Anand Classes provides detailed NDA Polity notes on Part I of the Constitution of India (Articles 1–4): The Union and Its Territories. This section deals with the name, territory, admission, and reorganisation of states. It explains the difference between the Union of India and the Territory of India, powers of Parliament regarding new states, the States Reorganisation Act, and the formation of new states after the 1950s. These notes are prepared specially for NDA aspirants to make learning easier with summaries, FAQs, MCQs, and revision points. 👉 Click the print button to download pdf NDA study material and notes.
The Union and Its Territories (Articles 1–4)
Part I of the Indian Constitution consists of four Articles (1–4) that deal with the territory of India.
- Article 1 declares that India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.
- The names and territories of States and Union Territories are specified in the First Schedule.
It is important to note that the term “Union of India” is not the same as “Territory of India”.
- The Union of India includes only the States that form part of the federal structure and share powers with the Union.
- The Territory of India covers the entire geographical area where India’s sovereignty extends.
The makers of the Constitution gave Parliament the power to reorganise States through a simple legislative procedure.
Historical Background
In the original Constitution, States and Territories were classified into four categories. But after the Seventh Amendment Act, 1956, all States (except Jammu & Kashmir) were placed in a single category, and all constitutional provisions apply to them uniformly.
- Certain Scheduled Areas and Tribal Areas within States are administered as per the Fifth and Sixth Schedules.
- Union Territories (UTs) are directly administered by the President through an appointed Administrator as per Part VII of the Constitution.
At present, India consists of 29 States and 7 Union Territories.
Reorganisation of States
- Article 2 – Empowers Parliament to admit or establish new States on terms it considers fit.
- Article 3 – Authorises Parliament to:
- Form a new State,
- Alter boundaries, area, or name of a State,
- Unite two or more States.
Conditions:
- Such a Bill can only be introduced with the recommendation of the President.
- Before recommending, the President must refer the Bill to the concerned State Legislature for its opinion within a specified time.
- The President is not bound by the State Legislature’s views.
- However, in the case of Jammu and Kashmir, the consent of its Legislature was mandatory.
A simple majority in Parliament is enough for passing such laws. Hence, the will of the Union Executive and Legislature prevails in reorganising State boundaries.
States Reorganisation Act, 1956
- A commission under S.K. Dhar (1948) first examined reorganisation of States. It recommended administrative convenience rather than linguistic basis, which caused dissatisfaction.
- This led to the formation of the JVP Committee (1948) consisting of Jawaharlal Nehru, Vallabhbhai Patel, and Pattabhi Sitaramayya.
- In 1953, Andhra Pradesh was created as the first linguistic State (by separating Telugu-speaking areas from Madras).
- Thereafter, the States Reorganisation Commission (1953) chaired by Fazl Ali recommended redrawing boundaries mainly on a linguistic basis.
