Article 371 (2) of the Constitution

  1. The Constitution (Seventh) Amendment Act 1956, provided for special provisions in respect of Andhra Pradesh and Punjab under clause 
    (1) of Article 371 and in respect of the State of Bombay under clause

    (2) of Article 371. With the enactment of the Bombay Reorganisation Act, 1960, Article 371 (2) of the Constitution was made applicable to the States of Maharashtra and Gujarat with effect from 1.5.1960.

  2. With the enactment of the States Reorganization Act, 1956, a new State of Bombay was formed on 1.11.1956 comprising the Marathi speaking areas of the erstwhile Bombay State, Vidarbha region of the erstwhile State of Madhya Pradesh, Marathwada region of the erstwhile Hyderabad State and the erstwhile States of Saurashtra and Kutch. Subsequently, on 1.5.1960, with the enactment of the Bombay Reorganization Act, 1960 the former States of Kutch and Saurashtra were taken out from the State of Bombay to form the new State of Gujarat and the truncated State of Bombay was re-named as Maharashtra

  3. Article 371(2) was inserted in the Constitution by the Constitution (Seventh Amendment) Act, 1956 to ensure full integration of the people of Vidarbha and Marathwada areas with the areas of the erstwhile State of Bombay in which those areas were proposed to be merged as a result of reorganisation of States. It was contemplated that in case of inequitable development of these areas, the recourse could be had to Article 371 (2) whereby the Governor could be given special responsibility through a Presidential Order for: -

    (a) the establishment of separate Development Boards for Vidarbha, Marathwada and the rest of Maharashtra or, as the case may be, Saurashtra, Kutch and the rest of Gujarat; 


    (b) the equitable allocation of funds for developmental expenditure over the said areas, subject to the requirements of the State as a whole; and 


    (c) equitable arrangement to provide adequate facilities for technical education and vocational training, and adequate opportunities for employment in services under the control of the State Government, in respect of all the said areas, subject to the requirements of the State as a whole.

  4. The three Development Boards were established in Maharashtra viz. The Vidarbha Development Board, the Marathwada Development Board and the Development Board for the Rest of Maharashtra in pusuance to the above constitutional provisions and have been in existence since 1.5.1994 with the notification of the State of Maharashtra (Special Responsibility of the Governor for Vidarbha, Marathwada and the Rest of Maharashtra) Order, 1994. The terms of these Development Boards have been extended up to 31.3.2015.