From UPSC perspective, the following things are important :
Prelims level: Lt. Governor and its appointment
Mains level: Administrative differences in governance of UTs
A veteran politician has been appointed as Lieutenant Governor of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.
Try this PYQ:
Q.Which one of the following suggested that the Governor should be an eminent person from outside the State and should be a detached figure without intense political links or should not have taken part in politics in the recent past? (CSP 2019)
(a) First Administrative Reforms Commission (1966)
(b) Rajamannar Committee (1969)
(c) Sarkaria Commission (1983)
(d) National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution (2000)
Office of the Lt. Governor
- A Lt. Governor is the constitutional head of the union territories in India.
- She/he is appointed by the President of India for a term of five years and holds office at the President’s pleasure.
- Since the union territories of Delhi, J&K and Puducherry have a measure of self-government with an elected legislature and council of ministers, the role of the lieutenant governor there is mostly a ceremonial one, akin to that of a state’s governor.
- In Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Ladakh however, the lieutenant governor holds more power, being both the head of state and head of government.
- The other three UTs—Chandigarh; Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu; and Lakshadweep—are governed by an administrator.
Some related facts
- Unlike the lieutenant governors of other territories, they are usually drawn from the IAS or IPS.
- Lieutenant governors do not hold the same rank as a governor of a state in the list of precedence.
- Since 1985 the Governor of Punjab has also been the ex-officio Administrator of Chandigarh.
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