List of 28 States with Capitals in India
| State | Capital |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Amaravati (Note: Executive functions in Visakhapatnam temporarily) |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Itanagar |
| Assam | Dispur |
| Bihar | Patna |
| Chhattisgarh | Raipur |
| Goa | Panaji |
| Gujarat | Gandhinagar |
| Haryana | Chandigarh (shared with Punjab) |
| Himachal Pradesh | Shimla (Summer), Dharamshala (Winter) |
| Jharkhand | Ranchi |
| Karnataka | Bengaluru |
| Kerala | Thiruvananthapuram |
| Madhya Pradesh | Bhopal |
| Maharashtra | Mumbai |
| Manipur | Imphal |
| Meghalaya | Shillong |
| Mizoram | Aizawl |
| Nagaland | Kohima |
| Odisha | Bhubaneswar |
| Punjab | Chandigarh (shared with Haryana) |
| Rajasthan | Jaipur |
| Sikkim | Gangtok |
| Tamil Nadu | Chennai |
| Telangana | Hyderabad (proposed move to Amaravati for AP, but Hyderabad remains Telangana’s capital) |
| Tripura | Agartala |
| Uttar Pradesh | Lucknow |
| Uttarakhand | Dehradun (Winter), Bhararisain (Summer, Gairsain region) |
| West Bengal | Kolkata |
List of Union Territories (UTs) in India with Capitals
| Union Territory | Capital |
|---|---|
| Andaman and Nicobar Islands | Port Blair |
| Chandigarh | Chandigarh |
| Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu | Daman |
| Delhi (National Capital Territory of Delhi) | New Delhi |
| Jammu and Kashmir | Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter) |
| Ladakh | Leh, Kargil |
| Lakshadweep | Kavaratti |
| Puducherry | Puducherry |
Formation of New States after 1950s
| State | Formation Details |
|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | State of Andhra Pradesh Act (1953) – carved from Madras. |
| Kerala | State Reorganisation Act (1956) – Travancore & Cochin merged. |
| Karnataka | From Mysore (1956); renamed Karnataka in 1973. |
| Gujarat & Maharashtra | Bombay State divided into Gujarat & Maharashtra (1960). |
| Nagaland | Carved from Assam (Nagaland Act, 1962). |
| Haryana | Separated from Punjab (1966). |
| Himachal Pradesh | From UT to full State (1970). |
| Meghalaya | Sub-state under Assam (1969); full State (1971). |
| Manipur & Tripura | From UTs to full States (1971). |
| Sikkim | Associate State (1974); full State (1975). |
| Mizoram | Full State (1986). |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Full State (1986). |
| Goa | Full State (1987); Daman & Diu remained UT. |
| Chhattisgarh | Created from Madhya Pradesh (2000). |
| Uttarakhand | Created from Uttar Pradesh (2000); renamed in 2007. |
| Jharkhand | Created from Bihar (2000). |
| Telangana | Created from Andhra Pradesh (2014); Hyderabad as common capital for 10 years. |
FAQs on Union & Its Territories (Articles 1–4, Indian Constitution)
Q1. How many States and Union Territories does India have in 2025?
India currently has 28 States and 8 Union Territories. This structure came into effect after the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, which bifurcated the former state into two Union Territories – Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. Since then, no further changes have been made.
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Q2. What does Article 1 of the Indian Constitution state?
Article 1 declares: “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States.” It also specifies that the States and Union Territories are listed in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This highlights India’s federal structure but with a strong unitary bias.
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Q3. What is the difference between the “Union of India” and the “Territory of India”?
- Union of India includes only the States that share power with the Union Government.
- Territory of India includes States, Union Territories, and any other territory acquired by India.
This distinction is crucial because Parliament’s law-making power extends over the whole territory of India, not just the Union of India.
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Q4. How many Articles are there in Part I of the Constitution?
Part I contains Articles 1 to 4.
- Article 1 → Union and its territory
- Article 2 → Admission/establishment of new States
- Article 3 → Formation/alteration of areas, boundaries, or names of States
- Article 4 → Laws made under Articles 2 & 3 are not Constitutional Amendments
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Q5. Which Article empowers Parliament to admit or establish new States?
Article 2 gives Parliament the authority to admit new States into the Union or establish new States on such terms as it thinks fit. This power has been used several times, e.g., admission of Sikkim in 1975.
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Q6. Which Article allows alteration of boundaries, area, or name of States?
Article 3 empowers Parliament to create new States, merge territories, or change names and boundaries. However, such a Bill can only be introduced with the President’s recommendation, and the concerned State Legislature must be consulted (though its opinion is not binding).
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Q7. Is the opinion of the State Legislature binding on the President or Parliament?
No. Parliament can go ahead with the reorganisation of a State even if the concerned State Legislature does not agree. The President only seeks the opinion, but it is not mandatory to follow it.
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Q8. Which was the first linguistic State of India?
Andhra Pradesh (1953) was the first State created on a linguistic basis for Telugu-speaking people, carved out of the Madras State. This set the trend for further linguistic reorganisation of States.
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Q9. What is the difference between a State and a Union Territory?
- States have their own elected governments and legislatures.
