BharatNotes What is States Reorganisation Commission?
The States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) was a body appointed by the Government of India on 22 December 1953 to study and recommend the redrawing of state boundaries. It was chaired by Justice S. Fazl Ali, with K.M. Panikkar and Hriday Nath Kunzru as members (hence also called the Fazl Ali Commission). The Commission submitted its report on 30 September 1955, which was tabled in the Lok Sabha on 14 December 1955.
Background: Why It Was Set Up
At Independence, India inherited a patchwork of administrative units classified as Part A (former governors' provinces), Part B (former princely states with Rajpramukhs), Part C (chief commissioners' provinces) and Part D (Andaman & Nicobar Islands). Demands for states based on language grew steadily.
| Body | Year | Verdict on linguistic states |
|---|---|---|
| Dhar Commission (Linguistic Provinces Commission) | 1948 | Rejected language as the basis |
| JVP Committee (Nehru, Patel, Pattabhi Sitaramayya) | 1948-49 | Formally rejected language as the basis |
| Andhra State formed | 1 Oct 1953 | First state created on linguistic lines, after Potti Sriramulu's death |
The creation of Andhra State triggered demands elsewhere, prompting the appointment of the SRC.
Key Recommendations
The Commission broadly accepted language and culture as a basis for reorganisation but cautioned that it was "neither possible nor desirable to reorganise States on the basis of the single test of either language or culture." It weighed four factors: linguistic and cultural homogeneity; preservation of national unity and security; financial, economic and administrative viability; and the welfare of the people. It recommended:
- Abolishing the four-fold Part A/B/C/D classification of states.
- Ending the Rajpramukh institution and special agreements with former princely states.
- Reorganising the country into a smaller number of states and centrally administered territories.
Implementation and Outcome
The recommendations were accepted with modifications through two instruments effective 1 November 1956:
- The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 — a statutory law redrawing boundaries.
- The Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956 — which amended Article 1 and related provisions, abolished the Part A/B/C/D distinction, created the single category of "states", and introduced the new category of Union Territories.
The reorganisation produced 14 states and 6 Union Territories (as of 1 November 1956). The states included Andhra Pradesh, Bombay, Madras, Mysore, Kerala, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, West Bengal, Madhya Pradesh, Assam, Orissa and Jammu & Kashmir; the Union Territories included Delhi, Himachal Pradesh, Manipur, Tripura, the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Laccadive, Minicoy & Amindivi Islands.
UPSC Angle
For Prelims, memorise the body-sequence (Dhar → JVP → Fazl Ali), the SRC's three members, the 1953/1955/1956 dates, and the 14 states + 6 UTs figure. For Mains, the SRC anchors discussion of linguistic reorganisation, national integration, and the constitutional mechanics of altering states under Article 3 — a recurring theme whenever new states (e.g., later bifurcations) are examined.
Sources
- States Reorganisation Commission, Wikipedia
- Report of the States Reorganisation Commission, 1955 (hosted by Ministry of Home Affairs, mha.gov.in)
- Seventh Amendment of the Constitution of India, Wikipedia
