DAMODARAM SANJIVAYYA
NATIONAL LAW UNIVERSITY
SABBAVARAM, VISAKHAPATNAM, A.P., INDIA
PROJECT TITLE
Reorganization of States and the growing complex
SUBJECT
Political Science
NAME OF THE FACULTY
Dr. [Link] Devi
Name of the Candidate: Chinthaginjala Karthik
Roll No.:22LLB025
Semester: First semester
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
I heartily and gratefully acknowledge my indebtedness to my project supervisor Dr. T.Y.
Nirmala Devi who guided this study from its inception and whose learning and insights helped me
immensely in the writing of the project on the topic of Reorganization of states and growing
complex. Working under her has indeed been a rewarding experience for me.
I would like to extend my gratitude to the Damodaram Sanjivayya National Law
University library and the academic department for their continuous support and availability
of resources and books without which it would have been impossible to complete this
project
within the stipulated time frame.
I would also like to express my gratitude to my friends and classmates for their
unconditional support and their ideas and viewpoints, which helped me move forward with my
project.
-Ch. Karthik
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. ABSTRACT 4
2. SYNOPSIS 5
Objectives of the study:.......................................................................................................5
Scope of the study:...............................................................................................................5
Significance of the study:.....................................................................................................5
Literature review:.................................................................................................................5
Mode of citation:..................................................................................................................5
Research methodology:........................................................................................................5
Research question:...............................................................................................................6
3. INTRODUCTION 7
4. CRITERION FOR THE FORMATION OF NEW STATES 9
5. POLITICAL INTEGRATION OF INDIA 11
the states:............................................................................................................................11
6. REORGANISATION OF STATES ON A LINGUISTIC BASIS 13
1948, 1949:........................................................................................................................13
State Reorganization Commission, 1953 (SRC):...............................................................14
The 1960s:..........................................................................................................................14
The 1970s:..........................................................................................................................14
7. ADVANTAGES OF LINGUISTIC REORGANIZATION OF STATES 15
8. DISADVANTAGES OF REORGANIZATION OF STATES 16
9. SUGGESTIONS 17
10. CONCLUSION 18
11. BIBLIOGRAPHY 19
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ABSTRACT
Over six decades ago, there were agitations for State reorganization following the formation
of Andhra Pradesh in 1953. People from different parts of India started demanding a separate state or
even a separate country according to their mother tongue, religion, or ethnicity. This reorganization
of states put forth a new big challenge in front of the leaders in the post-independence period. This
led to the enactment of the State reorganization act, of 1956.
But even then, the feuds for separate states never stopped. The demands of the people
increased over time to this date. We can see different types of responses and perceptions from the
union and the state governments. To this date, many states were formed even after the states were
formed under the enactment of the States reorganization act,1956 like Tripura, Sikkim, Mizoram,
Uttarakhand, Telangana, and many others states. Even now, some of the regions like Bodoland in
Assam, and Gorkhaland in West Bengal are fueling a rage demanding a new state.
This project has a large scope of research on the political and social grounds behind the
administration of the state. This project gives an overview of the reasons behind the agitations of
people for a separate state, the stand of the union and state governments, the postconditions of the
state after reorganization, and the opinions of various political leaders and administrators on the
reorganization of states.
The books, articles, journals, and other e-sources I referred to on the topic, are mentioned in
the conclusion and literature review.
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SYNOPSIS
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:
1. To throw light on the State Reorganisation Act (1956).
2. To study various aspects of the state reorganisation.
3. To Know the contribution of state reorganisation to for the present India.
SCOPE OF THE STUDY:
The study is focused to know about the state reorganization, its policies and laws that
impacted the present situation of states. I am going to cover the topic of state reorganization and
critically analyze its impact it had on the society.
SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:
The Study helps us to understand the state reorganization and what they have covered in
them. This study also helps the reader to understand the relevance of the state reorganization. the
study also helps the reader to understand the history of reorganization of states.
