The Government and Politics of Andaman and Nicobar Islands operates in a way that is slightly different from the governance of most states and Union Territories of India. The first notable thing about the Government and Politics of Andaman and Nicobar Islands is the lack of a legislature.
The Lieutenant Governor
The lieutenant governor is the most important figure in the government and politics in Andaman and Nicobar Islands. In the absence of a formal legislative council, the lieutenant governor looks after the entire legislative structure of the state. The various departments work under his supervision. The government departments of the state operate on both directorate and the secretariat levels and take care of the state executive. The presence of many central government organizations also help in enhancing the administrative as well as governance profile of Andaman and Nicobar.
Politics of Andaman and Nicobar
Although there is no legislative council in the state, it does participate in the general elections. However, the Government and Politics of Andaman and Nicobar Islands does feature many political parties. The nominal presence of a state party and a couple of extremely regional parties characterize the politics of Andaman and Nicobar. However, it is the national level parties that really rule the roost in Andaman and Nicobar's political scene. There is one parliamentary constituency in the state, which was won by the Indian National Congress in the 2004 general elections. The apex body of the judiciary of Andaman and Nicobar islands is a circuit bench of the Kolkata High Court that operates from Port Blair. There are the district courts that fall under the jurisdiction of the sessions judges who monitor the smooth functioning of the judiciary in Andaman and Nicobar islands. Together, these courts monitor a smooth functioning of the judiciary of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
The major political parties at Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the ones with prominent national presence. The major political parties of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are:
- Indian National Congress (INC)
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM)
- Communist Party of India (Lenninist) (CPIML)
Andaman and Nicobar Constituency
Andaman and Nicobar has only one parliamentary constituency, a unit with about two and half lakh electors. The votes are conducted in 329 polling stations. The polling percentage is moderate at a notch over 60 percent.
Central government
Central government organizations in Andaman and Nicobar islands play a very important role in the overall governance of the state. With a very rudimentary infrastructure, the state needs the support of certain central government organizations in Andaman and Nicobar islands to look after some of the key areas of the state's governance. The following is a list of Andaman and Nicobar central government organizations:
Central government organizations in Andaman and Nicobar islands play a very important role in the overall governance of the state. With a very rudimentary infrastructure, the state needs the support of certain central government organizations in Andaman and Nicobar islands to look after some of the key areas of the state's governance. The following is a list of Andaman and Nicobar central government organizations:
- Central Agricultural Research Institute
- Andaman and Lakshadweep Harbor Works (ALHW)
- Chief Electoral Officer
- Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK)
- Andaman and Nicobar Telecom Circle
The Andaman and Lakshadweep Harbor Works (ALHW) is a central government organizations at Andaman and Nicobar islands. It is a part of the ministry of Shipping, Road transport and Highways of the government of India. Founded in 1965, it is committed towards the maintenance and development of the port facilities in the region. The Andaman and Nicobar Telecom circle not only provides communication to millions of people, but also provides broadband services to thousands of users. The Central Agricultural Research Institute is one of the key Andaman and Nicobar central government organizations. The (CARI), one of the most important central government organizations of Andaman and Nicobar islands is committed towards increasing the research facility in the state in the fields of farming and agriculture. A similar institute is the Krishi Vigyan Kendra, which looks after the agricultural possibilities in the state. The office of the chief electoral office supervises the electoral process in the single constituency of the state.
Together the central government institutions go a long way in stabilizing certain aspects of the state government in the fields of farming and education.
List of Andaman and Nicobar Government Departments
Andaman and Nicobar government departments are at the vary center of the government's executive structure. These government departments of Andaman and Nicobar islandswork through the secretariats and the directorates under its supervision. The organizational structure typically move downwards through the decisions taken by the officials at the topmost level. With the absence of a formal legislature and an official council of ministers, Andaman and Nicobar government departments work tirelessly to optimize the efficiency of the various departments.
