Bilaspur State (1950–54)


Bilaspur State was a state of India from 1950 to 1954 with Bilaspur town as its capital. The state was established after the province of the same name created in 1948 from the princely state of Bilaspur.
The 31st state of Bilaspur, which had been until then a separate entity under the control of the Chief Commissioner, was integrated with Himachal Pradesh on 1 July 1954 thereby adding one more district to the state.

History

Bilaspur State was formed out of the territory of former Princely State of Bilaspur, which became part of the Dominion of India on 12 October 1948 by the accession of its erstwhile Ruler, Raja Anand Chand of the Princely State of Kahlur a.k.a. Bilaspur.
Bilaspur was a Province, until it was established as a Class "C" State, named Bilaspur State on 26 January 1950 within the Republic of India. Class "C" States were under the direct rule of the Central Government.

Disestablishment

After 'The Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur Act, 1954' was passed by an act of Parliament Bilaspur State was dissolved on 1 July 1954 and incorporated into the State of Himachal Pradesh as Bilaspur district, with an area of 106,848 hectares.
Himachal Pradesh State was another part-C state under a Lt. Governor. Initially it had a 36-member Legislative Assembly and the first elections to the Assembly had been held in 1952. In 1954, when Bilaspur was merged with Himachal Pradesh, the strength of its Assembly was raised to 41.

Commissioners of Bilaspur State

Raja Anand Chand was the first Chief Commissioner of the Chief Commissioner's State of Bilaspur.
  1. M.S. Himmatsinhji, Chief Commissioner from 1950–52
  2. Chief Commissioner from 1952–54.

    Chief Minister