Province of East Punjab
Former province of India
1947–1950
East Punjab, 1951
Capital	Shimla[1]
Historical era	20th century
• Established	1947
• PEPSU formed	1948
• Disestablished	1950
Preceded by Succeeded by Punjab Province Punjab State Haryana Himachal Pradesh Chandigarh PEPSU
Today part of	Punjab Chandigarh Haryana Himachal Pradesh

East Punjab was a province of India from 1947 until 1950. It consisted parts of the Punjab province that remained in India following the partition of the province between the new dominions of Pakistan and the Indian Union by the Radcliffe Commission in 1947. The mostly Muslim western parts of the old Punjab became Pakistan's West Punjab, later renamed as Punjab Province, while the mostly Hindu and Sikh eastern parts remained with India.

History

Partition of India

With the partition of India, the Punjab province was to be divided in two as per the Indian Independence Act 1947, passed by the parliament of the United Kingdom. The province was to cease to exist, and two new provinces were to be constituted, to be known respectively as West Punjab & East Punjab.^[2] All the princely states of the Punjab States Agency, except Bahawalpur, which acceded to the Dominion of Pakistan, acceded to the new Union of India and were combined into the Patiala and East Punjab States Union (PEPSU). The northeast Hill States of the Punjab Province banded together and were declared a union territory in 1950 as Himachal Pradesh.

Renaming of the state

The Constitution of India, which came into effect in 1950, renamed the province of "East Punjab" as the state of "Punjab".^{[citation needed]}

Reorganisation of Indian States

In 1956, the PEPSU was merged into an expanded Punjab state.

Punjabi Suba movement

With effect from 1 November 1966, there was yet another reorganisation, this time on linguistic lines, when the state of Punjab as constituted in 1956 was divided into three: the mostly Hindi-speaking part became the present-day Indian state of Haryana and the mostly Punjabi-speaking part became the present-day Punjab,^[3][4] while a new union territory (Chandigarh) was also created, to serve as a capital to both states. At the same time, some parts of the former territory of Patiala and East Punjab States Union, including Solan and Nalagarh, were transferred to Himachal Pradesh.

Demography

1911 census

Prior to partition, the eastern portion of Punjab that was ultimately awarded to India following the demarcation of the Radcliffe Line was made into a new province – East Punjab. The area includes the contemporary states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Below is the religious demographics of this region broken down by district and princely state with an overall total as per the 1911 Indian census.

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of East Punjab, India region (1911)^{[5]: 27 [6]: 27 [a]}

