Union Territories of India – Overview and History

This article provides an overview of the Union territories of India, which are unique administrative divisions with special status. Unlike states, they are directly governed by the Union Government of India. Let’s explore their history and current status.

Union Territories of India

key points:

1. India is a federal union comprising 28 states and 8 union territories, making a total of 36 entities.
2. The states and union territories are further subdivided into districts and smaller administrative divisions.
3. Each state has its own state government, while union territories are governed by the Union Government.
4. The article also discusses the historical background of administrative divisions in India, dating back to the time of the British Indian Empire.
5. The reorganization of states in India has occurred over time based on linguistic lines, resulting in the creation of new states.

list of all states of India

History:

When the Constitution of India was adopted in 1949, it included Part C states and Part D states. Part C states were chief commissioners’ provinces and princely states governed by chief commissioners appointed by the President. Part D had only one state, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, administered by a lieutenant governor. In 1956, the States Reorganisation Act merged Part C and Part D states into a single category called “Union territory.” Over the years, new territories were formed and merged, leading to the current eight Union territories.

Current Union Territories: As of 2023, India has eight Union territories:

1. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
2. Chandigarh
3. Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu
4. Delhi (National Capital Territory)
5. Jammu and Kashmir
6. Ladakh
7. Lakshadweep
8. Puducherry

Administration:

Union territories are governed by administrators or lieutenant governors appointed by the President. Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu and Kashmir have partially state-like functions, with elected legislative assemblies and executive councils of ministers. Others are directly ruled by the Union government.

Constitutional Status:

The Constitution of India provides special status to Union territories. Article 1 states that India is a “Union of States,” and Article 366(30) defines Union territory as any specified in the First Schedule. The President of India is the chief administrator of Union territories. Some territories have representation in the Rajya Sabha (upper house of Parliament) and have locally elected legislative assemblies with a Chief Minister.

Current Statistics:

Here are some key statistics of the current Union territories:

Union Territory	Capital	Largest City	Population	Area (km2)
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	Port Blair	Port Blair	380,581	8,249
Chandigarh	Chandigarh	Chandigarh	1,055,450	114
Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu	Daman	Silvassa	587,106	603
Delhi (NCT)	New Delhi	Delhi	16,787,941	1,484
Jammu and Kashmir	Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter)	Srinagar	12,258,433	42,241
Ladakh	Leh (Summer), Kargil (Winter)	Leh	290,492	59,146
Lakshadweep	Kavaratti	Andrott	64,473	32
Puducherry	Pondicherry	Pondicherry	1,247,953	479

Conclusion: Union territories play a significant role in India’s governance, offering unique administrative setups and cultural diversities. Some territories have transformed into states, while others continue to be governed directly by the Union Government. The Constitution provides these territories with special rights and status, making them an integral part of India’s political landscape.

States and union territories of India