LITERATURE REVIEW:
1. [Link]
[Link] [ Last accessed on 20, Oct, 2018, 11.00 PM].
The journal article consists of the information of the state reorganisation. This source is used
by the researcher to get the information about the state reorganisation act.
2. Sharma Siddarth (2003), Creation of new states, Need for constitutional parameters,
Economic and Political weekly Y.p. 3973.
This source has a in-depth information about the state reorganisation act. The researcher has
used this source to write the advantages and disadvantages of state reorganisation.
MODE OF CITATION:
OSCOLA 4th edition (Oxford Standard for the Citation of Legal Authorities).
RESEARCH METHODOLOGY:
The study is based on doctrinal and method of research and is explanatory in nature.
Secondary sources: The researcher has taken information from secondary sources like
books, web sources, online articles and journals.
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RESEARCH QUESTION:
1. Whether the reorganization of states is benefited or not?
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INTRODUCTION
Every legislation passed by the Indian government must conform to the constitution, which
is our nation's highest law. We are all aware that on January 26, 1950, India's constitution became
operative. Our constitution declares that the Union of India is a sovereign nation, a Democratic
republic that guarantees its residents’ liberty, justice, and equality in order to foster brotherhood
among all of them. The phrases socialist, secular, integrity, and brotherhood were introduced to the
constitution in 1976 via constitutional changes. Our constitution is the world's longest-written
constitution for a sovereign nation. There are three hundred and ninety-five articles, twenty-two
sections, twelve schedules, and ninety-four amendments in all. The total number of words in our
Constitution is 117,369 words. The writing was in English. Additionally, an official translation into
Hindi was made.
The parliament is able to change the constitution. The Honorable Supreme Court of India,
however, ruled that not all constitutional amendments are permitted. The fundamental framework of
the constitution should be respected as it cannot be changed. The Article 368 outlines the method.
One of the unique characteristics of the Union of India is that it cannot be destroyed. However,
parliament has been given the authority to combine portions of existing states or union territories to
create new states or union territories. The parliament may alter or even obliterate a state's identity.
During the concluding phases, a resolution to name India a Federation of States was rejected by the
constituent parliament.
India is a union of states, as stated in Article 1. The Constitution's first schedule contains a
list of these states. In the first schedule, India's states and territories are listed along with any changes
to the country's boundaries.
The Indian constitution's Articles 2, 3, and 4 1 provide the parliament with the authority to
enact laws that would increase or reduce the size of any state or admit new states.
The states, districts, and mandals of India were not seen to be static, unchanging, or
permanent by the framers of the Indian constitution, in contrast to the present generation of Indians.
capacity for Recognizing that states will alter and develop, thus they included provisions for the
formation of new states. The Indian Constitution's Article 3 concerns the creation of new states as
1
Constitutional law of India, Dr JN Pandey, Central Law agency, 54th edition, Chapter 11, Pg No. 525 to 531.
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well as changes to the regions, boundaries, or names of existing states. Parliament may pass laws, it
says.
1. Create a new state by separating the territory from an existing one, joining two or more
states together, or joining any two states together (or portions of states together).
2. Expand any state's territory
3. Reduce any state's size.
4. Modify any state's borders
Change any state's name, if necessary
With the caveat that no bill for the purpose may be introduced in either house of Parliament
except on the recommendation of the President and unless, where the proposal contained in the bill
affects the area, boundaries, or name of any of the states, the President has referred the bill to that
state's legislature for expression of opinion thereon within such period as may be specified in the
reference, or within such further period as the President may determine. The ability to create a new
state or union territory is part of the authority granted to the parliament by article (a) by fusing a
portion of one state or union territory with another state or territory.
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CRITERION FOR THE FORMATION OF NEW STATES
Little more than a month after the elections for the constituent assembly, in August 1946,
the clamor for the creation of linguistic states started. A member of the Congress Working
Committee and Congress President in 1948, Pattabhi Sita Ramya, advocated for the establishment of
linguistic states and said that the constituent assembly must treat the whole issue as the main one that
has to be resolved.
