President Murmu empowers J&K, all UT L-Gs under National Dental Commission Act 2023
Synopsis
President Droupadi Murmu has directed the L-Gs and administrators of all eight Union Territories — including J&K, Delhi, and Ladakh — to exercise State Government powers under the National Dental Commission Act, 2023. The move bridges a key constitutional gap, ensuring the landmark dental regulatory law is uniformly enforced across territories that lack independent state legislatures.
Key Takeaways
President Droupadi Murmu delegated powers under the National Dental Commission Act, 2023 to administrators of all 8 Union Territories on 23 October 2026 .
The Ministry of Home Affairs issued the notification under Article 239(1) of the Constitution.
Covered UTs: Delhi, J&K, Ladakh, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep .
L-Gs will now exercise State Government functions under Sections 29, 48 and 56 of the Act.
The National Dental Commission (NDC) replaced the Dental Council of India (DCI) , repealing the Dentists Bill, 1948 .
The Act empowers the NDC to regulate fee determination for 50% of seats in private dental colleges and deemed universities.
President Droupadi Murmu has delegated powers to the Lieutenant Governors and administrators of all Union Territories to exercise authority under the National Dental Commission Act, 2023 within their respective jurisdictions, the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) announced on 23 October 2026. The delegation covers eight Union Territories, including Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi, Ladakh, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep.
What the Order Says
Issued under clause (1) of Article 239 of the Constitution, the presidential order directs that all UT administrators — whether designated as Lieutenant Governor or administrator — shall exercise powers and discharge the functions of the State Government under Sections 29, 48 and 56 of the National Dental Commission Act, 2023 (Act No. 21 of 2023). The powers are subject to presidential oversight and will remain in force until further orders.
The delegation is significant because Union Territories do not have state legislatures empowered to constitute regulatory bodies on their own, requiring direct presidential direction to operationalise central legislation at the territorial level.
About the National Dental Commission Act, 2023
The National Dental Commission Act, 2023 replaced the Dental Council of India (DCI) and repealed the Dentists Bill, 1948, establishing the National Dental Commission (NDC) as the new apex regulatory body for dental education and practice in India. The legislation aims to bring dental education and professional standards on par with international benchmarks.
Key features of the Act include the constitution of the NDC and State Dental Councils, three autonomous boards, and a fixed tenure for the Chairperson, Members, and Secretary of the Commission — with no possibility of reappointment. It also mandates an online National Register and a merit-based selection process for Commission appointments.
Regulatory Scope and Industry Links
The Act empowers the Commission to frame guidelines for fee determination for 50% of seats in private dental colleges and deemed universities — a provision aimed at curbing exploitative pricing in dental education. It also facilitates joint sittings with allied statutory bodies, including the National Medical Commission, Pharmacy Council of India, Indian Nursing Council, National Commission for Indian System of Medicine, National Commission for Homeopathy, and the National Commission for Allied and Healthcare Professions.
The legislation also emphasises industry collaboration, technological innovation, and boosting the global employability of Indian dental professionals.
Impact on Union Territories
The delegation ensures that residents across all eight Union Territories benefit from uniform implementation of the dental regulatory framework, including access to quality oral healthcare services and regulated dental education institutions. This comes amid a broader push by the Centre to extend modern healthcare regulatory architecture to every corner of the country, including remoter territories such as Lakshadweep and Ladakh.
The move is expected to accelerate the operationalisation of State Dental Councils and the registration of dental practitioners in UTs, bringing administrative parity with larger states that already have functioning dental regulatory mechanisms.
Point of View
The National Dental Commission Act would remain a paper law in Union Territories that lack the state-level machinery to implement it. The more substantive question is whether the NDC itself has moved fast enough since its constitution to set up State Dental Councils and digitise practitioner registers, which are the actual delivery mechanisms for reform. Replacing the Dental Council of India was the easy part; building functional successor institutions in 8 UTs with widely varying healthcare infrastructure is the harder, less-reported challenge.
NationPress
23 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What powers has President Murmu delegated to UT Lieutenant Governors under the dental law?
President Droupadi Murmu has directed the administrators and Lieutenant Governors of all eight Union Territories to exercise State Government powers under Sections 29, 48 and 56 of the National Dental Commission Act, 2023. The delegation is subject to presidential oversight and remains in force until further orders.
Which Union Territories are covered by this delegation?
The eight Union Territories covered are Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh, Puducherry, Chandigarh, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, and Lakshadweep. All their respective administrators or Lieutenant Governors will now implement the Act within their jurisdictions.
What is the National Dental Commission Act, 2023?
The National Dental Commission Act, 2023 is a central legislation that replaced the Dental Council of India and repealed the Dentists Bill, 1948. It established the National Dental Commission (NDC) as the apex regulatory body to oversee dental education, professional standards, and affordable oral healthcare across India.
Why does this delegation matter for Union Territories?
Union Territories without state legislatures cannot independently operationalise central regulatory laws that assign functions to 'State Governments.' This presidential delegation fills that constitutional gap, ensuring residents of all UTs benefit from the same dental regulatory framework as those in full-fledged states.
How does the NDC regulate fees in private dental colleges?
The National Dental Commission Act empowers the NDC to frame guidelines for fee determination for 50% of seats in private dental colleges and deemed universities. This provision is aimed at ensuring affordable dental education and curbing fee exploitation at private institutions.
