Administrator of a Union territory
Also called: Article 239 · Topic: State Government: Governor, Chief Minister, State Legislature and Union Territories · NCERT: Beyond NCERT
Meaning
Under Article 239, the President governs each Union territory (UT) through an Administrator, an officer the President appoints. The President also chooses the Administrator's title, such as Lieutenant Governor or simply Administrator. The President may appoint the Governor of a neighbouring state as Administrator. In that role the Governor acts on their own, not on the advice of their state's council of ministers.
Example
The Governor of Punjab also serves as the Administrator of Chandigarh. When running Chandigarh, the Governor does not take advice from Punjab's Chief Minister or ministers.
Don't confuse with
- Governor of a state: In the state, a Governor mostly acts on the advice of the council of ministers. As a UT Administrator, the same person acts as the President's agent.
- Lieutenant Governor: This is only one title an Administrator can have. It is not a separate office.