The state reorganization act of 1956 remains the single most extensive change in state boundaries after the independence of India. The act came into effect when the seventh amendment act was enacted. Political integration after independence and the constitution of 1950

During the time of Indian independence in 1947,it was divided into two sets of Territories. One was under the British rule and the other under suzerainty of British crown. The latter included 562 princely states, having different types of revenue sharing arrangements with the British, often depending on their size, population and local conditions. In addition, there were several colonial enclaves controlled by France and Portugal.

The political integration of these territories into India was a declared objective of the Indian National Congress, and the Government of India pursued this over the next decade. Through a combination of factors, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel and V. P. Menon coerced and coalesced the rulers of the various princely states to accede to India. Having secured their accession, they then proceeded, in a step-by-step process, to secure and extend the union government's authority over these states and transform their administrations until, by 1956, there was little difference between the territories that had been part of British India and those that had been princely states.

Although this process successfully integrated the vast majority of princely states into India, it was not as successful for a few, notably the former princely states of Jammu and Kashmir and Manipur, where active secessionist and separatist insurgencies continued to exist due to various reasons.

Related Changes By Other Legislation
The state reorganization act was enacted on August 1956. But before it came into effect in November, the seventh amendment was made. The existing terminology of part A, B, C and D states was altered. The distinction between part A and B states was removed. Union territory replaced the classification as a part C or part D state. Another Act also came into effect which enabled transferring certain territories from Bihar to West Bengal.

Effect of the Changes
The state reorganization act of 1956 was a major step towards dividing India into states and union territories. Assam was one of the states we were reorganised in November 1956. The adjoining map depicts the scenario according to States reorganization act of 1956. However the state of Assam has been further divided into Arunachal pradesh, Mizoram, Nagaland, Meghalaya.Bihar reduced slightly by the transfer of minor territories to West Bengal ( Purulia from Manbhum district, Islampur from Purnea district.

Kerala formed by the merger of travancore-Cochin state with the Malabar district and Kesaragod taluk of South Canara district of the Madras presidency. The southern part of Travancore cochin, Kanyakumari

district, along with Sengottai Taluk, was transferred to Madras state. The laccadive and minicoy islands were separated from Malabar district to form a new union territory namely laccadive, Amindivi and Minicoy Islands.

Related Changes And Reasons
The whole process of struggle involves continuous negotiation on the part of minorities in particular and regions in general with the center on one hand and the state on the other.The regions that have raised the demand for boundary bifurcation from their parent states blame the central government for not listening to their request.If their demand for a new state is fulfilled then the people of the parent state start accusing the union government of the whole process.

The states from which new states' demands emerge have not been very positive towards them and ample reasons can be explored behind this.It indicates a failure on the part of the state government to tackle the issue of prevalent regional inequalities.Lack of success to provide welfare and equal opportunities to its entire people within the state.

Further, bifurcation would mean the division of monetary resources, water resources, assets,

natural resources, and so on.Thus, the bifurcation of the state would hit hard on the economy of the state.Such a division would also have an impact on the bargaining power of the state at the center. In India, the number of seats allocated to states depends on the size of their population.Obviously, the division of the population would have an adverse impact on the number of MPs going to the union government.

Conclusion
India's federal structure is a one-of-a-kind example in which the state has been constantly fiddling with its inner boundaries in order to maintain its 'unity in diversity. Written By: Sibonginkosi Kositina, A Student At Lovely Professional University Studying BA LLB.