Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal: how Madhya Pradesh was put together
Background
Madhya Pradesh, which is marking its 71st Foundation Day with the Rajyotsav in Bhopal, was constituted on 1 November 1956 under the States Reorganisation Act, 1956. The new state joined Madhya Bharat, Vindhya Pradesh and Bhopal to the existing state built from the old Central Provinces and Berar. The Marathi-speaking Vidarbha region in the south was transferred to Bombay State. Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu also count 1 November 1956 as their formation day. The Nagpur High Court, created by Letters Patent of 2 January 1936, became the High Court of the new state, with its seat at Jabalpur. Temporary benches opened at Indore and Gwalior on 1 November 1956 and were made permanent by a Presidential Notification of 28 November 1968.
In plain words
States Reorganisation Act, 1956 — The law that redrew Indian states largely on linguistic lines from 1 November 1956.
Letters Patent — A royal charter used to create the High Courts of British India.