The Indian National Congress has supported the linguistic separation of the nation's
provinces during the liberation fight. Language often correlates with a unique diversity of culture,
tradition, and literature in the linguistic region. All of these aspects will contribute in the overall
development of the province, according to the Nehru committee of all parties’ conference in 1928.
The senior congressmen, however, did not agree on the nation's province division on a linguistic
basis after the country gained independence.
The constituent parliament recommended that the provinces be reorganized primarily on
linguistic grounds, and the government created the linguistic provinces committee, commonly known
as the Dhar commission, on June 17, 1948. It was stated that the accepted standard for reorganizing
provinces should include geographic continuity, financial self-sufficiency, administrative
convenience, and capability for future development.
Similar to this, the JVP committee, which was constituted by the Indian National Congress
the same year, issued a warning against linguistic principles in its findings and moved its focus to the
security, unity, and economic prosperity of the nation in preparation for the reorganization of states.
Two sentences in the JVP St. Report, which was submitted on April 1 1949, reflect the organization's
own problems as well as the conundrum plaguing India: "We feel that the Present is not an opportune
movement for the formation of new provinces." At the participants also agreed that if popular
opinion is strong and overwhelming, we as democratic leaders must yield to it, but with restrictions
for the sake of India as a whole.2
The restructuring of states was put on hold for a while since there was no consensus among
the then central leadership about the split of the provinces based on linguistic considerations.
However, Sri Ramulu, a well-known congressman from the district of the then-Madras Province that
spoke Telugu, began a fast till his death on October 19, 1952, calling for a separate state for Telugu
2
Indian National Congress, Report of the linguistic Provinces Committee, pp.9 and 15.
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speakers. The administration was forced to declare the foundation of the first state based on linguistic
consideration as a result of widespread unrest that followed his death on December 15, 1952, after
fasting for 56 days.
On October 1, 1953, Andhra Pradesh was officially established. This sparked a wave of
demands for the establishment of new states, leading to the government's 1954 appointment of a
commission to reorganize the states with Justice Fazal Ali serving as chairman and Hriduyanath
Kunzru and K M Panikkar as members. Generally speaking, the SRC suggested the construction of
states while taking into account the preservation of the nation's unity and security, the linguistic and
cultural affinity of its citizens, and the sustainability of its financial, economic, and administrative
systems.
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POLITICAL INTEGRATION OF INDIA
For the first time in centuries, India's political unification created a single country out of a
large number of princely states, colonial provinces, and colonies. Despite the division, a new India
brought together individuals from different linguistic, economic, and religious origins. The 565
princely nations were united in 1947 following a difficult succession of political campaigns, delicate
diplomatic negotiations, and armed wars. After gaining its independence, India had political
instability and ethnic unrest. A delicate religious struggle between Hindus and Muslims, a varied
ethnic population, geopolitical competition, and military wars with Pakistan and China all
characterize the process.
When the Indian independence movement was successful in overthrowing the British Raj on
August 15, 1947, India's leaders were confronted with the possibility of inheriting a country divided
between provinces run by colonial powers and kingdoms from the mediaeval age. As the new
Minister of Home Affairs, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, one of India's most renowned independence
warriors, was in charge of using political discussions with the possibility of using military action to
secure the primacy of the central government and the constitution that was then being established.
India was declared a Union of States by its own Indian constitution 3, illustrative of a federal
structure with a strong central authority. However, the tendency changed when widespread
campaigns for the acceptance of regional languages and attention to the unique problems of other
areas emerged. The lack of consideration for regional concerns led to cultural alienation and violent
separatism, which led to a reaction against centralization.
In an effort to lessen pressure on the Indian state, the central government made an effort to
strike a balance between using force against separatist fanatics and creating new states. The map has
been updated to reflect the evolving nature of the federation. 28 States and 7 Territories make up the
Union that is the Republic of India today.
