Editing Himachal Pradesh (section)

=== Partition and post-independence ===
After independence, the Chief Commissioner's Province of Himachal Pradesh was organised on 15 April 1948 as a result of the integration of 30 petty princely states (including feudal princes and ''zaildars'') in the promontories of the western [[Himalayas]]. These were known as the Simla Hills States and four [[Punjab]] southern hill states under the Himachal Pradesh (Administration) Order, 1948 under Sections 3 and 4 of the Extra-Provincial Jurisdiction Act, 1947 (later renamed as the Foreign Jurisdiction Act, 1947 vide A.O. of 1950). The State of Bilaspur was merged into Himachal Pradesh on 1 July 1954 by the Himachal Pradesh and Bilaspur (New State) Act, 1954.{{sfn|Verma|1995|pp = 239-254, ''Territorial Gains''}}

Himachal became a Part 'C' state on 26 January 1950 when the [[Constitution of India]] came into effect and the Lieutenant Governor was appointed. The Legislative Assembly was elected in 1952. Himachal Pradesh became a [[union territory]] on 1 November 1956.<ref name=nichist /> Some areas of the Punjab State, namely, Simla, Kangra, Kullu and Lahul and Spiti Districts, Lohara, Amb and Una Kanungo circles, some areas of Santokhgarh Kanungo circle and some other specified area of Una Tehsil of [[Hoshiarpur District]], as well as Kandaghat and Nalagarh Tehsils of erstwhile [[Patiala and East Punjab States Union|PEPSU State]], besides some parts of Dhar Kalan Kanungo circle of Pathankot District—were merged with Himachal Pradesh on 1 November 1966 on the enactment by Parliament of the [[Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966]].{{sfn|Verma|1995|pp = 239-254, ''Territorial Gains''}} On 18 December 1970, the State of Himachal Pradesh Act was passed by Parliament, and the new state came into being on 25 January 1971. Himachal became the 18th state of the Indian Union with [[Yashwant Singh Parmar|Dr. Yashwant Singh Parmar]] as its first chief minister.<ref name=nichist />