Editing Andaman and Nicobar Islands (section)

== Administration and politics ==
The islands form a part of the union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands and is administered by a [[Lieutenant Governor (India)|Lieutenant Governor]] on behalf of the Government of India.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/whos-who/lt-governors-administrators |title=Lt Governors and Administrators |publisher=[[Government of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The union territory was established in 1956 with a chief commissioner as the head of the administration.<ref>{{cite act |url=https://interstatecouncil.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2016/08/states_reorganisation_act.pdf |title=States Reorganisation Act, 1956 |date=14 September 1953 |legislature=[[Parliament of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}{{Dead link|date=March 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> In 1982, the [[List of Lieutenant Governors of Andaman and Nicobar Islands|Lieutenant Governor]] replaced the Chief Commissioner as the head of administration.
In 1981, a "Pradesh council" with councillors as representatives of the people was constituted to advise the Lieutenant Governor.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://eparlib.nic.in/bitstream/123456789/10871/1/11_III_20121996_p178_p185_t324.pdf |title=Andaman and Nicobar Bill |publisher=[[Parliament of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The territory sends one representative to [[Lok Sabha]] of the [[Parliament of India|Indian Parliament]] from its [[Andaman and Nicobar Islands Lok Sabha constituency]].<ref>{{cite report |url=https://www.mea.gov.in/Uploads/PublicationDocs/19167_State_wise_seats_in_Lok_Sabha_18-03-2009.pdf |title=State/UT wise Lok Sabha seats |publisher=[[Government of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The territory is divided into three districts, each headed by a deputy commissioner.<ref name="Dist">{{cite web |url=http://www.and.nic.in/gov/districtsgov.php |title=Districts of Andaman and Nicobar |publisher=[[Government of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref> The [[Calcutta High Court]] has jurisdiction over the islands with a permanent seat at Port Blair.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.calcuttahighcourt.gov.in/ |title=About, Calcutta High Court |publisher=[[Calcutta High Court]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>

{|class="sortable wikitable"
|+Districts of Andaman and Nicobar<ref name="Dist"/>
|-
!scope="col"| Name
!scope="col"| Capital
!scope="col"| Area<br />(km<sup>2</sup>)<ref>{{cite report |url=http://andssw1.and.nic.in/ecostat/2007/area.pdf |title=Area and Population |publisher=[[Government of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>
!scope="col"| Population<br />(2011)<ref name="DG">{{cite report |url=http://andssw1.and.nic.in/ecostat/basicstatPDF2021_22/1.Demography.pdf |title=Demography |publisher=[[Government of India]] |access-date=1 December 2023}}</ref>
!scope="col" class=unsortable| [[Tehsil]]s<ref name="DG"/>
|-
!scope="row"| [[North and Middle Andaman district|North and Middle Andaman]]
|[[Mayabunder]]
|align=right|{{formatnum:3302}}
|align=right|{{formatnum:105597}}
|[[Diglipur]], [[Mayabunder]], [[Rangat]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[South Andaman district|South Andaman]]
|[[Port Blair]]
|align=right|{{formatnum:3106}}
|align=right|{{formatnum:238142}}
|[[Port Blair]], [[Ferrargunj]], [[Little Andaman]]
|-
!scope="row"| [[Nicobar district|Nicobar]]
|[[Car Nicobar]]
|align=right|{{formatnum:1841}}
|align=right|{{formatnum:36842}}
|[[Car Nicobar Subdivision|Car Nicobar]], [[Nancowry Subdivision|Nancowry]], [[Great Nicobar Subdivision|Great Nicobar]]
|}

The indigenous communities have their own system of administration. There are long term settlements known as ''baraij'' and short-term settlements known as ''chang''. The coast-dwellers (''aryoto'') have semi-permanent settlements and the interior groups (''eremtaga'') dwell on temporary settlements, which enable them to migrate during dry seasons.<ref name="Cooper"/>