THE STATES:
There were 570 to 600 princely states that were given special consideration by and had ties
to the British Raj. In the Indian Independence Act of 1947, the British government declared that after
the transfer of power on August 15, 1947, all of these states would be released from their ties to the
British empire and free to join either India or Pakistan or declare their independence. The kingdom
3
Constitutional law of India, Dr JN Pandey, Central Law agency, 54th edition, Chapter 11, Pg No. 525 to 531.
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of Nepal was a separate treaty ally that eventually attained full sovereignty. Similar to how the
kingdom of Bhutan would end its protectorate relationship, India would take over as the nation's
security guarantee through a 1949 treaty. India took over as the protectorate over the Sikkim
kingdom. With the exception of a handful that were geographically inseparable from Pakistan, 565
princely kingdoms had a direct connection to India, the biggest country.4
There were 222 states in the Kathiawar Peninsula alone, with Hyderabad and Kashmir being
the largest. More than half of India's land area and a sizable portion of its population were made up
by the states. Without a single federal structure, it was thought that India would be vulnerable to
political, military, and social conflicts. The majority of the states in India signed several treaties with
the British East India Company and the British Crown over the course of a century, granting the
British Raj varying degrees of responsibility over foreign, inter-state affairs, and defence. The British
had acquired control of India piecemeal. Indian rulers.
4
<[Link] accessed November 5, 2022.
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REORGANISATION OF STATES ON A LINGUISTIC BASIS
Beginning with the call for a separate state for Telugu speakers in the early 1950s, the drive
to establish states based on languages gathered steam. Potti Sriramulu, a freedom warrior and
adherent of Gandhi's teachings, began his fast in 1952 to urge the establishment of Andhra Pradesh
consisting of the districts that have most of the Telugu-speaking people from the Madras state.
The fast that began on October 19 reached its sixth week by December, mobilizing Telugu
Speaking people in Madras state, according to historian Ramachandra Guha. By December 12, both
Nehru and C. Rajagopalachari had come to terms with the extent of the mobilization but no formal
statement had been made. On December 15, the 56th day of his fast, Sriramulu passed away, and
Madras state's Telugu-speaking regions saw severe violence. On December 16, a separate state
declaration was made. The States Reorganization Commission was quickly created to create states
based on linguistic distinctions. The States Reorganization Act of 1956 was passed as a result of this
study. The Act, which went into force on November 1, 1956, removed the difference between parts
A, B, and C states, rearranged state borders, and established or dissolved new States and union
territories. Ironically, the man whose actions significantly influenced the current state borders of
India is barely recognized outside of his own country.
India became a federation of states with extensive autonomy and union territories governed
by the central government on January 26, 1950, the day the Constitution went into effect. Nine Part
A states, eight Part B states, and ten Part C states made up the three different types of states. Part A
declares. Assam, West Bengal, Bihar, Bombay, Madhya Pradesh, Madras, Orissa, Punjab, and Uttar
Pradesh were erstwhile governor's provinces in British India. Former princely kingdoms including
Hyderabad, Saurashtra, Mysore, Travancore-Cochin, Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh, Patiala and
East Punjab States Union, as well as Rajasthan, were considered part B states. A few princely states,
as well as previous provinces run by chief commissioners, such as Kutch, 9 Himachal Pradesh,
Coorg, Manipur, and Tripura, were included in the Part C states. Kashmir and Jammu had unique
statuses5.
1948, 1949:
The prior findings of the S K Dar Commission from December 1948 were supported by the
Nehru-Sardar Patel-Pattabhi Sitaramayya (JVP) Committee report, which was released to the public
5
Constitutional law of India, Dr JN Pandey, Central Law agency, 54th edition, Chapter 11, Pg No. 525 to 531.
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on April 1, 1949. Dar argued for reorganizing the states, saying new states shouldn't be created based
only on linguistic differences.
