NEW DELHI: In a major administrative move, the Centre has authorised the Lieutenant Governor (LG) of Jammu and Kashmir to exercise the powers of the “State Government” under provisions of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, further expanding the Union Territory administration’s authority over telecom governance and regulatory affairs.
According to officials, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) formalised the decision through an official notification issued by the government and published in the Gazette of India on May 7, 2026. The decision was taken in view of the security sensitivity of the Union Territory.
Issued under notification number S.O. 2288(E), the order states that the President of India, acting under Article 239(1) of the Constitution, has directed the Administrator of the Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir, the Lieutenant Governor, to exercise powers under Section 20(2) of the Telecommunications Act, 2023, officials said.
The notification stipulates that the LG, acting as the Administrator of the Union Territory, will, “subject to the control of the President and until further orders”, discharge the functions and responsibilities assigned to a State Government under the specified section of the law.
The order effectively enables the J&K administration, headed by the Lieutenant Governor, to take decisions on matters linked to telecom operations and regulatory oversight under the Act. Section 20 of the Telecommunications Act deals with provisions relating to telecom services during public emergencies, security concerns and other critical situations requiring government intervention.
The Telecommunications Act, 2023 serves as India’s new legal framework governing telecom services, infrastructure, spectrum management and related regulatory mechanisms, replacing several outdated colonial-era laws.
Officials also indicated that the latest step is in line with Jammu and Kashmir’s constitutional status as a Union Territory, where key administrative powers are exercised under the supervision of the Central Government. The move is also being viewed as part of the Centre’s broader effort to streamline governance and strengthen administrative control in the region.