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Constitution of India · Part VIII: The Union Territories

Article 240: Power of President to make regulations for certain Union territories

In plain words

The President can make regulations for the peace, progress and good government of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Lakshadweep, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Puducherry. Such regulations can repeal or amend any Act of Parliament or other law applying to that territory, and have the same force as an Act of Parliament.

  • The President cannot make regulations for Puducherry while its Legislature is functioning, but can do so while it is dissolved or suspended.

A simplified explanation, prepared with AI assistance from the official text below and checked automatically against it for numbers and cross-references. The official text is the law and prevails over this summary. Not legal advice.

Official text

(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;] [(d) **** ;] [(e) [Puducherry ];] 8(f) * * * 9(g) * * * [Provided that when any body is created under article 239A to function as a Legislature for the Union territory of [Puducherry], the President shall not make any regulation for the peace, progress and good government of that Union territory with effect from the date appointed for the first meeting of the Legislature:] [Provided further that whenever the body functioning as a Legislature for the Union territory of [Puducherry] is dissolved, or the functioning of that body as such Legislature remains suspended on account of any action taken under any such law as is referred to in clause (1) of article 239A, the President may, during the period of such dissolution or suspension, make regulations for the peace, progress and good government of that Union territory.]

(2) Any regulation so made may repeal or amend any Act made by Parliament or [any other law], which is for the time being applicable to the Union territory and, when promulgated by the President, shall have the same force and effect as an Act of Parliament which applies to that territory.]

Source: India Code (Legislative Department), the official text of the Constitution of India. As amended up to the Constitution (One Hundred and Sixth Amendment) Act, 2023. Text as on 10 September 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.

Supreme Court judgments citing the article 240