and Ladakh (without a legislature)—effective October 31, 2019.
  • Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu were merged into a single Union Territory on January 26, 2020, with Daman designated as the administrative headquarters.
  • India currently comprises 28 States and 8 Union Territories: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Delhi (NCT), Jammu & Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
  • Only three Union Territories currently have provision for a Legislative Assembly: Delhi (Article 239AA), Puducherry (Article 239A), and Jammu & Kashmir.
  • Under Article 239AA(4), the Council of Ministers in Delhi cannot exceed 10 percent of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly (a maximum of 7 ministers including the Chief Minister).
  • The Administrator of Lakshadweep and the Administrator of Chandigarh (traditionally the Governor of Punjab) function under presidential appointment without a legislative assembly.
  • Article 240 empowers the President of India to make regulations for the peace, progress, and good government of certain Union Territories like Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, and Ladakh.
  • Puducherry was formed from the French establishments in India (Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam) transferred de facto in 1954 and de jure in 1962 via the 14th Constitutional Amendment.
  • High Court jurisdiction over Union Territories assigns Delhi and J&K their own High Courts, while Lakshadweep falls under Kerala High Court and Andaman & Nicobar under Calcutta High Court.
  • Chandigarh falls under the jurisdiction of the Punjab and Haryana High Court, while Puducherry falls under the Madras High Court.
  • Article 239 of the Constitution provides that every Union Territory shall be administered by the President acting through an Administrator appointed with such designation as specified.
  • Article 239A, inserted by the 14th Constitutional Amendment Act 1962, empowers Parliament to create a local Legislature, Council of Ministers, or both for Puducherry.
  • Article 239AB contains provisions for the failure of constitutional machinery in the National Capital Territory of Delhi, empowering the President to impose President's Rule.
  • Article 241 empowers Parliament by law to constitute a High Court for a Union Territory or declare any court in such territory to be a High Court.
  • The Lieutenant Governor of Delhi is empowered under Article 239AA to refer differences of opinion with the Council of Ministers to the President for final decision.
  • Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2021, clarified that the expression 'Government' referred to in any law made by the Legislative Assembly shall mean the Lieutenant Governor.
  • Dadra and Nagar Haveli was liberated from Portuguese rule in 1954 and integrated into the Indian Union as a Union Territory in 1961 by the 10th Constitutional Amendment Act.
  • Goa, Daman, and Diu were integrated into the Indian Union following military action under Operation Vijay in December 1961 via the 12th Constitutional Amendment Act.
  • The Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu serves as the unified administrative head operating from the capital city of Daman.
  • Ladakh became a Union Territory without a legislative assembly on October 31, 2019, comprising two administrative districts: Leh and Kargil.
  • The Union Territory of Puducherry consists of four non-contiguous coastal enclaves: Puducherry and Karaikal (enclosed within Tamil Nadu), Yanam (within Andhra Pradesh), and Mahe (within Kerala).
  • Home Minister's Advisory Committee (HMAC) / Administrator's Advisory Committee (AAC) assists the Ministry of Home Affairs in monitoring development projects across UTs without legislatures.
  • The National Capital Region (NCR) Planning Board was established in 1985 by an Act of Parliament to coordinate infrastructure planning across NCT Delhi and adjoining districts of Haryana, UP, and Rajasthan.
  • Part VIII of the Constitution of India (Articles 239 to 242) contains the constitutional provisions governing the administration of Union Territories.
  • Article 239 provides that every Union Territory shall be administered by the President acting, to such extent as he thinks fit, through an Administrator appointed by him with such designation as he may specify.
  • The President may appoint the Governor of an adjoining State as the Administrator of a Union Territory under Article 239(2), wherein the Governor acts independently of his state Council of Ministers.
  • Article 239A empowers Parliament by law to create a local Legislature, or a Council of Ministers, or both for the Union Territory of Puducherry.
  • Article 239AA was inserted by the 69th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1991, conferring special constitutional status on the Union Territory of Delhi, designating it as the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi.
