Dr. Dinesh Sharma, a Bharatiya Janata Party Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and former Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, was appointed Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands on 5 September 2026. The appointment was issued by President Droupadi Murmu and took effect when he formally assumed charge of office.
Lieutenant Governor in India
A Lieutenant Governor is the constitutional head of a Union Territory under Article 239 of the Constitution of India. The office is used in Union Territories such as Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Delhi, and Puducherry, where the administrator or Lieutenant Governor acts as the representative of the President.
Andaman and Nicobar Islands as a Union Territory
The Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a Union Territory of India in the Bay of Bengal. It consists of two island groups, the Andaman Islands and the Nicobar Islands, and Port Blair serves as its capital.
Dr. Dinesh Sharma’s Public Offices
Dr. Dinesh Sharma served as Deputy Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh from 2017 to 2022. He also served two terms as Mayor of Lucknow after elections in 2006 and 2012, and he was a member of the Rajya Sabha before his appointment to the Union Territory post.
Important Facts for Exams
- Article 239 of the Constitution provides for the administration of Union Territories through a President-appointed administrator or Lieutenant Governor.
- The Andaman and Nicobar Islands are located in the Bay of Bengal and form India’s southernmost Union Territory.
- Port Blair is the administrative capital of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
- The Rajya Sabha is the Upper House of the Parliament of India, and its members are elected by State Legislative Assemblies or nominated in specific cases.
Rajya Sabha Vacancy and Succession
Dr. Sharma’s move to the Lieutenant Governor’s office created a vacancy in his Rajya Sabha seat before the scheduled end of his term on 25 November 2026. Admiral Devendra Kumar Joshi (Retd) had served as Lieutenant Governor of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands since 8 October 2017.
