Proposed states and union territories of India

[3] However, demanding a separate state from the administration of Indian union is punishable under secession law in India.

[4] Before independence, India was divided into British-administered provinces and nominally autonomous princely states, governed by the British administration.

[6] During the 1950–1956 period, small changes were made to state boundaries with Bilaspur merging with Himachal Pradesh on 1 July 1954 and Chandernagore, a former enclave of French India incorporated into West Bengal in 1955.

[13][14] The Punjabi Suba movement, which sought a separate Punjabi-speaking state, resulted in the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966, which created the state of Haryana and the union territory of Chandigarh with the transfer of the northern districts of Punjab to Himachal Pradesh.

[19] In May 1987, Goa achieved statehood with the northern exclaves of Daman and Diu becoming a separate union territory.

[7] The Gorkhaland movement during 1986–88, demanding a separate state resulted in violtent clashes, encounters and arrests.