List of state and union territory capitals in India
India is a country located in southern Asia. With over 1.3 billion people, India is the most populous democracy in the world. It is a federal constitutional republic governed under a parliamentary system consisting of 29
states and 7 union territories. All states, as well as the union territories of Puducherry and the National Capital Territory of Delhi, have elected legislatures and governments, both patterned on the Westminster model. The remaining five union territories are directly ruled by the centre through appointed administrators. In 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, states were reorganised on a linguistic basis. Since then, their structure has remained largely unchanged. Each state or union territory is further divided into administrative districts..
Part I of the Constitution of India
says that India, that is Bharat, shall be a union of states and the territory of India is composed of territories of states, the union territories and any acquired territories as listed in Schedule 1 per . There was widespread disagreement in the constituent assembly on whether to use India or Bharat as the official name of the country. As a compromise, 'India, that is Bharat' was used. Though India is defined as a 'federation with strong centralising tendency', the word federation has not been used even once in the constitution. Instead, the term union is used. This is done on purpose as Dr. B.R. Ambedkar preferred the use of word union in place of federation to emphasise that India is not a result of an agreement between different states and hence no state has right to secede from it. The details of union, states, union territories are further given in Parts V, VI and VIII of the constitution respectively. Article 1 mandates a federal structure in which all the citizens of states which are collectively called India (Bharat) shall have at least two tier governance with second tier as locally elected state government. When a union territory is listed in Schedule 1 of the constitution it is part of 'territory of India' but not union of states (i.e. India/ Bharat) and will be governed by the president as per of Part VIII. When the word India or Bharat or union of India is used in the constitution, it is applicable to the territories of states only. When the word 'territory of India' is used in the constitution, it is applicable to all the territories including the union territories and any acquired territories. Presently, there is no other area forming territory of India excluding its states and union territories.
The acquired territories can be converted in to a state/states as per Article 2. Per Article 2, Sikkim was admitted as a state in Indian union on 26 April 1975.