Answer

In 1950, the Constitution of India featured a comprehensive classification of the states and territories within the Indian Union, dividing them into four categories: Part A, Part B, Part C states, and Part D territories, totaling 29 entities. Part A included nine former governor's provinces from British India, while Part B comprised nine former princely states with legislatures. Part C encompassed former chief commissioner's provinces and some princely states, all centrally administered (amounting to 10 states). Notably, the Andaman and Nicobar Islands were designated as the sole Part D territories.

Different regions, particularly South India, demanded for reorganization of states on linguistic basis. Accordingly, in June 1948, the Government of India appointed the Linguistic Provinces Commission under the chairmanship of S.K. Dhar to examine the feasibility.

Dhar Commission

Recommendation: In December 1948, the commission presented its report suggesting the reorganization of states primarily for administrative efficiency rather than linguistic considerations.

Reaction: This proposal generated widespread discontent, prompting the Government to establish a new Linguistic Provinces Committee. The committee was tasked with a comprehensive review of the entire matter.

JVP Committee

It consisted of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel and Pattabhi Sitaramayya and hence, was popularly known as JVP Committee.

Recommendation: It submitted its report in April, 1949, and formally rejected language as the basis for reorganization of states.

Reaction: However, in October, 1953, the Government of India was forced to create the first linguistic state, known as Andhra state, by separating the Telugu speaking areas from the Madras state

Fazl Ali Commission

The establishment of the Andhra state heightened calls from various regions for the creation of states based on linguistic affiliations. In response, the Government of India appointed a three-member States Reorganization Commission in December 1953, with Fazl Ali as the chairman, alongside K.M. Panikkar and H.N. Kunzru.

Recommendation:  The commission, submitting its report in September 1955, acknowledged language as a crucial factor in state reorganization but rejected the notion of 'one language-one state.' It emphasized the paramount importance of maintaining India's unity while outlining four key considerations in the reorganization process:

• Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of the country.
• Linguistic and cultural homogeneity.
• Financial, economic and administrative considerations.
• Planning and promotion of the welfare of the people in each state as well as of the nation as a whole.

The commission proposed the elimination of the original Constitution's four-fold classification of states and territories, advocating the formation of 16 states and 3 centrally administered territories.

Reaction: The Government of India, while accepting these recommendations with slight modifications, enacted the States Reorganization Act (1956) and the 7th Constitutional Amendment Act (1956). Consequently, the distinction between Part A and Part B states was eradicated, and Part C states were abolished. This restructuring culminated in the creation of 14 states and 6 union territories on November 1, 1956.

Even after the large-scale reorganization of the states in 1956, the political map of India underwent continuous changes due to the pressure of popular agitations and political conditions. The demand for the creation of some more states on the basis of language or cultural homogeneity resulted in the bifurcation of existing states such as Maharashtra and Gujarat in 1960, Haryana, Chandigarh and Himachal Pradesh in 1966 etc.