Integration of Indian States

Integration of Indian States

Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel and V.P. Menon played the most important role in the integration and merger of Indian States.

Objective of Integration

The main objective of shaping the Indian States into sizeable or viable administrative units was sought to be achieved by a three-fold process of integration (known as the 'Patel Scheme' after Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Minister-in-charge of Home Affairs)—

Three-Fold Process of Integration

1. Merger of States into Provinces

• 216 states were merged into respective Provinces, geographically contiguous (connected) to them.

• These merged states were included in the territories of the states in Part B in the First Schedule of the Constitution.

• The process of merger started with the merger of Orissa and Chhattisgarh States with the then Province of Orissa on January 1, 1948.

2. Conversion into Centrally Administered Areas

• 61 states were converted into centrally administered areas.

• These were included in Part C of the First Schedule of the Constitution.

3. Formation of the Union of States

The third form of integration was the consolidation of groups of states into new viable units, known as the Union of States.

As many as 275 states were integrated into 5 Unions—

• Madhya Bharat

• Patiala and East Punjab States Union

• Rajasthan

• Saurashtra

• Travancore-Cochin

These were included in the States in Part B of the First Schedule.

Other States in Part B

The other three States included in Part B were:

• Hyderabad

• Jammu and Kashmir

• Mysore

Accession of Jammu and Kashmir

• Jammu and Kashmir acceded to India on October 26, 1947, and so it was included as a state in Part B.

• The Government of India agreed to take the accession subject to confirmation by the people of the state and a Constituent Assembly of J & K.

• The Constituent Assembly subsequently confirmed it in November 1956.

• Thereafter, the Constitution of Jammu & Kashmir was drafted, which came into force on 26 January 1957.

• Earlier on 15 February 1954, the assembly (State assembly) members who were present cast a unanimous vote ratifying the state's accession to India.

Accession of Hyderabad

• Hyderabad did not formally accede to India, but the Nizam issued a Proclamation recognising the necessity of entering into a constitutional relationship with the Union of India and accepting the Constitution of India, subject to ratification by the Constituent Assembly of the State.

• The Constituent Assembly of that state ratified this.

Adoption of the Constitution by Rajpramukhs and Rulers

It is noteworthy here that the Rajpramukhs of the five Union, as well as the Rulers of Hyderabad, Mysore, Jammu and Kashmir,ir all adopted the Constitution of India by Proclamations.

Constitution (7th Amendment) Act, 1956

• The process of integration culminated in the Constitution (7th Amendment) Act, 1956, which abolished Part B states as a class and included all the states in Part A and B in one list.

• The special provisions in the constitution relating to Part B were, consequently, omitted.

• The Indian States thus lost their identity and became a uniform political organisation embodied in the Constitution of India.

Final Thoughts

The integration of Indian States was a landmark achievement in India’s history, ensuring the creation of a unified nation after independence. The leadership of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V.P. Menon was crucial in bringing together hundreds of princely states through diplomacy, persuasion, and strategic planning.

The threefold process of merger, central administration, and the formation of the Union of States laid the foundation for a strong federal structure. The accession of Jammu & Kashmir and Hyderabad further strengthened national unity. The Constitution (7th Amendment) Act, 1956, finally erased the distinctions between different state categories, giving India a uniform administrative framework.

This process transformed India into a cohesive political entity, safeguarding its unity and integrity for the future.