States Reorganisation Commission
- States Reorganisation Commission was established in 1953 to address the issue of redrawing state boundaries.
- It advocated aligning state boundaries with linguistic and cultural affinities.
- States Reorganisation Act (1956) enacted based on the Commission’s recommendations, resulting in the creation of 14 states and six union territories.
- This legislative action aimed to provide a more cohesive framework for state boundaries.
- The formation of Andhra Pradesh sparked similar demands for linguistic states across the country.
- In response, the Central Government established the States Reorganisation Commission in 1953 to address state boundary redrawings.
- The Commission recommended redrawing state boundaries to reflect linguistic diversity.
- The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 was enacted based on the Commission’s report, creating 14 states and six union territories.
- Initially, there were concerns that linguistic states might threaten national unity by fostering separatism.
- However, under popular pressure, the leadership decided in favor of linguistic states, hoping it would reduce the threat of division.
- Linguistic states were seen as a more democratic way to accommodate regional demands.
- Over fifty years since their formation, linguistic states have transformed democratic politics, opening pathways to power for non-English-speaking populations.
- Linguistic reorganization provided a uniform basis for drawing state boundaries and did not lead to the country’s disintegration as feared.
- Linguistic states symbolize India’s acceptance of diversity, demonstrating that democracy encompasses recognizing and accepting differences, even opposing ones.
- Democracy in India is associated with plurality of ideas and ways of life, shaping political dynamics in subsequent years.
Reorganisation of States| Class 12 Political Science Notes
Reorganisation of States: Following the partition and integration of Princely States, attention turned to internal state boundaries. The challenge was to ensure these boundaries reflected India’s cultural and linguistic diversity while maintaining national unity.
Table of Content
- Colonial Legacy
- States Reorganisation Commission
- Creation of New States