The Andhra Pradesh and Mysore (Transfer of Territory) Act, 1968
🗺️ The Andhra Pradesh and Mysore (Transfer of Territory) Act, 1968
Act No. 14 of 1968
Enacted by: Parliament of India
Came into force on: 1st April 1968
🔎 Background & Purpose
The Act was part of India's broader state reorganization efforts that followed the linguistic and administrative adjustments under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956.
Its purpose was to transfer certain territories from the State of Andhra Pradesh to the then State of Mysore (now Karnataka) for better governance, linguistic consistency, and administrative convenience.
🎯 Objectives of the Act
✅ To legally transfer specific territories from Andhra Pradesh to Mysore.
🧾 To update the First Schedule of the Indian Constitution (which defines state boundaries).
🛠️ To ensure continuity of laws, governance, and services in the transferred territories.
👥 To provide legislative representation for the transferred regions.
⚖️ To clarify judicial and administrative jurisdictions post-transfer.
📜 Key Provisions of the Act
1. Transfer of Territory (Section 3)
Specific areas — mainly border villages and towns — were officially transferred from Andhra Pradesh to Mysore.
The names of the exact territories were listed in a schedule to the Act.
2. Amendment of the First Schedule to the Constitution
The boundaries of Andhra Pradesh and Mysore were formally redefined in the First Schedule of the Constitution to reflect the change.
3. Continuity of Laws (Section 4)
The existing laws of Andhra Pradesh continued to apply in the transferred territories until Mysore's laws were extended to those areas.
This was to ensure there was no legal vacuum after the territory transfer.
4. Representation in Legislature (Section 5)
The Act made provisions to adjust the number of legislative seats in the Mysore Legislative Assembly to include representatives from the transferred areas.
5. Administrative and Judicial Provisions (Sections 6–10)
Handled matters like:
Transfer of official records, employees, and assets.
Jurisdiction of courts and pending cases.
Continuation of public services like police, education, health, etc.
⚖️ Relevant Case Law
Although the Act itself has not been widely litigated, courts have interpreted its constitutional basis and related issues under Articles 3 and 4 of the Indian Constitution.
1. Babulal Parate v. State of Bombay (1960)
Issue: Whether Parliament can alter state boundaries without the state’s full consent.
Held: Yes. Parliament can unilaterally change boundaries under Article 3, provided the President seeks the opinion of the state legislature (not necessarily its consent).
Relevance: Validates the constitutional authority for the 1968 Act.
2. Mangal Singh v. Union of India (1967)
Issue: Whether Parliament can alter legislative representation during reorganization.
Held: Yes. Article 4 allows Parliament to adjust representation while enacting laws under Article 3.
Relevance: Supports Section 5 of the Act regarding legislative representation in Mysore.
3. State of Karnataka v. Union of India (1977)
Issue: Powers of Parliament over states.
Held: Reaffirmed that Parliament has broad constitutional power to reorganize states and territories.
Relevance: Strengthens the constitutional foundation of territory transfer laws like this Act.
🧾 Summary Table
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of Act | Andhra Pradesh and Mysore (Transfer of Territory) Act, 1968 |
| Purpose | Transfer specific territories from AP to Mysore (Karnataka) |
| Came into force | April 1, 1968 |
| Key Areas Affected | Border villages/towns between Andhra Pradesh and Mysore |
| Law Continuity | Old laws continued until Mysore laws extended |
| Legislative Adjustment | Mysore Assembly representation updated |
| Supported by | Articles 3 and 4 of the Constitution |
| Key Case Support | Babulal Parate (1960), Mangal Singh (1967) |
✅ Final Notes
The Act is a specific example of Parliament’s constitutional authority to reorganize state boundaries.
It shows how such transfers are handled smoothly with attention to laws, administration, and representation.
It also reflects India’s careful balancing of linguistic identity, local governance, and constitutional federalism.
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