The Union and its Territory is covered under Part I of the Indian Constitution from Articles 1 to 4. It defines the territorial structure of India and the power of Parliament to alter the boundaries of states and union territories.
Key Articles Related to Union and Its Territory
Article 1: Name and Territory of India
- India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
- The territory of India consists of:
- States
- Union Territories
- Any other territories that may be acquired by India in the future.
🔹 Why “Union of States” and not “Federation of States”?
- The term “Union” emphasizes that states have no right to secede from India.
- Unlike the USA, where states have the power to leave the Union, Indian states do not have such an option.
Article 2: Admission or Establishment of New States
- Parliament has the power to admit new states or establish new states by law.
- Example: Sikkim was added as the 22nd state of India in 1975.
Article 3: Formation of New States and Alteration of Areas, Boundaries, or Names
- Parliament can:
- Create a new state by separating territory from an existing state.
- Merge two or more states.
- Alter the boundary of a state.
- Change the name of a state.
- Process:
- The President must first take the opinion of the state legislature concerned (but their consent is not mandatory).
- A bill for the change must be passed by Parliament.
- Example: The formation of Telangana in 2014 by bifurcating Andhra Pradesh.
Article 4: Amendment of the First and Fourth Schedule
- Any law made under Article 2 or 3 is not considered a Constitutional Amendment under Article 368.
- First Schedule: Lists the names of States and Union Territories.
- Fourth Schedule: Allocation of seats in the Rajya Sabha.
Reorganization of Indian States
Key Changes in Indian Territory
| Year | Change |
|---|---|
| 1956 | States Reorganization Act: States reorganized on a linguistic basis. |
| 1960 | Bombay State split into Maharashtra & Gujarat. |
| 1966 | Punjab split into Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. |
| 1975 | Sikkim became the 22nd state of India. |
| 1987 | Goa became a state (earlier a Union Territory). |
| 2014 | Telangana was formed from Andhra Pradesh. |
| 2019 | Jammu & Kashmir reorganized into two Union Territories: Jammu & Kashmir & Ladakh. |
Current Status of Indian Territories
1. States and Union Territories
- India has 28 States and 8 Union Territories.
- Earlier, there were 29 states and 7 UTs, but after the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganization Act, 2019, the number of UTs became 8.
2. Difference Between States and Union Territories
| Feature | State | Union Territory |
|---|---|---|
| Power | Has its own government and legislature | Directly governed by the Central Government |
| Chief Minister | Yes | Some UTs have CMs (Delhi, Puducherry, J&K) |
| Governor or Lt. Governor | Governor | Lieutenant Governor or Administrator |
| Example | Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Rajasthan | Andaman & Nicobar, Lakshadweep, Chandigarh |
Key Takeaways
âś… India is a Union of States, meaning no state can leave the Union.
âś… Parliament has the power to create, modify, or rename states without state approval.
âś… India has undergone multiple territorial changes, with the most recent being in 2019 (J&K, Ladakh).
âś… Union Territories are under direct control of the Central Government, but some (Delhi, Puducherry, J&K) have legislatures.
MCQs on Union and Its Territory (Part I of the Indian Constitution)
1. How many Articles are there under Part I of the Indian Constitution?
A) 2
B) 3
C) 4
D) 5
Answer: C) 4
2. Which Article of the Indian Constitution declares India as a “Union of States”?
A) Article 1
B) Article 2
C) Article 3
D) Article 4
Answer: A) Article 1
3. What does Article 2 of the Constitution deal with?
A) Creation of new states
B) Admission or establishment of new states
C) Formation of Union Territories
D) Powers of the Union Government
Answer: B) Admission or establishment of new states
4. Who has the power to alter the boundaries or names of existing states?
A) President of India
B) Parliament of India
C) Supreme Court
D) State Legislature
Answer: B) Parliament of India
5. Which of the following statements is true regarding Article 3?
A) A state legislature must approve changes in its boundary
B) Parliament can create new states without state approval
C) The Supreme Court decides state boundaries
D) The Constitution does not allow renaming states
Answer: B) Parliament can create new states without state approval
6. Which of the following was the first state formed on a linguistic basis?
A) Gujarat
B) Maharashtra
C) Andhra Pradesh
D) Punjab
Answer: C) Andhra Pradesh (1953)
7. How many states and union territories does India currently have?
A) 28 States and 7 Union Territories
B) 29 States and 7 Union Territories
C) 28 States and 8 Union Territories
D) 29 States and 8 Union Territories
Answer: C) 28 States and 8 Union Territories
8. Which Act reorganized the Indian states on linguistic lines?
A) Government of India Act, 1935
B) States Reorganization Act, 1956
C) Indian Independence Act, 1947
D) Constitution (42nd Amendment) Act, 1976
Answer: B) States Reorganization Act, 1956
9. When did Sikkim become a part of India as a full-fledged state?
A) 1956
B) 1962
C) 1975
D) 1987
Answer: C) 1975
10. The latest state formed in India is:
A) Chhattisgarh
B) Jharkhand
C) Uttarakhand
D) Telangana
Answer: D) Telangana (2014)
11. Which of the following Union Territories was converted into a state?
A) Puducherry
B) Goa
C) Lakshadweep
D) Ladakh
Answer: B) Goa (1987)
12. How was Jammu & Kashmir reorganized in 2019?
A) It became a single state
B) It became two separate states
C) It was divided into two Union Territories
D) It was merged with Himachal Pradesh
Answer: C) It was divided into two Union Territories (J&K and Ladakh)
13. Which of the following Union Territories has its own Legislature?
A) Lakshadweep
B) Andaman and Nicobar Islands
C) Delhi
D) Chandigarh
Answer: C) Delhi
14. Which of the following statements about Union Territories is correct?
A) All Union Territories have a Legislature
B) All Union Territories are directly governed by the President
C) Some Union Territories have a Legislature, while others do not
D) Union Territories cannot be converted into states
Answer: C) Some Union Territories have a Legislature, while others do not
15. Which Schedule of the Indian Constitution lists the names of States and Union Territories?
A) First Schedule
B) Second Schedule
C) Third Schedule
D) Fourth Schedule
Answer: A) First Schedule