- Agricultural Department
- Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Department
- Information, Publicity and Tourism Department
- Police Department
- Labor, Employment and Training Department
- Public Works Department
Functions of the Andaman and Nicobar Government Departments
The functions of the various government departments at Andaman and Nicobar islands cover the many important aspects of the state's administration. While the agriculture, environment and the labor departments look after optimizing the natural and the human resources of Andaman and Nicobar islands, the police and the public works departments are devoted towards the maintenance of the civil infrastructures. All these Andaman and Nicobar government departments work through the secretariat levels at the highest level, the ground level executive wings operate through the directorates of the individual departments. The tourism department of Andaman and Nicobar is gradually gaining in significance, with the great tourist possibilities of the picturesque islands of Andaman and Nicobar. This department is committed with the information and the publicity of the Union Territories as well.
Executive
Executive of Andaman and Nicobar islands is comparatively simple and uncomplicated. In the absence of state legislature, they play an extremely important role in the governance of the Union Territory.Executive of Andaman and Nicobar islands look after the administration of the two districts of the area, Andaman and Nicobar. The Lieutenant Governor is the executive head of Andaman and Nicobar executive wing. He works through a series of departments with their corresponding secretaries and directorates to monitor the administration of the state.
Departments of Andaman and Nicobar
There is no council of ministers to oversee Andaman and Nicobar island executive. The executive of Andaman and Nicobar is therefore solely dependent on the secretaries and the head of the sate directorates for a smooth functioning of the executive in Andaman and Nicobar. The government of Andaman and Nicobar is a combination of various departments, which look after the all over governance of the state. The departments which comprise the executive of Andaman and Nicobar are as follows:
- Agriculture
- Environment
- Police
- Civil Supplies
- Public Works
- Labor, employment and training
- Information, publicity and tourism
Departmental Heads, Secretaries and Directors
The heads of the various departments guide the works of the various secretaries and directories into a proper governance of Andaman and Nicobar. Sri Arvind Ray is the chief secretary of the state of Andaman and Nicobar. The district governance and the officials involved in the district administration also play important roles in the overall picture of the governance of state executive.
Judiciary
The apex body of the judiciary of Andaman and Nicobar islands is a circuit bench of the Kolkata High Court that operates from Port Blair. There are the district courts that fall under the jurisdiction of the sessions judges who monitor the smooth functioning of the judiciary in Andaman and Nicobar islands. Together, these courts monitor a smooth functioning of the judiciary of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Circuit Bench of Andaman and Nicobar
Andaman and Nicobar being a Union Territory does not have a High Court of its own.Andaman and Nicobar islands judiciary falls under the supervision of the Kolkata High Court. A circuit bench of the Kolkata High Court is operative in the state, at Port Blair. There are two chambers of the judges of the Kolkata High Court at Port Blair. The registrar of the Circuit Bench of Kolkata High Court is also vested with the responsibility to supervise the operation of the judiciary of Andaman and Nicobar islands.
Judiciary at the District and Regional Level
Andaman and Nicobar are the two districts of the Andaman and Nicobar islands. There is an efficient network of lower courts that supervise the judiciary at Andaman and Nicobar islands at a more grassroots level. The district and the sessions judge look after the civil affairs of the state, while the chief judicial magistrate is at the apex of the criminal courts of the districts. Both are helped carrying out their responsibilities through the help of munseffs and judicial magistrates respectively.
Political Parties
Political parties in Andaman and Nicobar Islands feature almost exclusively national level parties. With only one parliamentary constituency, the presence of independent state parties and other registered parties among the Andaman and Nicobar political parties are minimum. However, there are a few independent candidates who compete the elections from this Union Territory of India. The solitary constituency is eagerly fought by almost all the major national parties, who almost invariably place their candidates for the single seat.
Major Andaman and Nicobar Islands Political Parties
The major political parties at Andaman and Nicobar Islands are the ones with prominent national presence. The major political parties of Andaman and Nicobar Islands are:
- Indian National Congress (INC)
- Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP)
- Nationalist Congress Party (NCP)
- Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPM)
- Communist Party of India (Lenninist) (CPIML)
Andaman and Nicobar Constituency
Andaman and Nicobar has only one parliamentary constituency, a unit with about two and half lakh electors. The votes are conducted in 329 polling stations. The polling percentage is moderate at a notch over 60 percent.
Last Updated on: 2nd April 2013
