The administration and government of Andaman and Nicobar Islands operate in a slight different way from the governance of most states and union territories of India. Lack of a legislature is the first noticeable difference about the government of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
The Andaman and Lakshadweep harbour Works (ALHW) is a part of the ministry of shipping Road transport and Highways of the government of India. This organization, which was founded in 1965, works for the maintenance and development of the port facilities in the area. The Andaman and Nicobar Telecom circle offers communications to the people as well as broadband services for many users. The Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), which functions for increasing the research facility in the fields of farming and agriculture in the region, is an important central government organization. Supervising the electoral process in the only one constituency of the state is the responsibility of the office of chief electoral.
While all these departments are operated through the directorates by the executive wings at the ground level, they function through the secretariats at the top level. The district administration is controlled by the district governance and the officials.
Even though Andaman and Nicobar Islands has only one legislative constituency, many nationalised political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPIM), Communist Party of India (Leninist) (CPIML) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) etc. are active here.
Executive
The executive of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, which is comparatively simple and uncomplicated, has an important role in the governance of the Union Territory. It looks after the administration of two districts of area that are Andaman and Nicobar. Lieutenant Governor, who is the executive head in the government of Andaman and Nicobar, supervises the executive wing under direct monitoring from the heads of the various departments. He works through a series of various departments with their directorates and corresponding secretaries to monitor the administration of the state. In the absence of a formal legislative council, the role of lieutenant governor is significant because the entire legislative structure and functioning of various departments are under his supervision.Andaman and Nicobar Constituency
There is only one parliamentary constituency in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It is a unit of about two and half lakh electors. 329 polling stations function for voting during election time.Central Government
As Andaman and Nicobar Islands has a very rudimentary infrastructure, the support of certain central government organizations is necessary to look after some of the key areas of the state’s governance. Therefore, central government has an important role in the overall governance of the state. The important central government organizations that function in Port Blair and other islands here are the following.- Andaman and Lakshadweep Harbor Works (ALHW)
- Central Agricultural Research Institute
- Krish Vigyan Kendra (KVK)
- Chief Electoral Officer
- Andaman and Nicobar Telecom Circle
The Andaman and Lakshadweep harbour Works (ALHW) is a part of the ministry of shipping Road transport and Highways of the government of India. This organization, which was founded in 1965, works for the maintenance and development of the port facilities in the area. The Andaman and Nicobar Telecom circle offers communications to the people as well as broadband services for many users. The Central Agricultural Research Institute (CARI), which functions for increasing the research facility in the fields of farming and agriculture in the region, is an important central government organization. Supervising the electoral process in the only one constituency of the state is the responsibility of the office of chief electoral.
Andaman and Nicobar Government Departments
Andaman and Nicobar government departments, which work through the directorates and secretariats, are the very center of the government’s executive structure. As the union territory lacks a formal legislative structure and official council of ministers, these government departments have to work tirelessly and cover all the important aspects of the life in the islands here. The operations of these organizations at both the directorates and secretariats level is controlled by the head of each department. The departments of Andaman and Nicobar government are the following.- Agricultural Department
- Information, Publicity and Tourism Department
- Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department
- Labor, Employment and training Department
- Public Works Department
While all these departments are operated through the directorates by the executive wings at the ground level, they function through the secretariats at the top level. The district administration is controlled by the district governance and the officials.
Judiciary
As Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory, it does not have its own High Court and the state judiciary falls under the supervision of the Kolkata High Court. But a circuit bench of the Kolkata high court is operative in Port Blair. The Kolkata High Court t Port Blair has two chambers of the judges. District courts are also functioned under the jurisdiction of the session judges and they monitor the judiciary of Andaman and Nicobar Islands. The efficient network of lower courts ensures the smooth functioning of judiciary at grass root level.Even though Andaman and Nicobar Islands has only one legislative constituency, many nationalised political parties like Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Indian National Congress (INC), Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Communist Party of India (CPIM), Communist Party of India (Leninist) (CPIML) and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) etc. are active here.