Study Material For Polity

Reorganization of States

● Hetter said that the races with language, customs, and religion provide Cultural
Landscape as ‘Landschaft kunde’. This after independence was used by Indian
planners for the purpose of state reorganization.
● The Faiz Ali commission advocated state reorganization action on the basis of
cultural landscape, especially the language. Andhra Pradesh was the first state
to form on a linguistic basis.
● The reorganization was needed after independence due to 2 factors –
○ To develop a new administrative setup for this vast country which included
both British provinces and princely states.
○ New India had been born with a legacy of regional governance so it wasn’t
easier to abandon the regional government.
● Due to these factors, reorganisation of states and provinces was needed, but it
wasn’t an easy task due to extreme physical, social, economic, cultural, political,
and administrative diversities in India.
● Immediately after independence, India adopted interim federalism (on temporary
basis) where four types of states were demarcated:

Category A – All British Provinces Assam, Bihar, Bombay, Madhya

(Governor province of British India) Pradesh,
Punjab, The United Provinces, west
Bengal

Category B – Princely states with Hyderabad, Jammu Kashmir, Madhya

legislature Bharat, Mysore, Patiala, Eastern
Punjab

Category C – Medium-sized princely States comprising Ajmer, Bhopal,

states Bilaspur, Cooch- Bihar, Coorg

Category D – Special status states Territories comprising The Andaman

and Nicobar Islands

● But there was a need to reorganize the administrative units for smooth
functioning of Indian Federalism. The Indian constitution was directed towards
Federalism (the word ‘states’ was borrowed from the American federal system).
● New states were demarcated in 1956 on the basis of states Reorganisation Act,
1956 which was based on the recommendation of states reorganisation
committee which was constituted in 1953 and submitted its report in 1955.
 ● On the basis of this recommendation, a new political map of India was created
having 14 states and 6 Union Territories.
● This state reorganisation exercise was based on the principle of linguistic states.
The commission had used the 1951 census as the reference line for linguistic
distribution in India. It was found that there are 744 languages and dialects in the
country but 97% of the population is well acquainted with 14 languages only. So
there may be bi-linguistic, multi-linguistic societies in India, but the 14 languages
have a real continuity in distribution (e.g. Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam etc.)
● A real continuity of a particular variable was essential for demarcating the states
of India. For example all Tamil speaking people should fall into one State with
areal continuity. This was found as the most favourable political social factor for
the reorganisation of states.
● Although linguistic state was earlier opposed by the Dhar commission 1948 and
then J.V.P. committee, 1949. The Dhar commission had concluded that the unity
of newly independent India would be jeopardized if the political map of India were
drawn along linguistic lines.
● The JVP committee observed that administrative, financial, and economic
problems might be overshadowed by the linguistic issue.
● Also political geographer Moody had viewed that linguistic unity leads to linguistic
regionalism and ultimately to the formation of a state. They all opposed the
linguistic states.
● But there were public demands in favour of linguistic states particularly in South
India. They argued that in absence of linguistic states, there may be imposition of
Hindi Agitations in many parts.
● There was violence in Telugu areas for linguistic state. At the Vijayawada
conference, CPI resolved in favour of linguistic states. With the violent agitation
in Andhra, the centre had no alternative but to announce formation of Andhra
Pradesh in 1951 by bringing together 11 Telugu speaking districts.

