PEPSU

Patiala and East Punjab States Union ( PEPSU ) was a short-lived state of India formed after independence by merging several princely states in the eastern part of the former Punjab region. Its capital was Patiala. The union brought together Patiala State and a number of neighboring princely states and estates, including Nabha, Jind, Malerkotla and other smaller states, to create a unified administrative unit within the Indian Union.

Administratively, PEPSU established its own provincial government under a governor appointed by the central government, with a locally elected legislature and a chief minister responsible to that body. The arrangement aimed to integrate these diverse princely territories into a single political and administrative framework while preserving some local institutions and traditions.

PEPSU existed as a separate political entity until 1956, when it was merged into the state of Punjab under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The merger reflected a broader national effort to reorganize state boundaries along linguistic and regional lines after independence. As a result, PEPSU ceased to exist as an independent state, and its territories were incorporated into Punjab. Some districts that had been part of PEPSU subsequently underwent further reorganizations during later state boundary adjustments.

Legacy of PEPSU lies in its role in integrating a cluster of princely states into a unified administrative framework and in contributing to the post-independence reorganization of the Punjab region. The period marked an important step in consolidating governance and paving the way for the modern state structure that followed.