Chapter I PRELIMINARY

1. (1) This Regulation may be called the Andaman and Nicobar Islands (Right to Public Services) Regulation, 2026.
2. (2) It shall come into force on such date as the Administrator may, by notification in the Official Gazette, appoint and different dates may be appointed for different provisions of this Regulation and any reference in any such provision to the commencement of this Regulation shall be construed as a reference to the coming into force of that provision.

In this Regulation, unless the context otherwise requires,—

1. (a) “Administration” means the Administration of Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
2. (b) “Administrator” means the Administrator of the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands appointed by the President under article 239 of the Constitution;
3. (c) “Appellate Authority” means the Appellate Authority constituted under sub-section (1) of section 12;
4. (d) “auto-appeal” means an appeal deemed to have been registered automatically, through electronic form or such other mechanism as may be prescribed, on behalf of an eligible person, if a complaint or appeal is not disposed of within the time limit provided under this Regulation. Explanation.—For the purposes of this clause, sub-section (5) of section 6, section 7, sub-section (4) of section 9 and clause (a) of sub-section (2) of section 29, the expression “electronic form” shall have the same meaning as assigned to it in clause (r) of sub-section (1) of section 2 of the Information Technology Act, 2000;
5. (e) “complaint” means a complaint filed by an eligible person regarding any grievance relating to, or arising out of, any failure in rendering public service notified under section 4 or in the functioning of a public authority, but does not include a grievance relating to the service matters of a public servant, whether serving or retired;
6. (f) “Designated Authority” means an officer designated by the public authority under sub-section (1) of section 9;
7. (g) “Designated Officer” means an officer whose name is published under sub-section (1) of section 5 for rendering public service notified under section 4;
8. (h) “eligible person” means a person who is eligible for obtaining a public service notified under section 4;
   • (i) “Grievance Redressal Officer” means a Grievance Redressal Officer designated under sub-section (1) of section 6;
9. (j) “member” means a person appointed as a member of the Appellate Authority under sub-section (2) of section 12 and includes the Chairman;
10. (k) “notification” means a notification published in the Official Gazette and the expressions “notify” and “notified” shall be construed accordingly;
11. (l) “prescribed” means prescribed by rules made by the Administrator under this Regulation;
12. (m) “public authority” means any authority, body or institution established or constituted—
    • (i) by or under the Constitution in the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands;
    • (ii) by any law made by Parliament;
    • (iii) by any Regulation applicable to the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands; or
    • (iv) by any notification issued or order made by the Administrator, and includes any—
13. (A) body owned, controlled or substantially financed by funds provided by the Administration;
14. (B) non-governmental organisation substantially financed, directly or indirectly, by funds provided by the Administration;
15. (C) organisation or body corporate in its capacity as an instrumentality of “State” as defined under article 12 of the Constitution rendering public services in the Union territory;
16. (D) Government company as defined under clause (45) of section 2 of the Companies Act, 2013, which is owned or controlled by the Administration;
17. (E) other company, society, trust, agency, concessionaire or other entity which supplies goods or renders services to the public in pursuance of an obligation imposed under any Central Act, Regulation, local law, licence, permission, authorisation, agreement, concession or other arrangement with the Administration; and
18. (F) any private entity rendering a public service in pursuance of an agreement, memorandum of understanding, public-private partnership, concession or other arrangement with the Administration, to the extent of such public service;
19. (n) “public service” means any service, to be provided or rendered by a public authority, notified under section 4;
20. (o) “Union territory” means the Union territory of Andaman and Nicobar Islands.