Fazl Ali Commission and Formation of New States

● After the formation of Andhra Pradesh on the basis of linguistic factors, all hell
breaks loose. The other regions also started demanding for creation of separate
states on the basis of linguistic factors. The intense pressure forced the Indian
Government to form a new commission to visit the whole question of whether the
linguistic basis of separation of states can be considered or not. It led to the
formation of Fazl Ali Commission in December 1953
● Though Fazl Ali Commission rejected the idea of one language one state (since
there was too many languages in India) but strongly recommended formation of
linguistic states with the following arguments:
○ It will not be a new experiment in this part of the world. If British provinces
based on linguistic principles can function smoothly, there can’t be any
problem for federal India.
○ There are only 14 languages which are dominant and are also viable for
making states as they have geographical continuity over a vast area.
Hence if linguistic states are formed, linguistic tensions shall be
minimized.
○ There would be greater administrative efficiency.
○ Observation and assessment – committee members travelled all over the
country (98, 420 km), interviewed over 9000 persons of different strata
and regions of India. Then concluded that the general feeling of people is
in favour of linguistic states and such emotions couldn’t be ignored.
● On the basis of these factors, the committee recommended linguistic states
which were accepted with some modifications.
● Once the new political map of India was carved out, there were linguistic
resentments in many parts of the country and in some cases it became violent.
● Due to continued pressure, in 1959 Bombay state was divided into Maharashtra
and Gujarat.
● Thereafter there was resentment in NE India Nagaland, people opposed to living
with Assamese and so they started to make demands for a separate state. Even
divisive forces began to emerge in NE India. So in 1963, the state of Nagaland
was formed (now totalling to 16 states). Before this, in 1961, Goa, Daman and
Diu were liberated from Portugal and placed on UTs.
● In 1966, Punjab was divided into 4 administrative regions and the principal basis
was language. Punjab and Haryana were formed in 1966. The basis was dialect.
● For the first time in India Chandigarh was claimed by both states, so it was made
a Union Territory. Purely Hindi speaking Kangra district was given to Himachal
Pradesh which was a Union Territory and was declared a state in 1968. Up to the
formation of Himachal Pradesh, the Fazl committee was criticized. [After the
1967 elections, when regional parties came to power, there was a wave to
change the name of states.]
● After 1970, new variables for state reorganisation became important. During the
1970s, culture, ethnicity and backwardness became the basis of peoples
demand. Small states like Punjab and Haryana made faster growth. Though
Punjab was demarcated on linguistic basis, its economic growth attracted people.
Particularly in NE India, there was a rising demand for statehood.
 ● In 1973, NE India state Reorganisation Act was passed under which NE India
was divided into 5 states and 2 Union Territories. Already there were 2 states –
Assam and Nagaland and 3 new states of Meghalaya, Manipur and Tripura were
formed. Meghalaya was taken out of Assam (as Garo, Khasi and Jaintiya culture
was different to Assamese culture).
● Manipur and Tripura were Union Territories and they were upgraded to state
(total – 21). Two new Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram were
formed.
● In 1975, one more state was added. There was a merger of Sikkim which
became the smallest state. Owing to its geostrategic importance, it was made a
state.
● In 1987 two Union Territories of Arunachal Pradesh and Mizoram were given
statehood due to
○ local demands
○ Geostrategic importance of these states.
● In 1988, Goa was made a state on the basis of culture. Daman and Diu remained
together as a Union Territory.
● In 2000, 3 new states were added – Chhattisgarh, Uttaranchal and Jharkhand.
The basis of formation was the backwardness of these regions. Secondly in
these areas the local tribes were becoming a minority due to the continued influx
of outsiders. Tribes were afraid of their elimination.
● In India, linguistic state demands are over and this proves the foresightedness of
the Fazl commission which has contributed to the unity of India.
● Formation of Union Territories of Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh (2019)
○ On the recommendation of Parliament, the President effectively
dismantled Article 370 of the Indian Constitution and gave assent to the
Jammu and Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019.
○ The former state of Jammu & Kashmir has been reorganized as the new
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the new Union Territory of
Ladakh on 31st October 2019.
○ The new Union Territory of Ladakh consists of two districts of Kargil and
Leh. The rest of the former State of Jammu and Kashmir is in the new
Union Territory of Jammu and Kashmir.

2019:
● Jammu and Kashmir and Ladakh UTs
● Total 28 States and 8 UTs as of now.
New States added since 1950