District/ Princely State	Hinduism		Islam		Sikhism		Christianity		Jainism		Others[b]		Total
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Patiala State	563,940	40.06%	307,384	21.84%	532,292	37.81%	739	0.05%	3,282	0.23%	22	0%	1,407,659	100%
Firozpur District	273,832	28.53%	418,553	43.61%	262,511	27.35%	3,342	0.35%	1,401	0.15%	18	0%	959,657	100%
Hoshiarpur District	498,642	54.28%	281,805	30.68%	134,146	14.6%	2,978	0.32%	998	0.11%	0	0%	918,569	100%
Amritsar District	211,708	24.04%	408,882	46.43%	253,941	28.83%	4,763	0.54%	1,386	0.16%	48	0.01%	880,728	100%
Hisar District	541,720	67.3%	218,600	27.16%	38,508	4.78%	273	0.03%	5,767	0.72%	21	0%	804,889	100%
Jalandhar District	265,378	33.09%	357,051	44.52%	176,227	21.98%	2,404	0.3%	842	0.1%	18	0%	801,920	100%
Karnal District	556,203	69.54%	224,920	28.12%	13,531	1.69%	920	0.12%	4,213	0.53%	0	0%	799,787	100%
Kangra District	725,156	94.13%	38,859	5.04%	1,910	0.25%	386	0.05%	81	0.01%	3,994	0.52%	770,386	100%
Rohtak District	450,549	83.21%	86,076	15.9%	161	0.03%	334	0.06%	4,369	0.81%	0	0%	541,489	100%
Ambala District	380,592	55.16%	205,203	29.74%	94,471	13.69%	7,483	1.08%	2,187	0.32%	34	0%	689,970	100%
Delhi District	469,561	71.4%	171,745	26.12%	2,985	0.45%	5,693	0.87%	7,539	1.15%	81	0.01%	657,604	100%
Gurgaon District	421,885	65.59%	217,237	33.78%	342	0.05%	782	0.12%	2,921	0.45%	10	0%	643,177	100%
Gurdaspur District[c]	190,965	30.49%	304,860	48.67%	110,525	17.65%	19,879	3.17%	73	0.01%	22	0%	626,324	100%
Ludhiana District	131,370	25.4%	176,043	34.04%	207,042	40.03%	888	0.17%	1,849	0.36%	0	0%	517,192	100%
Simla Hill States	386,953	95.7%	11,374	2.81%	2,911	0.72%	224	0.06%	172	0.04%	2,709	0.67%	404,343	100%
Jind State	210,222	77.36%	37,520	13.81%	22,566	8.3%	187	0.07%	1,233	0.45%	0	0%	271,728	100%
Kapurthala State	61,426	22.91%	152,117	56.73%	54,275	20.24%	107	0.04%	205	0.08%	3	0%	268,133	100%
Nabha State	126,414	50.79%	46,032	18.5%	76,198	30.62%	5	0%	238	0.1%	0	0%	248,887	100%
Mandi State	178,115	98.35%	2,799	1.55%	26	0.01%	4	0%	2	0%	164	0.09%	181,110	100%
Nahan State	130,276	94.05%	6,016	4.34%	2,142	1.55%	37	0.03%	49	0.04%	0	0%	138,520	100%
Chamba State	126,269	92.93%	8,750	6.44%	141	0.1%	81	0.06%	5	0%	627	0.46%	135,873	100%
Faridkot State	37,377	28.69%	37,105	28.48%	55,397	42.52%	6	0%	409	0.31%	0	0%	130,294	100%
Malerkotla State	22,902	32.19%	25,942	36.46%	21,018	29.54%	14	0.02%	1,268	1.78%	0	0%	71,144	100%
Kalsia State	30,640	54.8%	18,820	33.66%	6,258	11.19%	31	0.06%	160	0.29%	0	0%	55,909	100%
Suket State	54,268	98.8%	587	1.07%	71	0.13%	2	0%	0	0%	0	0%	54,928	100%
Simla District	29,047	73.87%	5,820	14.8%	693	1.76%	3,666	9.32%	49	0.12%	45	0.11%	39,320	100%
Dujana State	20,161	79.11%	5,324	20.89%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	25,485	100%
Pataudi State	16,114	82.45%	3,338	17.08%	0	0%	9	0.05%	82	0.42%	0	0%	19,543	100%
Loharu State	16,178	86.99%	2,401	12.91%	0	0%	0	0%	18	0.1%	0	0%	18,597	100%
Total	7,127,863	54.48%	3,781,163	28.9%	2,070,288	15.82%	55,237	0.42%	40,798	0.31%	7,816	0.06%	13,083,165	100%
Territory comprises the contemporary subdivisions of Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

1921 census

Prior to partition, the eastern portion of Punjab that was ultimately awarded to India following the demarcation of the Radcliffe Line was made into a new province – East Punjab. The area includes the contemporary states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Below is the religious demographics of this region broken down by district and princely state with an overall total as per the 1921 Indian census.