  • Under Article 239AA, the Legislative Assembly of NCT of Delhi has 70 members elected directly by the people, with powers to make laws on State List and Concurrent List matters except Public Order, Police, and Land (Entries 1, 2, and 18 of the State List).
  • Article 239AA(4) caps the size of the Council of Ministers in NCT of Delhi at not more than 10% of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly (a Chief Minister and up to six ministers).
  • Article 239AB provides for the suspension of the operation of Article 239AA and the imposition of President's Rule in NCT of Delhi in case of failure of constitutional machinery.
  • Article 239B empowers the Administrator of Puducherry to promulgate Ordinances during the recess of the Legislative Assembly, subject to prior instructions from the President.
  • Article 240 empowers the President to make regulations for the peace, progress, and good government of Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, and Ladakh.
  • Article 241 empowers Parliament by law to constitute a High Court for a Union Territory or declare any court in any territory to be a High Court for all or any purposes.
  • The National Capital Territory of Delhi is the only Union Territory in India that possesses its own separate and independent High Court, established in 1966.
  • The High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh is a common High Court exercising territorial jurisdiction over both the Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir and the Union Territory of Ladakh.
  • India currently comprises 8 Union Territories: Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Lakshadweep, and Puducherry.
  • Among India's 8 Union Territories, only 3 have provision for a Legislative Assembly and Council of Ministers: Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir.
  • The executive heads of Delhi, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir are designated as Lieutenant Governors (LG).
  • The executive heads of Chandigarh, Lakshadweep, and Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu are designated as Administrators, with the Governor of Punjab acting as ex-officio Administrator of Chandigarh.
  • The Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (Merger of Union Territories) Act, 2019, merged the two erstwhile territories into a single Union Territory with its administrative capital at Daman, effective 26 January 2020.
  • The Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, bifurcated the state of Jammu and Kashmir into the UT of Jammu & Kashmir (with a legislature) and the UT of Ladakh (without a legislature), effective 31 October 2019.
  • The Union Territory of Ladakh comprises two administrative districts: Leh district and Kargil district.
  • Representation of Union Territories in the Rajya Sabha is provided for three UTs with legislative assemblies: Delhi (3 seats), Puducherry (1 seat), and Jammu and Kashmir (4 seats).
  • In the Lok Sabha, Union Territories are collectively allocated up to 20 seats under Article 81(1)(b), with Delhi holding 7 seats, Jammu & Kashmir holding 5 seats, and other UTs holding 1 seat each (Ladakh 1, Puducherry 1, Chandigarh 1, A&N 1, DNH&DD 2, Lakshadweep 1).
  • Government of National Capital Territory of Delhi (Amendment) Act, 2023, established the National Capital Civil Services Authority (NCCSA) comprising the Chief Minister, Chief Secretary, and Principal Home Secretary to recommend transfers and postings of Group 'A' officers.
  • Puducherry comprises four geographically non-contiguous coastal enclaves: Puducherry and Karaikal in Tamil Nadu, Yanam in Andhra Pradesh, and Mahe on the Malabar Coast in Kerala.
  • The Administrator of Lakshadweep and the Administrator of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu exercise administrative control under the direct supervision of the Ministry of Home Affairs.
Curriculum & Reference Sources: Constitution of India (Part VIII), Ministry of Home Affairs, and Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act 2019.

Sample Solved Questions & Concept Explanations

8 Verified Concept Questions
Q1.MEDIUM

Which Article of the Constitution of India provides special provisions with respect to the National Capital Territory of Delhi, creating a Legislative Assembly and Council of Ministers?

Q2.EASY

Which Union Territory of India comprises four non-contiguous districts distributed across three different coastal states?

Q3.EASY

Which High Court has legal and constitutional jurisdiction over the Union Territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands?

Q4.EASY

Chandigarh serves as the joint capital of which two northern Indian states?

Q5.EASY

On 26 January 2020, which two Union Territories were merged into a single Union Territory?

Q6.EASY

Which is the smallest Union Territory of India in terms of total land area (spanning just 32 sq km)?

Q7.EASY

Which constitutional authority appoints the Lieutenant Governor or Administrator of a Union Territory in India?

Q8.EASY

Which Swiss-French architect was primarily responsible for master planning the Union Territory city of Chandigarh?