Princely States of India: Administration and Examples

Overview

Princely states were semi-sovereign political entities in colonial India ruled by native monarchs under British paramountcy. They were not directly governed like British provinces, yet their foreign relations and external defence were controlled by the British.

At independence in 1947, there were more than 565 princely states. They varied greatly in size, revenue and status, from large states such as Hyderabad and Jammu & Kashmir to tiny estates and jagirs.

Legal Basis and British Paramountcy

• Treaties and sanads: The political status of princely states evolved through treaties, engagements and sanads signed with the East India Company and later the British Crown.
• Subsidiary Alliance: Lord Wellesley introduced the Subsidiary Alliance system in 1798. Indian rulers gave up foreign affairs and external defence in return for British protection.
• British subsidiary force: Under the arrangement, a British force was stationed in the state, and a British Resident was posted at the ruler’s court.
• Hyderabad: It was the first state to enter the Subsidiary Alliance in 1798.
• Doctrine of Lapse: Lord Dalhousie enforced this policy from 1848 to 1856, annexing states where the ruler died without a natural male heir.
• Rejection of adoption: The traditional right of adoption was not accepted under this doctrine.
• States annexed: Satara (1848), Jaitpur (1849), Sambalpur (1849), Baghat (1850), Udaipur (1852), Jhansi (1853) and Nagpur (1854) were annexed under this policy.
• Post-1857 change: After the Revolt of 1857, the Government of India Act, 1858 transferred power from the East India Company to the British Crown.
• Queen Victoria’s Proclamation: The proclamation of 1858 promised no further territorial expansion and guaranteed the rights, dignity and honours of native princes.
• Paramountcy: The Crown’s supremacy over princely states was formally described as paramountcy, allowing intervention in cases of gross misrule or succession disputes.

Administrative Classification and Control

• British political department: Princely states were classified by revenue, size and political status, and monitored through direct administrative agencies.
• Salute states: Rulers of high-ranking states received ceremonial gun salutes ranging from 9 to 21 guns.
• 21-gun salute states: Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Mysore, Baroda and Gwalior held the highest status of 21-gun salutes.
• Non-salute states: Smaller states, estates and jagirs received no gun salutes and had limited judicial and administrative powers.
• Political agents and residents: The British appointed Political Agents and Residents to watch over rulers and report to the Foreign and Political Department under the Viceroy.
• Regional agencies: These included the Rajputana Agency, Central India Agency, Punjab States Agency and Western India States Agency.
• Internal administration: Native rulers handled taxation, police, judiciary and civil administration, though autonomy varied widely from state to state.
• Modern and feudal systems: Some states developed bureaucracies and legislative assemblies, while others retained feudal land systems such as jagirdari and zamindari.

Major Princely States: Examples

Praja Mandal Movement

• Meaning: Praja Mandals, or People’s Conferences, were organisations formed in princely states to demand civil liberties, democratic rights and responsible government.
• Early growth: They developed in the 1920s in states such as Mysore, Hyderabad, Baroda and the Rajputana states.
• Issues raised: The movement protested heavy land revenue, forced labour or begar, and lack of civil rights.
• AISPC: The All India States’ Peoples’ Conference was founded in December 1927 in Bombay to coordinate political work across different states.
• Key organisers: Balwantrai Mehta, Maniklal Kothari and G.R. Abhyankar played central roles in its establishment.
• Congress policy: The Indian National Congress initially followed a non-intervention policy in princely states; the Haripura Session of 1938 marked a formal shift.
• Nehru’s role: Jawaharlal Nehru became president of the AISPC in 1939, linking the states’ movements with the national freedom struggle.

Integration of Princely States, 1947-1950

• Lapse of paramountcy: Section 7 of the Indian Independence Act, 1947 declared that British paramountcy over Indian states lapsed on 15 August 1947.
• Choice before rulers: Rulers could legally join India or Pakistan, or remain independent.
• States Ministry: The Government of India created the States Ministry in June 1947, headed by Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, with V.P. Menon as Secretary.
• Patel’s method: Integration was achieved through diplomacy, legal instruments and, where needed, firmness.
• Instrument of Accession: Under this instrument, rulers transferred control of Defence, External Affairs and Communications.
• Standstill Agreement: This preserved existing arrangements on trade, communications and transit until final political settlement.
• Junagadh case: The Nawab acceded to Pakistan despite the state not having a geographic border with it, leading to subsequent integration.

Key Prelims Takeaways

• Princely states: Semi-sovereign units under British paramountcy, ruled by native monarchs.
• Number in 1947: More than 565 princely states existed at independence.
• Important policy: Subsidiary Alliance was introduced by Lord Wellesley in 1798.
• Important annexation policy: Doctrine of Lapse was enforced by Lord Dalhousie from 1848 to 1856.
• Post-1858: Queen Victoria’s Proclamation promised protection of native princes and ended further territorial expansion.
• 21-gun salute states: Hyderabad, Jammu & Kashmir, Mysore, Baroda and Gwalior.
• Integration mechanism: Instrument of Accession covered Defence, External Affairs and Communications.