Formation Of States In India

Maharashtra and Gujarat – In 1960, Bombay's bilingual state was divided into two separate states: Maharashtra for Marathi speakers and Gujarat for Gujarati speakers. Gujarat was admitted to the Indian Union as the 15th state.

The Portuguese ruled Dadra and Nagar Haveli until 1954, when it was liberated. Following that, until 1961, the administration was carried out by a person chosen by the people themselves. By the 10th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1961, it was made a union territory of India.

 

In 1961, India took over the Portuguese territories of Goa, Daman, and Diu through a police action. The 12th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1962 established them as a union territory. Goa was later granted statehood in 1987. As a result, Daman and Diu were designated as a separate union territory.

 

Puducherry - The territory of Puducherry includes the former French outposts of Puducherry, Karaikal, Mahe, and Yanam in India. In 1954, the French handed over this territory to India. It was then administered as a 'acquired territory' until 1962, when the 14th Constitutional Amendment Act made it a union territory.

 

Nagaland- In 1963, the Naga Hills and Tuensang area of Assam were separated to form the state of Nagaland. This was done to stifle the hostile Nagas' movement. However, before being designated as the Indian Union's 16th state, Nagaland was placed under the control of the governor of Assam in 1961.

 

Haryana, Chandigarh, and Himachal Pradesh  - In 1966, the state of Punjab was divided into Haryana, the Indian Union's 17th state, and Chandigarh, a union territory. This was in response to the Akali Dal's demand for a separate 'Sikh Homeland' (Punjabi Subha) led by Master Tara Singh. The Shah Commission (1966) recommended that the punjabi-speaking areas be merged with the adjoining union territory of Himachal Pradesh to form the unilingual state of Punjab, the Hindi-speaking areas be merged with the State of Haryana, and the hill areas be merged with the adjoining union territory of Himachal Pradesh. Himachal Pradesh, a union territory, was elevated to the status of a state in 1971. (18th state of the Indian Union).

 

Manipur, Tripura, and Meghalaya - Northeast India's political map changed dramatically in 1972. As a result, statehood was granted to the two Union Territories of Manipur and Tripura, as well as the Sub-State of Meghalaya, and the two union territories of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh (originally known as the North-East Frontier Agency—NEFA). With this, the Indian Union's total number of states has risen to 21. (Manipur 19th, Tripura 20th and Meghalaya 21st). Initially, the 22nd Constitutional Amendment Act (1969) established Meghalaya as a "autonomous state" or "substate" within Assam, with its own legislature and ministerial council. However, this did not meet the people of Meghalaya's expectations. Assam's territories were also used to create the union territories of Mizoram and Arunachal Pradesh.

 

Sikkim was an Indian princely state ruled by Chogyal until 1947. Following the end of British supremacy in 1947, Sikkim became a 'protectorate' of India, with the Indian government taking responsibility for the state's defence, foreign affairs, and communications. Sikkim expressed its desire for closer ties with India in 1974. As a result, parliament passed the 35th Constitutional Amendment Act (1974). By granting Sikkim the status of a "associate state" of the Indian Union, this amendment created a new category of statehood under the constitution. 

 

A new Article 2A and a new schedule (the Tenth Schedule containing the terms and conditions of association) were added to the Constitution for this purpose. This experiment, however, did not last long because it fell short of the people of Sikkim's expectations. They voted in 1975 for the abolition of the Chogyal institution and for Sikkim to become an integral part of India. As a result, in 1975, the 36th Constitutional Amendment Act was passed, making Sikkim a full member of the Indian Union (the 22nd state). The Constitution's First and Fourth Schedules were amended, and a new Article 371-F was added to provide for certain special provisions relating to Sikkim's administration. It also repealed the 35th Amendment Act of 1974's additions of Article 2A and the Tenth Schedule.

 

Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa - Mizoram, Arunachal Pradesh, and Goa became the 23rd, 24th, and 25th states of the Indian Union, respectively, in 1987. Following the signing of a memorandum of understanding (Mizoram Peace Accord) in 1986 between the Central government and the Mizo National Front, the Union Territory of Mizoram was given the status of a full state, putting an end to a two-decade-long insurgency. Since 1972, Arunachal Pradesh has also been a union territory. The territory of Goa was separated from the Union Territory of Goa, Daman, and Diu to form the State of Goa.

 

In the year 2000, the states of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand were formed from the former states of Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. These became the Indian Union's 26th, 27th, and 28th states, respectively.

 

Telangana - The new state of Telangana was established in 2014 as the Indian Union's 29th state. It was formed from the lands of Andhra Pradesh. The Andhra state Act of 1953 created India's first linguistic state, known as Andhra, by separating Telugu-speaking areas from the State of Madras (now Tamil Nadu). Kurnool served as the state capital, and Guntur served as the seat of the state high court.

 

The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 merged the Telugu-speaking areas of Hyderabad state with Andhra state, resulting in the expanded Andhra Pradesh state. The state capital was relocated to Hyderabad. The Andhra Pradesh Reorganisation Act of 2014 divided the state of Andhra Pradesh into two distinct states: Andhra Pradesh (residuary) and Telangana. For the next ten years, Hyderabad will serve as the joint capital of both states. Andhra Pradesh should establish its own separate capital during this time. Similarly, the Andhra Pradesh High Court is renamed the Hyderabad High Court (High Court of Judicature at Hyderabad) and is made common to both states until an Andhra Pradesh High Court is established. As a result, the number of states and union territories increased from 14 and 6 respectively in 1956 to 29 and 7.

 

• The United Provinces was the first province to be renamed. In 1950, it was renamed 'Uttar Pradesh.'

• Madras was renamed 'Tamil Nadu' in 1969. Similarly, Mysore was renamed 'Karnataka' in 1973.

• The Laccadive, Minicoy, and Amindivi Islands were renamed'Lakshadweep' in the same year.

• The 69th Constitutional Amendment Act, 1991 renamed the Union Territory of Delhi as the National Capital Territory of Delhi (without conferring the status of a full-fledged state) in 1992.

• Uttaranchal was renamed Uttarakhand in 2006. Pondicherry was renamed 'Puducherry' in the same year.

• Orissa was renamed Odisha in 2011.