Integration and Merger of Indian States

Objective of Integration

Formation of a Unified India

• After Independence, the primary objective was to reorganise the Princely States into Administratively Viable and Geographically Integrated Units.
• This objective was achieved through a Three-fold Process of Integration, popularly known as the Patel Scheme, under the leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the Minister-in-Charge of Home Affairs.

First Stage of Integration

Merger with Provinces

• 216 Princely States were merged with the Neighbouring Provinces to which they were Geographically Contiguous.

Constitutional Position

• These merged territories became part of the Part B States listed in the First Schedule of the Constitution.

Beginning of the Process

• The process commenced with the Merger of the Orissa States into the Province of Orissa on 1 January 1948.
• The Chhattisgarh States were also merged with the then Province of Orissa during this phase.

Second Stage of Integration

Centrally Administered Areas

• 61 Princely States were converted into Centrally Administered Areas.
• These territories were placed under Part C States in the First Schedule of the Constitution.

Third Stage of Integration

Formation of State Unions

• The final stage involved the Consolidation of Groups of Smaller Princely States into Larger Administrative Units, known as Unions of States.

Major State Unions

A total of 275 Princely States were integrated into the following Five Unions:

• • Madhya Bharat
  • Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU)
  • Rajasthan
  • Saurashtra
  • Travancore–Cochin

Constitutional Status

• These newly formed State Unions were recognised as Part B States under the First Schedule of the Constitution.

Other Part B States

Additional States

Apart from the above State Unions, the following were also classified as Part B States:

• • Hyderabad
  • Jammu & Kashmir
  • Mysore

Jammu & Kashmir

Accession to India

• • Jammu & Kashmir signed the Instrument of Accession to India on 26 October 1947.

Constitutional Confirmation

• • The Government of India accepted the accession, subject to its subsequent confirmation by the People of the State.
  • The Constituent Assembly of Jammu & Kashmir formally ratified the accession in November 1956.

Hyderabad

Constitutional Integration

• Although Hyderabad did not initially execute a formal Instrument of Accession, the Nizam of Hyderabad later issued a Proclamation:
  
  • Recognising Hyderabad’s Constitutional Relationship with the Union of India.
  • Accepting the Constitution of India, subject to ratification by the Constituent Assembly of Hyderabad.

Ratification

• The Constituent Assembly of Hyderabad subsequently Ratified the proclamation.

Adoption of the Constitution

Constitutional Acceptance

• The Rajpramukhs of the Five State Unions, along with the Rulers of:

  • Hyderabad
  • Mysore
  • Jammu & Kashmir

  formally adopted the Constitution of India through Official Proclamations.

Final Phase of Integration

Seventh Constitutional Amendment Act, 1956

• The process of political integration culminated with the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956.

Abolition of Part B States

• The Amendment:
  
  • Abolished the Category of Part B States
  • Integrated the former Part A and Part B States into a Single Uniform Classification of States.

Omission of Special Provisions

• The Special Constitutional Provisions relating to Part B States were omitted.

National Political Integration

• With this reorganisation, the former Indian States lost their separate constitutional identity and became an Integral Part of the Unified Political and Administrative Structure of the Republic of India.