Lakshadweep under the Kerala High Court: one district, one Lok Sabha seat

Background

The UT Administration states plainly that Lakshadweep is under the jurisdiction of the High Court of Kerala. There is a Munsiff Court in Andrott with jurisdiction over Kavaratti, Andrott, Minicoy and Kalpeni, and another Munsiff Court in Amini with jurisdiction over Amini, Agatti, Kadmat, Kiltan, Chetlat and Bitra; both also function as Courts of Judicial Magistrate of First Class, and the Judicial Magistrate at Andrott holds the charge of Chief Judicial Magistrate. The Sub Court of Kavaratti was upgraded as District and Sessions Court with effect from April 1997. The entire Union Territory is considered as one district, with 10 Sub Divisions at present and five Community Development Blocks with Kavaratti, Amini, Andrott, Minicoy and Kiltan as block headquarters. Revenue, land settlement and law and order come under the Collector cum Development Commissioner, who is also the District Magistrate, while the Administrator commands the Lakshadweep Police as its Inspector General. The Administration Secretariat was shifted from Kozhikode to Kavaratti in March 1964. The Lakshadweep Lok Sabha constituency is the only parliamentary constituency representing the entire Union Territory, and the seat is reserved for Scheduled Tribes. The territory has 1 Zilla Panchayat and 10 Village (Dweep) Panchayats.