Product Code Database
Among the states and union territories of India, a Union Territory ( UT) is a region that is directly governed by the central government of India, as opposed to the states, which have their own state government systems. Unlike states, Union Territories do not have their own full-fledged government but are administered by a Lieutenant governor or Administrator appointed by the President of India. Union Territories of India
Union Territories are created for various reasons, including geographical importance, strategic necessity or historical factors. These areas are under the control of the central government to ensure uniformity in governance across the country. Some Union Territories, such as Delhi (National Capital Territory) and Puducherry, have been granted special status and are allowed to have their own legislative assemblies, which can pass laws on certain matters, though the central government still retains significant authority. National Capital Territory of Delhi
The distinction between states and Union territories is defined in the Constitution of India. The Constitution designed Union Territories to manage areas that require more direct central control or have specific administrative needs. This ensures that regions like Ladakh and Jammu and Kashmir remain directly controlled by the central government. Ladakh and Jammu & Kashmir integration
Currently, India has several Union Territories including Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Lakshadweep, Delhi, Puducherry, Ladakh, and Jammu and Kashmir. Andaman and Nicobar Islands
After the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, Part C and Part D states were combined into a single category of "Union territory". Due to various other reorganisations, only 6 union territories remained:
By the early 1970s, Manipur, Tripura, and Himachal Pradesh had become full-fledged states, and Chandigarh became a union territory. Another three (Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Puducherry) were formed from acquired territories that were formerly part of Portuguese India and French India.
In August 2019, the Parliament of India passed Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019. The act contains provisions to reconstitute the state of Jammu and Kashmir into two union territories, one to be eponymously called Jammu and Kashmir, and the other Ladakh on 31 October 2019.
In November 2019, the Government of India introduced legislation to merge the union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu into a single union territory to be known as Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
Delhi, Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir operate differently from the other five. They were given partial statehood and Delhi was redefined as the National (NCT) and incorporated into a larger area known as the National Capital Region (NCR). Delhi, Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir have an elected legislative assembly and an executive council of ministers with a partially state-like function.
Due to the existence of union territories, many critics have resolved India into a semi-federal nation, as the central and state governments each have their domains and territories of legislation. Union territories of India have special rights and status due to their constitutional formation and development. The status of "union territory" may be assigned to an Indian sub-jurisdiction for reasons such as safeguarding the rights of indigenous cultures, averting political turmoil related to matters of governance, and so on. These union territories could be changed to states in the future for more efficient administrative control.
The Constitution does not stipulate how tax revenue is to be devolved to the union territories, unlike for the states. The fund's devolution to union territories by the union government has no criteria where all the revenue goes to the union government. Some union territories are provided more funds, while others are given less, arbitrarily by the union government. As union territories are directly ruled by the union government, some union territories get more funds from the union government than entitled on per capita and backwardness basis when compared to states.
After the introduction of GST, UT-GST is applicable in union territories that do not have a legislative assembly. UT-GST is levied at par with the applicable state GST in the rest of the country which would eliminate the previous lower taxation in the union territories.
The constitutional status of a union territory is similar to a state under the perennial president's rule per subject to specific exemptions to a few union territories with legislative assembly. As Per , supreme power is accorded to the president in regulating the affairs of all the union territories except Chandigarh, Delhi and Puducherry, including powers to override the laws made by Parliament and the constitution of India. Article 240 (2) allows implementing tax haven laws in these union territories to attract foreign capital and investments into India instead of depending on foreign tax haven countries.
The difference between states as listed in the First Schedule of the constitution and union territories with legislative assembly is that states were given autonomous powers as provided in the constitution without any possible interference by the parliament whereas UTs with legislative assembly () has similar powers but parliament is empowered to modify or repeal or suspend the laws made by a union territory (ultimate authority by the parliament unlike the independent nature of the states).
Three of the union territories have representation in the upper house of the Indian Parliament, the Rajya Sabha: Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry. Puducherry, Jammu and Kashmir and NCT of Delhi are the only 3 Union Territories that are exceptional among union territories in that each has its own locally elected legislative assembly and have a Chief Minister.
| + ! scope="col" | State ! scope="col" | ! scope="col" | Vehicle code ! scope="col" | Zonal Council ! scope="col" | Capital ! scope="col" | Largest city ! scope="col" | ! scope="col" | Population (2011) ! scope="col" | Area (km2) ! scope="col" | Official languages ! scope="col" | Additional official languages |
| +Former union territories of India | |||||||
| Arunachal Pradesh | North-Eastern | Itanagar | As an Indian state | ||||
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli | Western | Silvassa | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (UT) | ||||
| Daman and Diu | Western | Daman | Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu (UT) | ||||
| Goa, Daman and Diu | Western | Panaji | Goa (state), Daman and Diu (UT) | ||||
| Himachal Pradesh | Northern | Shimla | As an Indian state | ||||
| Manipur | North-Eastern | Imphal | As an Indian state | ||||
| Mizoram | North-Eastern | Aizawl | As an Indian state | ||||
| Nagaland | North-Eastern | Kohima | As an Indian state | ||||
| Tripura | North-Eastern | Agartala | As an Indian state |
| + Proposed or Previously Proposed Union Territories of India ! Name !! Proposed Status !! Notes |
| Proposed by Gorkha Janmukti Morcha in West Bengal for a separate homeland for Gorkhas. Discussions have included proposals for both statehood and union territory status. |
| Eastern region of Maharashtra; demand for separate statehood due to perceived neglect. |
| Former Part-C state; merged with Mysore (now Karnataka) in 1956. |
| Regions of coastal Karnataka and northern Kerala; demand based on linguistic identity. |
| Movement in northern West Bengal seeking separate status; leaders have advocated for union territory status. |
| Hill district in Assam with ongoing autonomy movements; demands for greater political identity. |
| Established as a union territory on 31 October 2019 after reorganization of Jammu and Kashmir. |
| Merged from two union territories; merger effective from 26 January 2020. |
| Union territory serving as the shared capital of Punjab and Haryana; discussions exist about its status amid Punjab-Haryana disputes. |
| Currently a union territory with legislature; proposals exist for full statehood or restructuring. |
|
|