The JVP Committee was established by Congress in 1948 after it resolved to reconsider
state formation. Although it disagreed with the linguistic foundation, it said that "we Democrats must
yield to the popular feeling if it is overwhelming." Although it acknowledged that the argument may
be made for the Telugu-speaking population of AP, it said that the moment is not right to create
further states. This sparked a campaign among Telugu-speaking residents of Madras state, with Potti
Sriramulu's death on December 15, 1952, after a 56-day fast, serving as its high point. Born in 1953,
AP. The gates were opened with the establishment of AP.
STATE REORGANIZATION COMMISSION, 1953 (SRC):
In 1953, Nehru established the States Reorganization Commission as a result of pressure
(SRC). It said that there should be 16 states and 3 UTs in September 1955 and suggested that the A,
B, C, and D category states be abolished. It suggested creating the state of Hyderabad. The majority
of its recommendations were adopted, which resulted in the 1956 State Reorganization Act's passing
and the creation of 14 states and five UTs. After the French surrender, Puducherry became a UT in
May 1956.
THE 1960S:
Goa was freed in 1961. Maharashtra and Gujarat became independent in 1960. The
government gave in to the Punjabi Sikhs' desire for their own country. It wasn't immediately decided
if Chandigarh would be the joint capital, but eventually, the two states agreed to share the city. In
1963, Assam was divided to become Nagaland. Meghalaya was separated from the same State in
1966.
THE 1970S:
Himachal, Manipur, and Tripura were established in 1971. Additionally, Sikkim and
Arunachal UTs were established. In 1975, Sikkim was granted full statehood. Both the Jharkhand
movement and the demand for the independence of the hill areas from UP were in the works. MP's
tribal regions want their own identity. On November 1, 2000, the BJP (2000–2013) established
Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, and Chhattisgarh. Telangana wasn't created for another 13 years.
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ADVANTAGES OF LINGUISTIC REORGANIZATION OF STATES
• It resulted in improved communication between citizens of the states and their democratically
elected officials. • It contributed to the cultivation and development of regional languages and
cultures, benefiting the Country overall. Governments may get translations without having to go
through any problems. It didn't care if those who wished to travel and learn other languages were
stopped from doing so.
• It resulted in the federal structure being consolidated. People came to understand that speaking
Hindi, Tamil, Gujarati, and other Indian languages was simple and peaceful.
• As a result, English has been more widely used for interstate and intrastate communication, which
would not have been possible if the states were not more or less linguistically homogenous. Lack of a
unified opposition may have caused the dominant language to exhibit a more prominent Superiority
complex.
• It improved the distribution of power to local governments and the grassroots level as well as the
consolidation of democracy. It would be challenging in a state with a diverse linguistic population.
bringing together democratic groups and communicating with the people.
• Discrimination may have occurred when visitors from other countries enter a certain State, or it
may have caused a sizable minority in that State to seek linguistic recognition, but issues were finally
resolved.
• India is a good example of federalism with a powerful core. It is likely in India's benefit that
federalism is based on language. States may have battled over which Regions to integrate if it weren't
for it. An objective mathematical foundation for division is provided by linguistic division instead.
• Because the states will be separated into manageable chunks, the administration and governance of
the states will be simplified for the government.
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DISADVANTAGES OF REORGANIZATION OF STATES
• The establishment of a minor state would split India. Indian nationalism's sentiment would in the
screams of local autonomy, fade.
• The establishment of a tiny state would restore pre-British India. After the great Mughals were
defeated, the British took advantage of the disorder across the whole Indian subcontinent by
subsidiary agreements. Whether it was the Marathas, the Rajputs, the southern kingdoms, Kingdom
in Bengal or the government in Delhi represented a split front used it well to establish an empire.
• Why Smaller Indian states are not developing as quickly as they might? Jharkhand, which has a
favourable climate and is particularly rich in minerals, is Industrialization. Jharkhand, despite this, is
mired in petty politics and has not been able to fulfil the promise made before it was formed and
flourish as anticipated. Bihar, however, despite having few natural resources, Hand has managed to
reach the second-highest GDP. Following the division of the two states after Gujrat (Bihar and
Jharkhand).
