UNION TERRITORIES (UTs)

Union territories (UTs) are governmental territories that are administered partly or entirely by the Central Government of India. The Union is responsible for governing these centrally administered territories. The Central Government has direct supervision and administration over all of them. 

Union Territories have a Lieutenant-Governor serving as an administrator of the UT, elected by the Central Government of India and serves as the President of India’s representative. Except for Delhi, Jammu & Kashmir and Puducherry, Union Territories do not have a representation in the Rajya Sabha.

In India, there are currently eight Union territories (UTs). The primary distinction in between a state and a union territory would be that a state has its own ruling body, whilst a union territory is administered directly by the central or union government.

HISTORY OF THE FORMATION OF THE UNION TERRITORIES (UTs)

The States Reorganisation Commission advocated the establishment of a separate group for these territories during the conference on the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, because these territories did not match the framework of a state and also did not follow a standard system of governance.

Such economically unstable, financially inadequate, administratively and politically vulnerable territories, it was concluded, could not endure as independent administrative divisions without relying extensively on the Union or Central government. Union territory was founded for these number of reasons.

The combined capital of Punjab and Haryana states in India is Chandigarh, and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands were India’s first union territory.

FORMATION OF THE UNION TERRITORIES (UTs)

The Indian political constitution contained the following structure when the Constitution of India was enacted in 1949:

• Part C states, that included the provinces of the chief commissioners and several princely states, all were led by a president-elected chief commissioner. 10 Part C states included Ajmer, Bhopal, Bilaspur, Coorg, Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, kutch, Manipur, Tripura, and Vindhya Pradesh.

• A lieutenant-governor nominated by the national government administered one Part D state that is the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Part C and Part D states were merged into a single division of “Union territory” with the States Reorganisation Act 1956. Just 6 union territories lasted after several other reorganisations:

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Laccadive, Minicoy & Amindivi Islands (modified afterwards as the Lakshadweep Islands)
• Delhi
• Manipur
• Tripura
• Himachal Pradesh

Manipur, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh became entirely separate states by the early 1970s, while Chandigarh became a union territory. Three more, namely, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu, and Puducherry were constituted as centrally administered territories from reclaimed regions of the non-British colonial groups (Portuguese and French India, respectively).

In August 2019, the Indian Parliament implemented the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. On October 31, 2019, the law rebuilt the entire Jammu and Kashmir state and divided it into two union territories, one Jammu and Kashmir and another Ladakh.

The Indian government announced laws in November 2019 to unite the Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu union territories into a unified one and named it Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.

THE CURRENT UNION TERRITORIES OF INDIA

Currently, there are 8 Union territories (UTs) in India – 

• Andaman and Nicobar Islands
• Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
• Chandigarh
• Lakshadweep
• Puducherry
• Delhi
• Ladakh
• Jammu and Kashmir

The President, acting through an Administrator nominated by him/ her, governs the Union Territories to the degree that he/ she sees suitable. Lieutenant Governors are the administrators of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, and Puducherry. The Administrator of Chandigarh is also the Governor of Punjab. Dadra and Nagar Haveli’s Administrator is conjointly the Administrator of Daman and Diu. There is a different Administrator for Lakshadweep.

A legislative assembly and council of ministers exist in both the National Capital Territory of Delhi and Puducherry. The legislative assembly of Puducherry can enact legislation in relation to topics included in Lists II and III of the Constitution’s Seventh Schedule, to the extent that these matters apply to the Union Territory.

Apart from Entries 1, 2 and 18 of List II, that are not included within the legislative authority of Delhi, the legislative body of the National Capital Territory of Delhi has those capabilities as well. On the other hand, specific types of bills necessitate the Central Government’s advance approval before being presented in the legislative assembly. Certain bills approved by the UT legislative assemblies of Puducherry and Delhi must be held for the President’s review and approval.

WHAT DISTINGUISHES DELHI AND PUDUCHERRY FROM OTHER UNION TERRITORIES?

All of India’s states have elected legislatures and governmental bodies, as do the 3 union territories of Puducherry, Delhi, and Jammu & Kashmir. Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir are not like the other five UTs. These UTs were granted partial statehood, with Delhi being designated the National Capital Territory (NCT) and integrated into the broader region the National Capital Region (NCR). 

Delhi, Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir each have their own elected legislative house and a partially state-like executive council of ministers. They function in a similar manner as states. The other union territories are governed and overseen by the country’s union, hence the name.

REGIONS THAT HAVE BEEN PROPOSED AS UNION TERRITORIES.

MAHE

Mahe district is one of Puducherry’s four districts, located on the Kerala coast directly opposite Puducherry district. Many suggest that due to apparent underdevelopment relative to the remaining portion of Puducherry, Mahe should be annexed to Lakshadweep or Kerala, or made a distinct union territory.

KASHMIR PANUN.

Within the Jammu Valley, Panun Kashmir is a suggested union territory. The Kashmiri Pandit Network has called for the establishment of territory for Kashmiri Hindus who left Kashmir due to persistent conflict and hope to come back.

CONCLUSION

Union territories were not included in the original constitution but were added by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act of 1956. Wherever the term “Indian Territories” or “Territories of India” appears in the constitution, it applies to the entire nation, inclusive of the union territories.