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→Political integration after independence and the Constitution of 1950: Results of the opting
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[[British Raj|British India]], which included present-day [[India]], [[Pakistan]] and [[Bangladesh]], was divided into two types of territories: the [[British India|Provinces of British India]], which were governed directly by British officials responsible to the [[Governor-General of India]]; and [[princely state|the Indian State]]s, under the rule of local hereditary rulers who recognised British [[suzerainty]] in return for continued authority over their own realms, in most cases as established by treaty. As a result of the reforms of the early 20th century, most of the British provinces had directly elected legislatures as well as governors, although some of the smaller provinces were governed by a chief commissioner appointed by the Governor-General. Major reforms put forward by the British in the 1930s also recognised the principle of [[federalism]], which was carried forward into the governance of independent India.
On 15 August 1947, British India was granted independence as the separate [[dominion]]s of [[India]] and [[Pakistan]]. The British dissolved their treaty relations with more than five hundred princely states, who were encouraged to [[Instrument of Accession|accede]] to either India or Pakistan, while under no compulsion to do so. Most of the states acceded to India, and a few to Pakistan. [[Bhutan]], [[Hyderabad State|Hyderabad]] and [[Princely State of Jammu and Kashmir|Kashmir]] opted for independence; Bhutan remains independent,
[[File:South Indian territories.svg|235px|thumb|[[South India]]n states prior to the States Reorganisation Act]]
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