The Indian subcontinent has been ruled by many ethnic groups in its history. During the British Raj, the Indian subcontinent was divided into 17 Provinces (also called Presidencies) and 565 princely states.
From 1947 to 1950 the territories of the princely states acceded into the Indian Union. And 14 states and 6 union territories (state reorganization act 1956) has been formed after independence.
After independence, its boundaries kept on changing and in 2014 India had 29 states and 7 union territories. Now after the bifurcation of J&K India has 28 states and 8 union territories.
- v The Rules and regulations for changing the boundaries of states or union territories are provided under part 1 (Article 3) of the constitution of India.
The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950, made India the Sovereign Democratic Republic. India was declared to be a “Union of States”.
India was divided into 565 princely states. These indigenous princely states wanted their independent states, which was the biggest obstacle in building a strong India.
The Indian states were distinguished into 4 types:
- Part A -Territories of British India
- Part B-Princely states
- Part C-The colonial territories of France and Portugal.
- Part D-Andaman and Nicobar islands.
After independence 562 princely states agreed to accede in India except for Hyderabad, Junagadh, Bhopal, and Kashmir. But after some time under the leadership of then Home Minister, Iron Man of India, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, all these states were also agreed to join India.
State reorganization commission:
- · For looking into the matter of the state’s reorganization on a linguistic basis, Dhar Commission was set up in June 1948. It did not accept language as a parameter for dividing states.
- · Congress appointed JVP committee under Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabh Bhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya to examine the issue afresh. JVP committee also dismissed the idea of reorganization on a linguistic basis.
- · The new commission was appointed by Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru in December 1953. The commission was headed by the retired Chief justice of the Supreme Court, Fazal Ali. Other two members were H N Kunjru and K M Panikkar.
- · Fazal Ali commission accepted the linguistic basis of state’s reorganization, but rejected the concept of ‘one language–one state’.
State Reorganization Act, 1956:
- · It was a major reform of organizing boundaries of Indian states on a linguistic basis, since the independence of India in 1947.
- · The demand for organizing states on a linguistic basis was first observed in 1895 in today’s Odisha.
- · The post-independence period saw the political movements for the creation of new states developed on linguistic lines. The creation of Telugu speaking state Andhra Pradesh was the first state created on a linguistic basis.
- · After Andhra Pradesh, many other states have been created, exp- Assam, Kerala, Odisha, Rajasthan, etc.
- · States reorganization act divided the union into 14 states and 6 union territories.
- · At present, the Indian union consists of 28 states and 8 union territories.
REFERENCE: Wikipedia
Drishti IAS
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