7a | Forging a Nation: The process of accession and integration of the Princely States

Made with NotebookLM

Also Listen in Kannada | Hindi | Marathi

The problem of the Indian States, numbering over 560 and scattered across the subcontinent, was a consequence of the British consolidating their power and stabilizing the institution of rulership through paramountcy. Historically, none of the States had international status. The Government of India Act of 1935 provided for a federal relationship between the Princely States and British India, but accession for the States was voluntary, unlike the automatic accession for provinces. A State would accede by executing an instrument of accession, a legal document signed by the ruler of the state with the British Crown. The federation was conditional on a sufficient number of States acceding. The States' representatives in the federal legislature were to be appointed by the rulers, not elected by the people (Menon, 1956).

On 3rd June 1947, the British government declared the lapse of paramountcy, which meant the States would return to their position of political isolation. The Indian Independence Act of 1947 did not alter this position; however, it did include a provision allowing for the accession of Indian States to either of the new Dominions (Menon, 1956). Congress leaders realized the potential for confusion and anarchy due to the lapse of paramountcy. The idea of achieving a unified political structure was crucial to prevent the balkanization of the country and stop States from aligning with Pakistan (Menon, 1956). To address this, the States Department was set up, with Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, the then Minister of States, playing a crucial role. V. P. Menon was appointed as the administrative head of this department, who worked closely with Patel (Basu, 2020).

The department designed a plan which was analogous to the previous scheme where the States would accede on three key subjects: Defence, External Affairs and Communications. Accession on these three subjects was seen as leaving the rulers with practical independence while covering essential areas they couldn't manage. Patel argued that accession on these subjects would achieve the basic unity of India. In addition to the Instrument of Accession, a Standstill Agreement was also drafted and circulated. This agreement provided for the continuance of existing arrangements between the States and the Dominion of India in matters of common concern. Acceptance of the Standstill Agreement was conditional on accession (Menon, 1956).

Lord Mountbatten addressed a special meeting of the Chamber of Princes on 25th July 1947 as the Crown Representative and strongly urged the rulers to accede. He provided assurance that accession on these subjects would involve no financial liability and would not encroach on their internal sovereignty in other matters. Negotiations were concluded quickly. Barring Hyderabad, Kashmir, and Junagadh, all the States within the geographical limits of India had acceded to the Indian Dominion by 15th August 1947 (Menon, 1956, White Paper 1950).

Two main types of Instruments of Accessions were used:

1. For the 140 fully empowered States, the Instrument provided for accession on the three subjects of Defence, External Affairs, and Communications, as defined in List I of Schedule VII to the Government of India Act of 1935.

2. For the over 300 semi-jurisdictional and non-jurisdictional estates and talukas (many in Kathiawar and Gujarat), a different Instrument was prepared. While preserving the form of accession, this document vested all the residuary powers and jurisdiction in the Central Government.

Although it helped to secure India’s integrity, this initial accession was not a final solution for both the States and the Indian Union (Menon, 1956, White Paper 1950). 

The next phase involved consolidation of States into sizable administrative units and their democratisation. Though it did not follow a uniform pattern, there were three broader processes that were involved in it:

Merger with provinces – States geographically contiguous to provinces were merged into them. Examples include the Orissa and Chhattisgarh States (the first to be merged), Deccan and Gujarat States and States merged in East Punjab, Madras, the United Provinces, West Bengal, and Assam. Upon merger, administration was transferred to the provincial governments. Constitutionally, they were treated as part and parcel of the provinces (Menon, 1956, White Paper 1950). They became Part A states after India became a republic.

Unions of States – Territories of multiple States were integrated to create new viable units. These included Saurashtra, Madhya Bharat, Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU), United States of Rajasthan (incorporating Matsya Union), and Travancore-Cochin. Special covenants were drafted for the formation of these unions (Menon, 1956, White Paper 1950). These unions formed the Part B states.

Centrally administered areas – Some States were taken over individually or as groups and administered by the Central Government as Chief Commissioners' Provinces. For example, Punjab Hill States, Bilaspur, Tripura, Manipur, Coorg, Vindhya Pradesh, etc. They came under the direct control of the new Government of India (Menon, 1956, White Paper 1950). They were called Part C states after India became a republic.

Initially, the relationship between these new Unions and the Center was confined to the three subjects of accession, however, as the integration progressed, the Instruments of Accession were enlarged and updated to include all subjects in the Federal and Concurrent Legislative Lists, except taxation. The administrative consolidation involved fitting the diverse states into a common mold of judiciary, army, defining private property of rulers and granting of Privy Purses. The new Constitution of India classified the integrated units and remaining States into Part A (former Governor's Provinces), Part B (Unions, Hyderabad, Mysore, Jammu and Kashmir), and Part C States (former Chief Commissioners' Provinces), thereby completing the territorial integration (Menon, 1956, White Paper 1950).

A massive effort was undertaken to integrate the administrative, financial, and judicial systems of the former states with those of British India. By 26 January 1950, when the Constitution came into force, India had largely achieved geographical integration, with states brought into similar constitutional relations with the Centre as the provinces. Post 1950, a strong movement for reorganization along linguistic lines started growing. A successful mass movement in the Telugu-speaking area of southern India in 1953, led to the creation of a new state of Andhra Pradesh. This was a pivotal event leading to the establishment of the States Reorganization Commission. Appointed in 1953 and submitting its report in 1955, it recommended redrawing India's political geography based on linguistic lines, while also taking into consideration national unity, and economic and administrative factors.

Following its report, the States Reorganization Act came into effect on 1 November 1956, leading to significant changes in the boundaries of the states. Hyderabad was dismantled and its Telugu-speaking Telangana region was joined with Andhra to form Andhra Pradesh; its Marathi-speaking areas were amalgamated into Maharashtra and its Kannada-speaking areas were integrated into Karnataka (formerly Mysore state). PEPSU was merged into Punjab and Travancore-Cochin was merged with the Malabar Coast district to form the state of Kerala. The system of Rajpramukhs was abolished and replaced by civilian Governors (States Reorganization Committee, 1955). Despite some challenges post integration, such as lack of experienced personnel, factionalism and corruption, the new state governments were able to increase spending on public health, education, and community development, leading to improvements in literacy and life expectancy in former princely territories (Zubrzycki, 2023). 

References:

• Basu, N. (2020). VP Menon: The Unsung Architect of Modern India. Simon & Schuster India.

  
  

• Menon, V. P. (1956). The Story of Integration of the Indian states. Orient Blackswan.

  
  

• States Reorganization Committee. (1955). Report of the States Reorganization Committee. Government of India.

  
  

• Zubrzycki, J. (2023). Dethroned: Patel, Menon and the integration of Princely India. Juggernaut Books.