- Union Territories (UTs) are directly administered by the Central Government, unlike states which have their own governments.
- There are 8 Union Territories in India: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
- The administration of UTs is governed by Articles 239 to 241 of the Constitution of India.
- Article 239: Provides for the administration of UTs by the President through an appointed Administrator or Lieutenant Governor (LG).
- Some UTs like Delhi and Puducherry have legislatures and Chief Ministers, making their governance unique.
- UTs with legislatures are governed under Article 239AA (Delhi) and Article 239A (Puducherry).
- In UTs without legislatures, the Administrator functions as the representative of the President and exercises executive powers.
- Legislative powers: Parliament has the exclusive power to make laws for UTs under Article 246(4).
- Administrators of UTs act on the instructions of the President or the Central Government.
- Delhi has a unique status with a legislature, but its police, public order, and land are controlled by the Central Government.
- Puducherry also has a legislature, but its laws are subject to the approval of the President.
- Article 240 grants the President the authority to make regulations for certain UTs, like the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep.
- The Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, created the UTs of Jammu & Kashmir (with legislature) and Ladakh (without legislature).
- UTs with legislatures enjoy a limited form of statehood but are still under significant control of the Central Government.
- In UTs without legislatures, the Administrator or LG has extensive powers, including legislative, executive, and financial control.
- Financial management in UTs is overseen directly by the Central Government.
- The allocation of funds to UTs is determined through the Union Budget.
- Governance challenges include lack of autonomy for UTs and the dominance of the Central Government.
- The role of the Administrator in UTs is often criticized for being overly centralized and bureaucratic.
- In UTs like Delhi, there are frequent conflicts between the Chief Minister and the LG regarding the division of powers.
- Special provisions are made for the cultural and geographic uniqueness of UTs like Lakshadweep and the Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
- Union Territories are significant for strategic and administrative reasons, given their diverse characteristics.
- In the absence of legislatures, UTs rely on regulations made by the President for governance.
- Coordination issues often arise between the Central Government and UTs with legislatures.
- The administration of UTs emphasizes the importance of direct governance by the Union for national integration and security.
- Policy-making for UTs is centralized, which can sometimes lead to a disconnect with local needs and aspirations.
- The 74th Amendment has extended the governance framework of urban local bodies to UTs.
- The governance of UTs aims to maintain uniformity and efficiency in administration while considering their unique status.
- Union Territories contribute significantly to India's geopolitical and economic landscape.
- The Supreme Court has upheld the constitutional validity of the unique governance framework of UTs in several judgments.