- Union Territories are administered directly by the Union Government, though some UTs like Delhi, Puducherry, and Jammu & Kashmir have legislatures with limited powers.
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Q10. What are the capitals of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh in 2025?
- Jammu & Kashmir → Srinagar (Summer), Jammu (Winter)
- Ladakh → Leh and Kargil (joint capitals)
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Q11. Which Union Territories were created in 2019?
The Union Territories of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh were created on 31 October 2019, when the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019 came into force.
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Q12. Which Article provides for the First Schedule of the Constitution?
Article 1(2) specifies that the States and Union Territories of India are listed in the First Schedule of the Constitution. This Schedule has been amended several times to reflect new State formations.
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MCQs on Union & Its Territories for NDA Exam
Q1. How many States and Union Territories does India have as of 2025?
a) 29 States, 7 UTs
b) 28 States, 8 UTs
c) 27 States, 9 UTs
d) 28 States, 7 UTs
Answer: b) 28 States, 8 UTs
Explanation: After the Jammu & Kashmir Reorganisation Act, 2019, India has 28 States and 8 UTs. This is the latest update valid for NDA exam 2025.
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Q2. Which Article of the Constitution states that “India, that is Bharat, shall be a Union of States”?
a) Article 1
b) Article 2
c) Article 3
d) Article 4
Answer: a) Article 1
Explanation: Article 1 gives the official name of India and declares it as a Union of States. This article emphasizes India’s unity and federal structure.
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Q3. Which Article empowers Parliament to form new States or alter boundaries?
a) Article 1
b) Article 2
c) Article 3
d) Article 4
Answer: c) Article 3
Explanation: Article 3 gives Parliament the power to reorganize States, including altering their boundaries, areas, or names, with Presidential recommendation.
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Q4. The admission of Sikkim as a State in 1975 was done under which Article?
a) Article 1
b) Article 2
c) Article 3
d) Article 4
Answer: b) Article 2
Explanation: Article 2 allows Parliament to admit new States or establish new States. Using this, Sikkim was admitted as the 22nd State of India in 1975.
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Q5. Which of the following States was the first to be created on a linguistic basis?
a) Maharashtra
b) Gujarat
c) Andhra Pradesh
d) Kerala
Answer: c) Andhra Pradesh
Explanation: In 1953, Andhra Pradesh was created for Telugu-speaking people after the death of Potti Sriramulu, marking the beginning of linguistic reorganisation of States.
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Q6. The Union Territory of Jammu & Kashmir has which capitals?
a) Leh and Kargil
b) Srinagar (Summer) and Jammu (Winter)
c) Only Jammu
d) Only Srinagar
Answer: b) Srinagar (Summer) and Jammu (Winter)
Explanation: The UT of Jammu & Kashmir continues to have two capitals — Srinagar in summer and Jammu in winter, as per tradition.
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Q7. Which Article provides that laws made under Articles 2 and 3 are not considered Constitutional Amendments?
a) Article 1
b) Article 2
c) Article 3
d) Article 4
Answer: d) Article 4
Explanation: Article 4 clarifies that any law made under Articles 2 and 3 does not count as a Constitutional Amendment, even though the First Schedule is changed.
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Q8. Which of the following Union Territories has two capitals, Leh and Kargil?
a) Chandigarh
b) Ladakh
c) Puducherry
d) Lakshadweep
Answer: b) Ladakh
Explanation: Ladakh, created in 2019, has two capitals – Leh and Kargil.
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Q9. The First Schedule of the Indian Constitution is related to:
a) Distribution of powers between Union and States
b) Oaths and Affirmations
c) States and Union Territories
d) Official Languages
Answer: c) States and Union Territories
Explanation: The First Schedule lists the States and Union Territories of India, as referred in Article 1(2).
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Q10. Which Article defines the “Territory of India”?
a) Article 1
b) Article 2
c) Article 3
d) Article 4
Answer: a) Article 1
Explanation: Article 1 defines India as a Union of States and mentions that the territory of India includes States, Union Territories, and other acquired territories.
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