India is a federal republic of twenty-eight states and seven Union Territories.[54] All states, and the two union territories of Puducherry and the National Capital Territory of Delhi have elected governments. The other five union territories have centrally appointed administrators and hence are under direct rule of the President. In 1956, under the States Reorganisation Act, states were formed on a linguistic basis.[67] Since then, this structure has remained largely unchanged. Each state or union territory is further divided into 610 districts for basic governance and administration.[68] The districts in turn are further divided into tehsils and eventually into villages.
