White Paper on Indian States (1950)/Part 5/Centrally Merged States/Bhopal
Bhopal
119. Bhopal was one of the major States taken over for administration by the Centre. Lying almost at the centre of the main system of communications in India, the State had an area of 6,921 square miles with a population of 785,322 and a revenue of about Rs. 13,600,000. The Agreement (Appendix XXX) for merger was signed by the Ruler on April 30, 1949 and the State was taken over by a Chief Commissioner on behalf of the Government of India on June 1, 1949. In deference to the wishes of the Nawab and in view of its central location it has been provided in the agreement that the State will remain under Central administration for at least a period of five years.
APPENDIX XXX
Bhopal Merger Agreement
AGREEMENT made this 30th day of April, 1949 between His Excellency the Governor-General of India and His Highness the Nawab of Bhopal.
WHEREAS in the immediate interests of the State of Bhopal and its people and for diverse other reasons it is agreed by and between the above-named parties that the administration of the State of Bhopal (hereinafter called "the State") shall be taken over and carried on by the Government of India and that, for a period of five years next after the date of transfer the State will be administered as a Chief Commissioner's Province:
AND WHEREAS it is further agreed that on expiry of this period of five years the future administrative arrangements of the State may have to be reviewed but without prejudice to the ownership and other rights secured to the Nawab under this Agreement at the said date of transfer:
IT IS HEREBY AGREED as follows:—
Article I
The Nawab of Bhopal hereby cedes to the Government of India full and exclusive authority, jurisdiction and powers for and in relation to the governance of the Bhopal State and agrees to transfer the administration of the State to that Government on the First day of June 1949 (referred to in this Agreement as "the date of transfer").
Article II
The Nawab shall be entitled to all the personal rights, privileges, immunities and dignities enjoyed by him as the Ruler of Bhopal, whether within or without the State, immediately before the 15th August, 1947.
Article III
(1) The present Nawab shall, with effect from the date of transfer, be entitled to receive from the Government of India for his privy purse a sun of rupees eleven lakhs per annum free of all taxes; and each of his successors shall, with effect from the date of succession, be entitled to receive from the Government of India for his privy purse a sum of rupees nine lakhs per annum free of all taxes.
(2) The sum provided to be paid to the Nawab and after him to his successors in para (1) of this Article is intended to cover all the expenses of the Nawab and his family including expenses on account of his personal staff, maintenance of his residences, and marriages and other ceremonies, and will neither be increased nor decreased by the Government of India for any reason whatsoever.
(3) The amount of privy purse provided in paragraph (1) of this Article shall be paid in four equal instalments in advance at the beginning of each quarter of the year into such bank account as may be specified by the Nawab in this behalf.
Article IV
The income derived annually from the share of the Nawab in the original investment by Qudsia Begum in the Bhopal State Railway, which share is now agreed to be Rupees five lakhs and fifty five thousand, shall be treated as the personal income of the Nawab and shall be paid by the Government of India to the Nawab and his successors.
Article V
(1) The Nawab shall be entitled to the full ownership, use and enjoyment of all private properties (as distinct from State properties) belonging to him immediately before the date of transfer.
(2) As inventory of all the immovable property, securities and cash balances held by the Nawab as such private property immediately before the date of transfer will be prepared and agreed upon between the Government of India and the Nawab, and such inventory shall be final and shall not be called into question.
Article VI
All the members of the Nawab's family shall be entitled to all the personal privileges, dignities and titles enjoyed by them, whether within or outside the territories of the State, immediately before the 15th day of August 1947.
Article VII
(1) The Government of India agree that the succession to the Throne of Bhopal State shall be governed by and regulated in accordance with the provisions of the Act known as the Succession to "the Throne of Bhopal Act of 1947" and at present in force in the State.
(2) The Government of India further agree that all the rights and privileges secured by this Agreement to the Nawab shall be continued to his successor.
Article VIII
No enquiry shall be made, no proceedings shall lie, and no action shall be taken, against the Nawab, whether in his personal capacity or otherwise, in respect of anything done by or under his authority during the period of his administration of the State.
Article IX
(1) The Government of India agree to continue in service all permanent members of the public services of the State on conditions which will not be less advantageous than those on which they were serving at the date of transfer, and if for any reason reduction of staff is found necessary to pay reasonable compensation to those affected on terms not less advantageous than in accordance with the rules of the State existing at the date of transfer.
(2) The Government of India guarantee the continuance of all pensions and leave salaries, sanctioned by competent authority of the State to members of the public services of the State who have retired or proceeded on leave preparatory to retirement and the payment of compassionate allowances granted before the date of transfer to dependants of the deceased members of those services.
Article X
No action shall be taken, and no proceedings, civil or criminal, shall be instituted, against any person in respect of any act in good faith done or omitted to be done in the execution of his duty as a servant of the State before the date of transfer.
IN CONFIRMATION WHEREOF, Mr. Vapal Pangunni Menon, Adviser to the Government of India in the Ministry of States has appended his signature on behalf and with the authority of the Governor-General of India and His Highness the Nawab of Bhopal has appended his signature on behalf of himself, his heirs and successors.
M. HAMIDULLAH,
Nawab of Bhopal.
V. P. MENON,
Adviser to the Government of India,
Ministry of States.