The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (Transfer of Territories) Act, 1959
Administered Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs / Department of States
Act details
| Short title | The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (Transfer of Territories) Act, 1959 |
|---|---|
| Long title | An Act to provide for the transfer of certain territories from the State of Rajasthan to the State of Madhya Pradesh and for matters connected therewith. |
| Act number | 47 of 1959 |
| Act year | 1959 |
| Enactment date | 18 Sep 1959 |
| Ministry | Ministry of Home Affairs / Department of States |
| Department | Department of States |
| Jurisdiction | Central (Parliament of India) |
| Sections | 17 |
| Schedules | 2 |
| Status | Not repealed |
| Last checked on India Code | 4 Nov 2026 |
| Source | India Code, Government of India |
Summary
Summary of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (Transfer of Territories) Act 1959
Key Provisions
1. Territory Adjustment
• Transfer: Specific territories from Rajasthan's Chittor district (Bhensrorgarh tahsil, as defined on 1st October 1959) to Madhya Pradesh's Mandsaur district.
2. Constitutional & Electoral Adjustments
• Constitutional Update: Reflecting the territory change in India's Constitution.
• Electoral Modifications: Updates to Parliamentary and Assembly Constituencies (noted in the Second Schedule of the Delimitation Order, 1956).
3. Judicial & Administrative Implications
• Jurisdiction: Shift to Madhya Pradesh High Court.
• Law Application: Extension of Madhya Pradesh's laws to the transferred area.
4. Financial & Asset Transfer
• Assets & Liabilities: Transferred from Rajasthan to Madhya Pradesh.
5. Governance & Oversight
• President’s Oversight: Power to address transitional difficulties.
• Central Government’s Role: Rule-making authority for smooth transition.
Legislative history
Legislative History:
The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (Transfer of Territories) Act, 1959
Act Title: The Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh (Transfer of Territories) Act, 1959
Act Number / Year: 47 of 1959
Act ID (India Code): 195947
Presidential Assent Date: September 18, 1959
Enforcement Date: September 18, 1959
Nodal Ministry: Ministry of Home Affairs
Precedent & Historical Rationale
● Constitutional Adjustment under Article 3: Enacted under Article 3 of the Constitution to adjust inter-state boundaries by transferring specific contiguous territories (including areas under the Chambal Valley/Gandhi Sagar project) from the Kotah district in Rajasthan to the Mandsaur district in Madhya Pradesh.
● Administrative Harmonization and Jurisdictional Alignment: Formulated to resolve local administrative anomalies, streamline revenue collection, and ensure unified governance and development planning over contiguous rural and infrastructure tracts across the state border.
Parliamentary Trajectory & Enactment
● Formulation: Introduced by the Ministry of Home Affairs following mutual agreement between the state governments of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh to readjust territorial boundaries.
● Parliamentary Passage: Debated and passed by both Houses of Parliament (Second Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha) during the August–September session of 1959.
● Presidential Assent: Received Presidential Assent on September 18, 1959.
● Enforcement: Enforced on September 18, 1959.
Source: Official Record of Parliament, India Code, and Ministry of Home Affairs.