212. (1) Subject to the other provisions of this Part, a State for the time being specified in Part II of the First Schedule [editor’s note: Delhi, Ajmer, Coorg] shall be administered by the President acting, to such extent as he thinks fit, through a Chief Commissioner or a Lieutenant-Governor to be appointed by him or through the Governor or Ruler of a neighbouring State:
Provided that the President shall not act through the Governor or Ruler of a neighbouring State save after-
(a) Consulting the Governor or Ruler concerned; and
(b) Ascertaining in such manner as the President considers most appropriate the wishes of the people of the State to be so administered.
(2) Any State for the time being specified in Part III of the First Schedule whose Ruler has ceded full and exclusive authority, jurisdiction and powers for and in relation to the governance of the State to the Government of India shall be administered in all respects as if the State were for the time being specified in Part II of the First Schedule; and, accordingly, all the provisions of this Constitution relating to States specified in the said Part II shall apply to such State.