Statement of Objects and Reasons - Constitution (18th Amendment) Act, 1966

Statement of Objects and Reasons Article 3 of the Constitution provides for the formation of new States and alteration of areas, boundaries, or names of existing States. Before the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956, was enacted, the expression States occurring in that article meant Part A States, Part B States and also Part C States. By the Seventh Amendment of the Constitution in 1956, the concept of Union territories was introduced in our Constitution but article 3 was not amended to include in terms Union territories . It is considered proper to amend this article to make it clear that State in clauses (a) to (e) of that article (but not in the proviso) includes Union territories . It is also considered proper to make it clear that power under clause (a) of article 3 includes power to form a new State or Union territory by uniting a part of a State or Union territory to another State or Union territory. The Bill seeks to achieve the above objects.