Articles 239 to 241 in Part VIII of the Constitution deal with the union territories. Even though all the union territories belong to one category, there is no uniformity in their administrative system.
Every union territory is administered by the president acting through an administrator appointed by him. An administrator of a union territory is an agent of the president and not head of state like a governor. The president can specify the designation of an administrator; it is Lieutenant Governor in the case of Delhi, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Administrator in the case of Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli, Daman and Diu and Lakshadweep.
The Parliament can make laws on any subject of the three lists (including the State List) for the union territories. This power of Parliament also extends to Puducherry and Delhi, which have their own local legislatures but the legislative assembly of both (Delhi and Puducherry) can also make laws on any subject of the State List and Concurrent List. This means that the legislative power of Parliament for the union territories on subjects of the State List remain unaffected even after establishing a local legislature for them. Special provisions for Delhi.
The 69th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1991 provided a special status to the Union Territory of Delhi, redesignated it as the National Capital Territory of Delhi and designated the administrator of Delhi as the lieutenant governor. It created a legislative assembly and a council of ministers for Delhi. Previously, Delhi had a metropolitan council and an executive council.
