History of Haryana - Haryana Day: A new state is born!

Haryana was carved out of the Indian state of Punjab on 1st November 1966. This state was formed on the recommendation of the Sardar Hukam Singh Parliamentary Committee. The formation of this committee was announced in the Parliament on 23 September 1965. On 23 April, 1966, acting on the recommendation of the Hukam Singh Committee, the Indian government set up the Shah Commission under the chairmanship of Justice J. C. Shah, to divide and set up the boundaries of Punjab and Haryana.

The commission gave its report on 31 May, 1966. According to this report the districts of Hissar, Mahendergarh, Gurgaon, Rohtak, and Karnal were to be a part of the new state of Haryana. Further the Tehsils of Jind (district Sangrur), Narwana (district Sangrur) Naraingarh, Ambala and Jagadhari were also included. The commission recommended that Tehsil Kharar (including Chandigarh) should also be a part of Haryana. After receiving the report of the Shah Commission, the Indian government passed Punjab reorganization bill, 1966 on 18 September, 1966. According to this bill, the boundary of the Haryana was to be as follows:

• The districts of Hissar, Rohtak, Gurgaon, Karnal and Mahendergarh
• The Jind and Narwana tehsils of Sangrur district
• The Ambala, Jagadhari and Naraingarh tehsils of Ambala district
• The Pinjore circle of Kharar tehsil (district Ambala)
• Part of the Mani Majra circle of Kharar tehsil

It was also decided that the two states of Haryana and Punjab would have a common High Court called the 'Punjab & Haryana High Court'. The other parts of the bill dealt with issues like division of the Parliament seats in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.