Government of Union Territories Act, 1963
No: 20 Dated: May, 10 1963
THE GOVERNMENT OF UNION TERRITORIES ACT, 1963
ACT NO. 20 OF 1963
Government of Union Territories Amendment Act 2023
An Act to provide for Legislative Assemblies and Councils of Ministers for certain Union territories and for certain other matters.
BE it enacted by Parliament in the Fourteenth Year of the Republic of India as follows:―
PART I
PRELIMINARY
1. Short title and commencement.―(1) This Act may be called the Government of Union Territories Act, 1963.
(2) It shall come into force on such date as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint:
[Provided that it shall come into force in the Union territory of Mizoram on such date, being a date not earlier than the date of commencement of the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Act, 1971 (83 of 1971), as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint:]
[Provided further that it shall come into force in the Union territory of Arunachal Pradesh on such date, being a date not earlier than the date of commencement of the Government of Union Territories (Amendment) Act, 1975 (29 of 1975), as the Central Government may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint:]
[Provided also that, subject to the preceding provisos,] different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Act and for different Union territories and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Act shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.
2. Definitions and interpretation.―(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires,―
(a) “Administrator” means the administrator of [the Union territory] appointed by the President under artcle 239;
(b) “article” means an article of the Constitution;
(c) “assembly constituency” means a constituency provided under this Act for the purpose of elections to the Legislative Assembly of [the Union territory];
(d) “Election Commission” means the Election Commission appointed by the President under article 324;
(e) “Judicial Commissioner” includes an Additional Judicial Commissioner;
(f) “scheduled castes” in relation to [the Union territory] means such castes, races or tribes or parts of or groups within such castes, races or tribes as are deemed under article 341 to be scheduled castes in relation to that Union territory;
(g) “scheduled tribes” in relation to [the Union territory] means such tribes or tribal communities or parts of or groups within such tribes or tribal communities as are deemed under article 342 to be scheduled tribes in relation to that Union territory;
[(h) “Union territory” means the Union territory of [Puducherry].
(2) Any reference in this Act to laws made by Parliament shall be construed as including a reference to Ordinances promulgated by the President under article 123 and a reference to Regulations made by the President under article 240.