📜 Article 239 of the Indian Constitution
Title: Administration of Union Territories
🔹 Text Summary:
Article 239 states that every Union Territory (UT) shall be administered by the President of India, either directly or through an Administrator appointed by the President.
🧠 Key Provisions of Article 239:
| 🔑 Aspect | ✅ Details |
|---|---|
| Who governs UTs? | President of India |
| How is it administered? | - Directly by the President |
-
Through an Administrator appointed by the President |
| Who is the Administrator? | Can be a Governor of a state or a separate Lieutenant Governor (LG)/Administrator |
| Nature of power | The Administrator acts on behalf of the President |
| Does it apply to all UTs? | Yes, except those with special provisions (e.g., Delhi & Puducherry under Article 239AA & 239A) |
🏛️ Example (as per Article 239):
| Union Territory | Administrator/Governor/LG Appointed |
|---|---|
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands | Lieutenant Governor appointed by President |
| Chandigarh | Governor of Punjab acts as Administrator |
| Lakshadweep | Separate Administrator |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu | One Administrator |
| Delhi | Special provision under Article 239AA |
| Puducherry | Special provision under Article 239A |
⚠️ Important Note:
-
Articles 239A and 239AA provide special status to Puducherry and Delhi, giving them Legislative Assemblies and Council of Ministers, unlike other UTs.
🔁 Related Articles:
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| 239 | Administration of Union Territories |
| 239A | Legislature & Council of Ministers for Puducherry |
| 239AA | Special provisions for Delhi |
| 240 | Power of President to make regulations for UTs |
📌 In Simple Words:
Article 239 empowers the President to run Union Territories, either through an appointee or directly, ensuring that these territories are governed efficiently even though they are not full-fledged states.
Here’s a 📊 Comparison Chart of Articles 239, 239A, and 239AA of the Indian Constitution – explaining the governance system of Union Territories:
🏛️ Chart: Administration of Union Territories (Articles 239, 239A & 239AA)
| 🔢 Article | 📘 Subject | 🗺️ Applies To | 🧑⚖️ Who Administers? | 🏛️ Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Article 239 | Administration of UTs | All Union Territories (except Delhi & Puducherry) | President, through an Administrator (LG/Governor) | - No elected legislature |
-
Administrator acts on behalf of President |
| Article 239A | Legislature and Council of Ministers for UTs | Puducherry | Administrator + Elected Assembly | - Legislative Assembly -
Council of Ministers
-
Powers similar to a state (limited) |
| Article 239AA | Special status to National Capital Territory of Delhi | Delhi (NCT) | Lieutenant Governor + Elected Govt. | - Legislative Assembly -
Council of Ministers
-
Special powers & limits (Police, Land, Public Order under Centre) |
🔍 Key Differences:
| 🧩 Feature | 239 (Basic UT) | 239A (Puducherry) | 239AA (Delhi) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Legislature | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Council of Ministers | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Administrator | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (LG) | ✅ Yes (LG) |
| Elected Chief Minister | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes |
| Control over Police, Law & Order | ✅ Central Govt | ✅ Local Govt | ❌ With Central Govt (LG) |
📌 Summary:
-
Article 239: Standard UTs like Lakshadweep, Andaman – No legislature, President governs via Administrator.
-
Article 239A: Puducherry – UT with a legislature & CM.
-
Article 239AA: Delhi – Special status with Assembly, CM, but Police, Land, Law & Order under Centre.
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