Forming the union

The Patiala and East Punjab States Union, commonly called PEPSU, brought together princely states in the years after the partition of British India. The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism lists eight constituent states: Patiala, Jind, Nabha, Kapurthala, Faridkot, Kalsia, Malerkotla and Nalagarh. It dates the agreement creating the union to 5 May 1948, its formal inauguration to 15 July, and the beginning of its government’s functioning to 20 August. These dates refer to different steps in establishing a state. PEPSU’s geography and administration grew out of the varied histories of its constituent territories.[1]

Government and political debate

In a July 1952 note on state boundaries, Jawaharlal Nehru described PEPSU as territorially fragmented and considered the political implications of changing its boundaries while a non-Congress ministry held office. His note is a contemporary statement of one political leader’s concerns, not a neutral account of every party’s position. The Nehru Archive’s editorial note describes the succession of ministries after the 1952 election. Together they show that PEPSU was a place of active electoral and administrative politics, rather than merely a temporary name on a map. Other parties’ records are needed for a fuller account.[2]

From union to Punjab

The States Reorganisation Act of 1956 provided for a new state of Punjab incorporating the existing territories of Punjab and PEPSU. It also addressed representation and transferred pending proceedings from the PEPSU High Court to the Punjab High Court. The Encyclopaedia of Sikhism dates the merger to 1 November 1956. Legislation shows the formal changes made to institutions and territory; local administrative records and personal accounts can reveal how those changes were experienced. Later reorganisation in 1966 created different state boundaries again, so the Punjab of 1956 should not be assumed to match today’s state.[3]

Sources & notes

Source records include access dates and, where known, limits on what was examined. Checks used AI assistance; independent human or specialist review has not been completed.

  1. Barbara Ramusack; Encyclopaedia of Sikhism, Punjabi University. Patiala and East Punjab States Union ↗Written source · Source date: publication date not established · Locator: Formation and administration. Accessed 2026-11-05.Selected written source inspected; perspectives and historical dates are attributed. The encyclopedia entry’s author signature was rechecked.Return to Forming the union, paragraph 1 ↑
  2. Jawaharlal Nehru. The Reshaping of State Boundaries ↗Written source · Source date: 1952-07-21 · Locator: 21 July 1952 note, paragraph 3 and editorial footnotes 3–4. Accessed 2026-11-04.Rechecked Nehru’s note and the archive’s separate footnotes. His political assessment is a contemporary perspective, not an independent account of all parties.Return to Government and political debate, paragraph 1 ↑
  3. Government of India. The States Reorganisation Act, 1956 ↗Written source · Source date: 1956 · Locator: Punjab and transfer of proceedings. Accessed 2026-11-03.Selected written source inspected; perspectives and historical dates are attributed.Return to From union to Punjab, paragraph 1 ↑
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Record PH-HIS-0146 · English edition · human review not performed