Home The Constitution Part VIII Article 240

Art. 240 Part VIII: The Union Territories

President's Power to Make Regulations for Certain Union Territories

Exact text — Constitution of India

(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; (c) Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu; [and other UTs without a legislature] ... and any regulation so made may repeal or amend any Act made by Parliament or any existing law which is for the time being applicable to the Union territory in question.

(2) Regulations made under clause (1) shall have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament which applies to that territory.

In Plain English

What this Article actually means

For Union Territories that don't have their own legislature, this Article gives the President direct law-making power through 'regulations' — which carry exactly the same legal force as an Act of Parliament, and can even repeal or amend an existing Parliamentary law applicable to that territory.

Why This Matters To You

How it shows up in everyday life

This is why UTs like the Andaman & Nicobar Islands or Lakshadweep, which lack an elected legislature, can still have their own specific laws — they come through Presidential regulation rather than through elected representatives, a structural difference citizens of those UTs experience directly.

Read alongside this one

Art. 239 — Administration of Union Territories

Frequently Asked

Quick answers about Article 240

Do citizens of these UTs have any say in the regulations that govern them?

Not through a local elected legislature the way state or Delhi/Puducherry residents do — their primary electoral representation is through Lok Sabha seats, while day-to-day administrative regulation comes from the centrally-appointed Administrator and President.

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The text above reproduces Article 240 of the Constitution of India as amended to date, for general educational reference. It is public-domain legislative text, but we recommend cross-checking the authoritative version at legislative.gov.in or india.gov.in before relying on it for a legal matter. The explanation, examples and FAQs are general information, not legal advice — consult a qualified advocate for guidance on your specific situation.