Indian Political Compass

Constitutional Amendment · In force

7th Amendment (1956)

Reorganised India's states along linguistic lines following the States Reorganisation Commission report, abolishing the four-tier A/B/C/D classification.

Why it was passed

The States Reorganisation Act 1956 needed constitutional backing. States were redefined by language rather than by their pre-independence status as princely or British-administered territories.

Key changes

  • Replaced Articles 1–4 schedules; reduced categories to States and Union Territories
  • Established 14 states and 6 Union Territories
  • Enabled creation of common High Courts for two or more states

Related articles

Article 1Name and Territory of the Union
→
Article 3Formation of New States
→

Content is editorial draft pending fact-check against official Gazette notifications and Supreme Court judgment texts. Last reviewed: 2026-07-02.

← All amendments