Kashmir Impulse Desk
Srinagar, Oct 23
President of India has delegated powers under the National Dental Commission Act, 2023, to administrators of Union Territories, enabling the Lieutenant Governor to exercise key functions related to dental regulation.
A notification issued by the Union Home Ministry under Article 239(1) of the Constitution authorises administrators of Union Territories, subject to the President’s control, to exercise the powers and functions of state governments under Sections 29, 48 and 56 of the Act.
The order covers Jammu and Kashmir, Ladakh and other Union Territories, including Delhi, Puducherry, Chandigarh and Lakshadweep.
The delegation enables the Lieutenant Governor to take steps to establish a State Dental Council, appoint its chairperson and members in accordance with the law, and frame rules needed to implement the legislation.
The powers also include measures to promote preventive and promotive dental care, particularly in rural areas.
The National Dental Commission Act received presidential assent on August 11, 2023, and came into force on February 29, 2024.
It replaced the Dentists Act, 1948, and the earlier Dental Council of India framework.
The legislation provides for a National Dental Commission, state dental councils and autonomous boards, as well as a national register of dentists. It aims to regulate dental education and professional standards and improve access to affordable oral healthcare.
The delegation is an administrative step to facilitate implementation of the law in Union Territories that do not have the same state-government powers as full states.
The order remains subject to the President’s control and will continue until further directions are issued.
The move is expected to provide a formal regulatory framework for dentistry in Jammu and Kashmir and support efforts to strengthen oral healthcare services across its districts.
