Union Territories are administered by the Union Government of India. They are under direct control of the central government and hence are also known as ‘centrally administered territories’. The original constitution did not mention provisions regarding Union Territories. The Union Territories in India were established in 1956 by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act (1956) and the States Reorganisation Act (1956). Currently (April 2023), there are twenty-eight states and eight union territories  in India.

Under Article 1 of the constitution, the territory of India consists of- 

• Territories of the states,
• Union territories, and
• Areas that the government may acquire at any time.

The states in India are federal units that share the distribution of power with the Centre. On the other hand, the Union Territories are directly controlled by the Central Government. In other words, a unitary form of relationship exists when it comes to power-sharing between the Centre and the Union Territories.

Evolution of Union Territories in India

Certain areas were recognised as scheduled districts during British Rule. Later these areas came to be known as Chief commissioners’ provinces. Post Independence, these districts were placed in the category of Part C and Part D states.  In 1956, they were constituted as the “union territories” by the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act (1956) and the States Reorganisation Act  (1956). 

With due course of time, some union territories have been elevated to state statuses such as Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa. While the state of  Jammu and Kashmir has been accorded the status of union territory on 31st October 2019 by removing the statehood status.

Need for Union Territories in India

The Union Territories were created for the following reasons:

• Political and Administrative efficiency: Union Territories like Delhi and Chandigarh are two union territories that are the administrative capitals of India and Punjab & Haryana respectively. Hence, the Union Government has retained control over them.

• Strategic Significance: Major islands of India like the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep have a strategic significance for India. These Islands are used as strategic military bases to counter the adversaries of India.

• Protection of Indigenous Culture: Union Territories like Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu have a Portuguese culture, while Puducherry has French culture, and Ladakh has an indigenous Buddhist culture which is protected by the Centre by administering it directly.

• Small Population and Land Area: If compared to the states, the union territories (excluding Delhi) have less population and land area. For instance, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. Hence, running a legislative assembly and council of ministers would result in unnecessary burden on exchequer.

• Security reasons: Union Territories like Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh are flanked by two adversaries (Pakistan and China) that pose a constant security threat to India. Hence, the Indian Government divided the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir states into two union territories- Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh to ensure the security of the nation and full integration of Jammu & Kashmir into the Union of India.

Difference Between State and Union Territories in India