Union territory
Also called: UT, Union territories
Any Union territory specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution, including any other territory within India not specified in that Schedule. Article 366(30) of the Constitution.
Explained
Article 366(30) of the Constitution defines Union territory as any Union territory specified in the First Schedule and includes any other territory comprised within the territory of India but not specified in that Schedule. Section 3(62A) of the General Clauses Act, 1897 adopts the same meaning for Central Acts. The category was introduced by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, which replaced the old Part C and Part D States. Under Article 1(3), the territory of India comprises the territories of the States, the Union territories and such other territories as may be acquired.
Union territories are governed under Part VIII. Article 239 provides that, save as Parliament otherwise provides by law, every Union territory is administered by the President acting, to the extent he thinks fit, through an administrator appointed by him; the President may appoint the Governor of an adjoining State as administrator. Article 240 lets the President make regulations for the peace, progress and good government of specified Union territories such as the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep. Under Article 246(4) Parliament may legislate on any matter for any part of India not included in a State, even on State List subjects. Article 241 allows Parliament to constitute a High Court for a Union territory.
Some Union territories have legislatures. Article 239AA, inserted by the Sixty ninth Amendment, makes Delhi the National Capital Territory with a Legislative Assembly and a Lieutenant Governor. In Government of NCT of Delhi v. Union of India (2018) the Constitution Bench held that Delhi is not a State, but that the Lieutenant Governor is ordinarily bound by the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers. Puducherry has a legislature under a law made under Article 239A, and Jammu and Kashmir became a Union territory with a legislature under the Jammu and Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, while Ladakh became one without a legislature.
Examiners test the definition, the administrator under Article 239, the regulation making power under Article 240, the special position of Delhi, and the difference between a State and a Union territory in the federal scheme.
What the law says
[(30) "Union territory" means any Union territory specified in the First Schedule and includes any other territory comprised within the territory of India but not specified in that Schedule.]
Clause (30) defines Union territory
[(b) the Union territories specified in the First Schedule; and]
(c) such other territories as may be acquired.
Union territories form part of the territory of India
[(1) Save as otherwise provided by Parliament by law, every Union territory shall be administered by the President acting, to such extent as he thinks fit, through an administrator to be appointed by him with such designation as he may specify.
(2) Notwithstanding anything contained in Part VI, the President may appoint the Governor of a State as the administrator of an adjoining Union territory, and where a Governor is so appointed, he shall exercise his functions as such administrator independently of his Council of Ministers.]
3*[239A. Creation of local Legislatures or Council of Ministers or both for certain Union territories.— (1) Parliament may by law create [for the Union territory of [Puducherry]]—
Administration of Union territories by the President
[(1) As from the date of commencement of the Constitution (Sixty-ninth Amendment) Act, 1991, the Union territory of Delhi shall be called the National Capital Territory of Delhi (hereafter in this Part referred to as the National Capital Territory) and the administrator thereof appointed under article 239 shall be designated as the Lieutenant Governor.
(2)(a) There shall be a Legislative Assembly for the National Capital Territory and the seats in such Assembly shall be filled by members chosen by direct election from territorial constituencies in the National Capital Territory.
(b) The total number of seats in the Legislative Assembly, the number of seats reserved for Scheduled Castes, the division of the National Capital Territory into territorial constituencies (including the basis for such division) and all other matters relating to the functioning of the Legislative Assembly shall be regulated by law made by Parliament.
Special provisions for the National Capital Territory of Delhi
[(1) The President may make regulations for the peace, progress and good government of the Union territory of—
(a) the Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
[(b) Lakshadweep;]
President's power to make regulations for certain Union territories
Section 3, General Clauses Act
[(62A) “Union territory” shall mean any Union territory specified in the First Schedule to the Constitution and shall include any other territory comprised within the territory of India but not specified in that Schedule;]
Section 3(62A) defines Union territory for Central Acts
For the exam
- Defined in Article 366(30); same meaning in Section 3(62A) of the General Clauses Act.
- Created by the Seventh Amendment, 1956, replacing Part C and Part D States.
- Administered by the President through an administrator under Article 239.
- Parliament may legislate for UTs on any matter, including State List matters (Article 246(4)).
- Delhi has a special status under Article 239AA but is not a State (NCT of Delhi, 2018).
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Judgments
Related terms
- The State (Article 12)For Part III of the Constitution, the Government and Parliament of India, the Government and Legislature of each State, and all local or other authorities in India or under the control of the Government of India.
- LawFor Article 13 of the Constitution, law includes any Ordinance, order, bye-law, rule, regulation, notification, custom or usage having the force of law in India.
- Existing lawUnder Article 366(10), any law, Ordinance, order, bye-law, rule or regulation passed or made before the Constitution commenced by a body or person having power to make it.
- Proclamation of EmergencyA Proclamation issued by the President under Article 352(1) declaring that the security of India or any part of it is threatened by war, external aggression or armed rebellion. Article 366(18).
Further reading
Checked 6 November 2026. Statutory text is quoted from the Bare Acts library, taken from India Code. See the full glossary.