Direct Democracy
It is a rule where the people govern directly. Example: Switzerland.
Indirect Democracy
A system in which representatives of the people govern the nation.
- Article 1: Names the country "India, that is, Bharat" and defines it as a "Union of States". It specifies that the territory of India includes states, union territories, and any foreign territories that may be acquired.
- Article 2: Pertains to the admission or establishment of new states into the Union of India.
- Article 3: Grants Parliament the power to form new states, increase or decrease the area of any state, alter the boundaries, or change the name of any state.
- Article 4: States that any law made under Articles 2 and 3 should be passed with a simple procedure and will not be considered a constitutional amendment.
Post-Independence Structure
After independence, India was temporarily divided into four parts:
- Part A: 9 former British provinces led by a Governor.
- Part B: Princely states with a legislative assembly.
- Part C: British provinces led by a Chief Commissioner.
- Part D: The Andaman & Nicobar Islands.
Demand for Linguistic States
There was a strong demand, especially from South India, for the formation of states on a linguistic basis. The government initially resisted this idea.
1. SK Dhar Commission (June 1948)
Submitted its report in December 1948 and rejected the idea of forming states on the basis of language.
2. JVP Committee (December 1948)
Members included Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pittabhi Sitaramayya. This committee also rejected language as the basis for state formation.
However, in 1953, Potti Sriramulu died after a 56-day fast demanding a separate state for Telugu-speaking people. Under immense pressure, the government formed the first linguistic state, Andhra Pradesh, in 1953 by separating Telugu-speaking areas from Madras Province.
3. Fazal Ali Commission (1953)
This was the first linguistic commission, formed to review the idea of linguistic states. Its other members were K.M. Panikkar and H.N. Kunzru.
Recommendation:
It accepted language as a basis for state formation but emphasized that the unity and integrity of India must also be a primary consideration. It recommended the formation of 16 states and 3 union territories.
The Government of India introduced the 7th Amendment Act in 1956, which led to the formation of 14 states and 6 union territories on a linguistic basis.
Timeline of New States and UTs
- 1960: Bombay province was divided into Gujarat and Maharashtra.
- 1961: Dadra & Nagar Haveli (formerly under Portugal) was made a Union Territory by the 10th Amendment.
- 1962: Goa, Daman & Diu (from Portugal) were merged and made a Union Territory by the 12th Amendment.
- 1962: Pondicherry (Puducherry, formerly under France) was given Union Territory status.
- 1963: Nagaland was created.
- 1966: The Punjab Reorganization Act created Punjab and Haryana. Chandigarh was made a Union Territory.
- 1971: Himachal Pradesh was given statehood.
- 2000: Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, and Jharkhand were created.
- 2014: Telangana was formed from Andhra Pradesh.