White Paper on Indian States (1950)/Part 5/Formation of Unions
Formation of Unions
125. There were several groups of States which, with due regard to geographical, linguistic, social and cultural affinities of the people could be consolidated into sizeable and viable units consisting entirely of States. In these regions, the sentiment of the Rulers and the people alike was in favour of such an arrangement. In such cases, territories of States were united to form Unions of States on the basis of full transfer of power from the Rulers to the people. A special feature of these Unions is the provision for the Rajpramukh as the constitutional head of the State who is to be elected by the Council of Rulers. This arrangement, while ensuring close approximation of the system of governance in the States and the Provinces and of the rights and liberties of the people, retains in some measure the traditional polity of the States.