What were the recommendations of Fazl Ali Commission?
Q. Which of the following are recommendations of the Fazl Ali Commission?
1) It accepted language as basis of reorganization.
2) Create 16 states
3) It rejected one language - one state premise.- Published on 17 Feb 17a. 1, 2
b. 1, 3
c. 2, 3
d. All of the above
ANSWER: All of the above
- After creation of Andhra Pradesh, the demand from other regions for creation of states on linguistic basis increased.
- The Government of India in December 1953, appointed a three-member States Reorganisation Commission under the chairmanship of Fazl Ali to re-examine the whole question.
- Its other two members were K M Panikkar and H N Kunzru.
- Its report submitted in September 1955, broadly accepted language as the basis of reorganization of states, but rejected the concept of ‘one language–one state’.
- It said that the unity of India should be the primary consideration in any redrawing of the country’s political units.
It identified 4 major factors to be taken into account in any scheme of reorganisation of states :
1. Preservation and strengthening of the unity and security of the country.
2. Linguistic and cultural homogeneity.
3. Financial, economic and administrative considerations.
4. Planning and promotion of the welfare of the people in each state as well as of the nation.
- The commission recommended removal of the four-fold classification of states under the original Constitution and creation of 16 states and 3 centrally administered territories.
- The Government of India accepted these recommendations with certain minor modifications.
- The States Reorganisation Act (1956) and 7th Constitutional Amendment Act (1956), abolished distinction between Part-A and Part-B states and completely abolished Part-C states.
- Some of them were merged with adjacent states and some other were designated as union territories.
- Thus, 14 states and 6 union territories were created on November 1, 1956.
