Celebrating State/UTs Formation Day

• 03 Nov 2025

Source: BS

Why in News? 

On 1st November, eight Indian states including Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Haryana, Karnataka, Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, Punjab and Tamil Nadu, along with five Union Territories (UTs) namely Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Delhi, Lakshadweep and Puducherry, celebrate their Formation Day.

• This marks as a key milestone in India’s administrative evolution, shaped by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and later state bifurcations.

Which Indian States and UTs Celebrate their Formation Day on 1st November?

States

State	Formation Date	Formed By	Status Before Formation
Andhra Pradesh	1st November 1953	Andhra State was created in 1953 and the state of Andhra Pradesh was formed in 1956 under States Reorganisation Act, 1956.	Part of Andhra State and Hyderabad State
Karnataka	1st  November 1956	States Reorganisation Act, 1956 (as Mysore State)	Parts of Bombay State, Coorg State, Hyderabad State and Mysore State
Kerala	1st  November 1956	States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Part of Madras State and Travancore-Cochin
Madhya Pradesh	1st  November 1956 (reorganised)	States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Central Provinces and Berar, princely states of Eastern States Agency
Tamil Nadu	1st  November 1956 (as Madras State), renamed in 1969	States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Part of Madras State and Travancore-Cochin
Haryana	1st  November 1966	Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966	Part of East Punjab
Punjab	1st  November 1966 (current form)	Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966	Part of East Punjab
Chhattisgarh	1st  November 2000	Madhya Pradesh Reorganisation Act, 2000	Part of Madhya Pradesh

Union Territories

Union Territory (UT)	Formation Date	Formed By	Status Before Formation
Andaman and Nicobar Islands	1st  November 1956	States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Part D State
Delhi	1st  November 1956	States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Delhi (Part C State)
Lakshadweep	1st  November 1956	States Reorganisation Act, 1956	Part of Madras State
Puducherry	1st  November 1954 (de facto), 1963 (UT status)	Treaty of Cession with France and Government of Union Territories Act, 1963	French India territories
Chandigarh	1st  November 1966	Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966	Part of East Punjab

What are the Provisions Related to Formation of States/UTs in India?

• Part I of the Indian Constitution: It  is titled “The Union and Its Territory” and comprises Articles 1 to 4. 
  • It defines India as a “Union of States”, specifies the names and territories of States and Union Territories, and empowers Parliament to admit or establish new States and to alter the area, boundaries, or names of existing States.
• Article 1: It declares India as a Union of States, which includes all States, Union Territories, and any territories that may be acquired in the future. 
  • This reflects the idea of a strong Union with an indestructible centre but flexible units.
• Articles 2: Empowers Parliament to admit new States into the Union or establish new States on such terms and conditions as it deems fit.
• Article 3: It gives Parliament the authority to form a new State by separating territory from any existing State or by merging two or more States or Union Territories. 
  • It also allows alteration of the area, boundaries, or name of any existing State.
  • However, a Bill for this purpose can be introduced only with the prior recommendation of the President, who must refer it to the concerned State Legislature for its views. 
    • The State Legislature’s opinion is not binding on Parliament, and no such reference is required in the case of a Union Territory.
    • This provision has enabled major reorganisations such as the creation of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Uttarakhand (2000) and Telangana (2014).
• Articles 4: Any law made under Articles 2 or 3 may amend the First Schedule (list of States and UTs) and the Fourth Schedule (Rajya Sabha seat allocation).
  • Such a law is not treated as a Constitutional Amendment under Article 368.

Commissions Related to State Reorganisation in India

• Linguistic Provinces Commission (Dhar Commission) (1948): Rejected language as a basis for states. 
• JVP Committee (1949): The Committee, comprising Jawaharlal Nehru, Sardar Patel, and Pattabhi Sittaramaya, warned against linguistic reorganisation due to fears of disintegration. It prioritised national unity, security. 
• States Reorganisation Commission (SRC) (also known as Fazl Ali Commission) (1953): The SRC, headed by Justice Fazl Ali with H.N. Kunzru and K.M. Panikkar as members, submitted its report in 1955.  
  • It accepted language as a key factor but rejected the idea of 'one language, one state', stressing the importance of unity, security, and administrative, economic, and financial considerations.
  • It led to the enactment of the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, which reorganised India into 14 states and 6 Union Territories, and abolishing the old Part A, B, C, and D classifications. 
  • Later on many Indian states were carved out due to regional identity demands and the need for better administrative efficiency, economic development, and resource control.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. What Articles of the Constitution govern the formation and reorganisation of States and Union Territories?
Articles 1 to 4 cover the Union and its territory. Article 2 admits or establishes new States, Article 3 empowers Parliament to form or alter States, and Article 4 deals with incidental amendments to the First and Fourth Schedules.

2. Why are laws under Articles 2 and 3 not treated as constitutional amendments?
Article 4 explicitly states that laws made under Articles 2 or 3 may amend the First and Fourth Schedules but will not be considered amendments under Article 368, allowing Parliament to reorganise territories by ordinary legislation.

3. What was the purpose of the States Reorganisation Commission?
The SRC examined demands for linguistic reorganisation, recommended reorganisation mainly on linguistic lines while stressing unity, administrative efficiency its recommendations led to the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.

UPSC Civil Services Examination, Previous Year Question (PYQ)

Q. Which was the Capital of Andhra State when it was made a separate State in the year 1953? (2008)

(a) Guntur

(b) Kurnool

(c) Nellore

(d) Warangal

Ans: (b)