In this Indian polity and general knowledge question, four place names are given. Three of them are Union Territories of India, while one is a state capital city. Find out the odd word from the given alternatives.

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the general knowledge and civics section, focusing on the administrative divisions of India. You are given four names: Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Delhi and Chennai. Three of these are Union Territories (or fall under Union Territory administration), while one is the capital city of a state. Your task is to identify which name does not fit into the Union Territory category and select it as the odd word out.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Daman and Diu: historically a Union Territory of India, now part of the combined Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu.
• Puducherry: a Union Territory of India with several enclaves.
• Delhi: the National Capital Territory, administered as a special category Union Territory.
• Chennai: the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
• We use standard Indian geography and polity classification into states and Union Territories.

Concept / Approach:
India is divided into states and Union Territories. Union Territories are regions that are directly governed by the Central Government, sometimes with partial state like powers, as in the case of the National Capital Territory of Delhi. State capitals like Chennai are cities within states that have their own separate elected governments and powers under the Constitution. In this question, the three Union Territory names and the one state capital name are mixed together. The odd one out will be the name that refers to a city which is not itself a Union Territory.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Classify Daman and Diu.Daman and Diu formed part of a Union Territory, and in the current administrative structure they are included in the Union Territory of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu. So this is in the Union Territory category.Step 2: Classify Puducherry.Puducherry is officially a Union Territory of India with its own legislative assembly but remains in the Union Territory group.Step 3: Classify Delhi.Delhi is the National Capital Territory (NCT). It is treated as a Union Territory with a special status and its own assembly, but constitutionally it belongs to the Union Territory family, not the states list.Step 4: Classify Chennai.Chennai is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, which is a full fledged state of India, not a Union Territory.Step 5: Identify the odd word.Three options relate to Union Territories, while Chennai is a state capital, so Chennai is the odd one out.

Verification / Alternative check:
Another way is to ask: does this place have the status of a Union Territory or a state? Daman and Diu, Puducherry and Delhi all appear on the list of Union Territories, although their exact administrative forms have changed over time. Chennai never appears as a Union Territory; it is always recognised as a metropolitan city located in the state of Tamil Nadu. This simple classification is enough to confirm the answer without deep constitutional details.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Daman and Diu: Belongs to the Union Territory structure, so it matches Delhi and Puducherry.
Puducherry: Clearly a Union Territory, so it is not the odd one.
Delhi: The National Capital Territory, administered like a Union Territory, grouped with other Union Territories rather than with states.

Common Pitfalls:
Sometimes candidates confuse Delhi with a state due to its assembly, or they may not be fully updated about the merger of Daman and Diu with Dadra and Nagar Haveli. For exam purposes, however, Daman and Diu, Puducherry and Delhi all fall on the Union Territory side of the classification, whereas Chennai is firmly on the state capital side. Always remember to distinguish between Union Territories and states, and treat special cases like Delhi as part of the Union Territory cluster unless a question specifically asks about state like powers.

Final Answer:
The odd word is Chennai, because Daman and Diu, Puducherry and Delhi are associated with Union Territories, whereas Chennai is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.