Kutch State was a state within

India India, officially the Republic of India (Hindi: ), is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area, the List of countries and dependencies by population, second-most populous ...

from 1947 to 1956. Its capital was Bhuj. The state's territory now forms a Kachchh district within the Indian state of

Gujarat Gujarat (, ) is a state along the western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the fifth-largest Indian state by area, covering some ; and the ninth ...

History

Kutch State was formed out of the territory of the former princely state of Cutch, whose ruler ( Maharao Sri Vijayaraji) had acceded to the

Dominion of India The Dominion of India, officially the Union of India,* Quote: “The first collective use (of the word "dominion") occurred at the Colonial Conference (April to May 1907) when the title was conferred upon Canada and Australia. New Zealand and N ...

with effect from 15 August 1947.International Law Reports vol. 50, 1950
/ref> The administration of Kutch after accession, however, remained in the hands of its former ruler until his death on 26 February 1948, when it then passed to his son, Maharao Shri Meghraji. On 1 June 1948 the administration was transferred to the

Government of India The Government of India ( ISO: ; often abbreviated as GoI), known as the Union Government or Central Government but often simply as the Centre, is the national government of the Republic of India, a federal democracy located in South Asia, ...

, working through a Chief Commissioner and Chief Minister Seth Rajmalsha from 1947 to 1956. Initially Kutch functioned as a province. Upon the

Constitution of India The Constitution of India ( IAST: ) is the supreme law of India. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions and sets out fundamental ...

coming into force on 26 January 1950, Kutch became a "Class C" state, i.e. its administration was under the direct control of India's central government. On 1 November 1956,

Bombay State Bombay State was a large Indian state created at the time of India's Independence, with other regions being added to it in the succeeding years. Bombay Presidency (roughly equating to the present-day Indian state of Maharashtra, excluding So ...

was re-organised under the

States Reorganisation Act The States Reorganisation act, 1956 was a major reform of the boundaries of India's states and territories, organising them along linguistic lines. Although additional changes to India's state boundaries have been made since 1956, the States ...

, absorbing various territories including Kutch State, which ceased to exist. It became Kutch district in Bombay State. On 1 May 1960, Bombay State was bifurcated on linguistic lines forming

and

Maharashtra Maharashtra (; , abbr. MH or Maha) is a state in the western peninsular region of India occupying a substantial portion of the Deccan Plateau. Maharashtra is the second-most populous state in India and the second-most populous country subdi ...

states and Kutch district became a part of Gujarat.q

References

{{Coord, 23.915, N, 70.367, E, display=title History of Gujarat (1947–present) History of Kutch 1947 establishments in India States and territories established in 1948 Political integration of India States and territories disestablished in 1956 1956 disestablishments in India Former states and territories of India

History

See also

References