​Consider the following statements in respect of Article 3 of the Constitution of India:
1. Parliament may by law form a new State by separation of territory from any State or by uniting two or more States or parts of States or by uniting any territory to a part of any State.
2. Parliament may by law diminish the area of any State.
3. Parliament may by law alter the boundaries of any State.
4. Parliament may by law alter the name of any State.
Which of the statements above is/are correct?​

Correct option is D

The correct answer is (d) 1, 2, 3 and 4

Explanation:

Article 3 of the Constitution of India provides detailed provisions regarding the formation, alteration, and reorganization of states. It empowers Parliament to make laws concerning the following:

1. Formation of a new state:
   Parliament can form a new state by:
• Separation of territory from an existing state.
• Uniting two or more states or parts of states.
• Uniting any territory with a part of an existing state.
2. Diminishing the area of a state:
   Parliament has the authority to reduce the area of any existing state through a law.
3. Altering the boundaries of any state:
   Parliament can alter the boundaries of a state, which may include changing its geographic boundaries.
4. Altering the name of a state:
   Parliament can also pass laws to change the name of any state. This provision allows flexibility in addressing the needs and aspirations of people in different regions.

Hence, all four statements mentioned are correct, and Parliament has the authority to perform each of these actions as outlined in Article 3.

Information Booster:

Article 3 of the Constitution:

• Article 3 grants Parliament the power to create, divide, or change the structure of states within the Indian Union.
• This article has been invoked in the past, such as in the creation of Telangana in 2014, which involved the separation of territory from Andhra Pradesh and the formation of a new state.

Procedure Under Article 3:

• The process for altering state boundaries or creating a new state begins with the introduction of a Bill in Parliament.
• The President of India must be consulted before the Bill is introduced in Parliament.
• The concerned state legislature(s) may be consulted, but they do not have a veto power over such changes. Parliament has the final say.

Additional Knowledge:

• Historical Context:
  The provision in Article 3 came into prominence during the States Reorganization Act, 1956, which reorganized the states in India based on linguistic lines. The restructuring was aimed at promoting administrative efficiency and recognizing the linguistic diversity of the country.
• Significant Changes Under Article 3:
• The creation of Telangana in 2014 is one of the most recent uses of Article 3, where the new state of Telangana was formed by separating territory from Andhra Pradesh.
• Another example is the formation of Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, and Jharkhand in the early 2000s, as a result of legislative acts passed under Article 3.
• Role of State Legislatures:
  While Parliament can alter the boundaries, territory, or name of a state, the concerned state legislature is often consulted but does not have a binding role in the final decision. However, it is considered a procedural requirement.