The Lieutenant Governor (LG) of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands is a constitutional institution and the administrative head of the Union Territory (UT). The LG is the direct representative of the Government of India, appointed by the President of India under Article 239 of the Constitution. The office was formally instituted on 12 November 1982, replacing the earlier designation of Chief Commissioner that had governed the territory since its formation as a UT on 1 November 1956. This redesignation standardized the administrative structure for certain UTs.
The mechanism of the LG's function is distinct because the Andaman and Nicobar Islands lacks a formal legislative assembly or a Council of Ministers. Consequently, the LG holds considerable power and is the executive head, supervising the entire legislative structure and the functioning of various government departments. The LG serves at the pleasure of the President, typically for a term of five years.
The concept connects directly to Article 239, which mandates that the President administers a Union Territory through an appointed administrator. The LG's role is also linked to the territory's strategic importance, as it hosts the Andaman and Nicobar Command, India's only tri-service integrated command. While the designation changed from Chief Commissioner to Lieutenant Governor in 1982, the core function of the head of administration remains the same. The current LG is Admiral D. K. Joshi (Retd.), who assumed office on 8 October 2017.