• For financial support, small states rely heavily on the federal government.
• Setting up additional states will not be financially wise since it will cost money to even though it
would just be a one-time task, maintaining and running state machinery resources would be required
for the government machinery state, on which they would rely Centre. Politicians want to gain as
much political power as they can by using public opinion and regional movements.
• Hatred in various parts of the state will rise, which will result in Factionalism. This might have a
snowball effect, leading to more polarized parties demanding increased segregation
• A dispute over a state line may arise (Maharashtra and Karnataka). Belgaum people who speak
Marathi and from Maratha origins may be found in the district of Karnataka growing in the south.
Due to this, Maharashtra now claims ownership of it, despite the fact that natives are of the Kannada
language group.
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SUGGESTIONS
Under the guise of governmental reform, the country shouldn't be encouraged to gradually
fragment since it would go against the preamble's mandate and our president's goal for national
integrity. Focusing more on the development of the current state is urgently needed. No matter how
large or small the state, having a strong political desire to lead honestly and sincerely is necessary.
Instead of dividing states on the pretense of promoting the growth of the states, development
necessitates that both leaders and people establish an environment that is favourable.
A new group should be established to study state reform. The creation of new states should
be placed in the hands of a competent commission or any other body or authority that may be
established on the spot for a specific purpose or generally as a kind of statutory, constitutional
authority with quasi-judicial powers. Economic viability is a crucial factor since it has often
happened that a newly established state lacks the necessary financial means to carry out its tasks.
Therefore, it is recommended that no new state be established unless it has the financial means to
cover at least 60% of its expenses as soon as it is established6.
6
Sharma Siddarth (2003), Creation of new states, Need for constitutional parameters, Economic and Political weekly
Y.p. 3973.
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CONCLUSION
The constitutional provisions under article were initially enacted with the good intention of
achieving the geographic and economic unification of India, but it now appears that they have been
transformed into a tool for gratifying people's regional and linguistic aspirations and a means of
achieving those goals. Gains in elections. The phrases linguistic and cultural have never been used
incorrectly as often as they have recently. Why our capacity for assimilation has diminished and why
a sense of linguistic and regional fanaticism is growing daily is a mystery. This trend seems to be
emerging in our nation, and regrettably, our administration has made the situation worse by creating
additional states in response to the rising desire for new ones.
The idea that "tiny is lovely" is an illusion seems to be just that—a previous experience, at
least. Anyone who believed that the establishment of new states is a solution to all the issues would
be making the gravest error possible. Focusing more on the development of the current state is
urgently needed. Whether the state is little or large, having a strong political will to lead with
complete honesty and sincerity is necessary. A conducive environment must be established by both
leaders and people for development to occur.
The constitutional clause in Article 3 that allows the Centre to change a state's boundary
lines whatever it sees fit paints a picture of a unitary system of government really predominating in
our nation under the guise of federalism. It seems that people have forgotten the basic principle that a
federation relies on the geographical integrity of its member states.
As a result of the country's continued split, there is an increasing desire for the construction
of new states, with each person wanting a state that suits his or her individual whims and
preferences. Regional relationships have grown to be so strong that they have caused a period when
they have taken precedence above national unity and integrity. People are breaking fasts till they die
and lining the streets with signs demanding for their own state, as if it were just a toy they could
manipulate and change to fit their needs. And all of this is being done in the guise of linguistic
separation in order to further state development. And we can therefore say that the state
reorganization has benefited the society.
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BIBLIOGRAPHY
1. [Link]
[Link] [ Last accessed on 20 , Oct, 2018, 11.00 PM ].
2. Constitutional law of India, Dr JN Pandey, Central Law agency, 54 edition, Chapter 11, Pg
No. 525 to 531.
3. Sharma Siddarth (2003), Creation of new states, Need for constitutional parameters,
Economic and Political weekly Y.p. 3973.
4. Indian National Congress, Report of the linguistic Provinces Committee, pp.9 and 15.
5. <[Link] accessed
November 5, 2022.
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