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of East Punjab, India region (1921)^{[7]: 29 [d]}

District/ Princely State	Hinduism		Islam		Sikhism		Christianity		Jainism		Others[b]		Total
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Patiala State	642,055	42.81%	330,341	22.03%	522,675	34.85%	1,395	0.09%	3,249	0.22%	24	0%	1,499,739	100%
Firozpur District	306,350	27.89%	482,540	43.94%	302,761	27.57%	5,365	0.49%	1,211	0.11%	21	0%	1,098,248	100%
Amritsar District	204,435	22%	423,724	45.59%	287,004	30.88%	12,773	1.37%	1,375	0.15%	63	0.01%	929,374	100%
Hoshiarpur District	500,339	53.95%	289,298	31.19%	132,958	14.34%	3,745	0.4%	1,079	0.12%	0	0%	927,419	100%
Karnal District	573,224	69.17%	235,618	28.43%	12,280	1.48%	3,382	0.41%	4,222	0.51%	0	0%	828,726	100%
Jalandhar District	244,995	29.79%	366,586	44.57%	206,130	25.06%	4,088	0.5%	736	0.09%	9	0%	822,544	100%
Hisar District	548,351	67.13%	215,943	26.44%	45,615	5.58%	1,024	0.13%	5,874	0.72%	3	0%	816,810	100%
Rohtak District	629,592	81.52%	125,035	16.19%	602	0.08%	10,033	1.3%	7,010	0.91%	0	0%	772,272	100%
Kangra District	722,277	94.28%	38,263	4.99%	2,083	0.27%	363	0.05%	56	0.01%	3,023	0.39%	766,065	100%
Gurgaon District	460,134	67.47%	216,860	31.8%	924	0.14%	1,316	0.19%	2,762	0.4%	7	0%	682,003	100%
Ambala District	370,125	54.31%	205,750	30.19%	97,614	14.32%	5,679	0.83%	2,272	0.33%	37	0.01%	681,477	100%
Gurdaspur District[c]	168,178	26.3%	316,709	49.54%	125,322	19.6%	29,099	4.55%	20	0%	15	0%	639,343	100%
Ludhiana District	135,512	23.87%	192,961	33.99%	235,721	41.53%	1,613	0.28%	1,796	0.32%	19	0%	567,622	100%
Jind State	234,721	76.16%	43,251	14.03%	28,026	9.09%	637	0.21%	1,548	0.5%	0	0%	308,183	100%
Simla Hill States	292,768	95.45%	9,551	3.11%	2,040	0.67%	164	0.05%	142	0.05%	2,053	0.67%	306,718	100%
Kapurthala State	58,412	20.55%	160,457	56.44%	64,074	22.54%	1,100	0.39%	228	0.08%	4	0%	284,275	100%
Nabha State	133,870	50.84%	50,756	19.27%	78,389	29.77%	41	0.02%	278	0.11%	0	0%	263,334	100%
Mandi State	181,358	98.01%	3,462	1.87%	142	0.08%	10	0.01%	0	0%	76	0.04%	185,048	100%
Faridkot State	38,610	25.63%	44,813	29.74%	66,658	44.24%	107	0.07%	473	0.31%	0	0%	150,661	100%
Chamba State	130,489	91.98%	10,529	7.42%	242	0.17%	63	0.04%	3	0%	541	0.38%	141,867	100%
Nahan State	132,431	94.29%	6,449	4.59%	1,449	1.03%	44	0.03%	65	0.05%	10	0.01%	140,448	100%
Bilaspur State	96,000	97.96%	1,559	1.59%	437	0.45%	4	0%	0	0%	0	0%	98,000	100%
Malerkotla State	29,459	36.68%	28,413	35.37%	21,828	27.18%	37	0.05%	585	0.73%	0	0%	80,322	100%
Kalsia State	28,769	50.15%	20,394	35.55%	8,014	13.97%	4	0.01%	190	0.33%	0	0%	57,371	100%
Suket State	53,625	98.71%	659	1.21%	44	0.08%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	54,328	100%
Simla District	33,228	73.31%	6,953	15.34%	1,173	2.59%	3,823	8.43%	90	0.2%	60	0.13%	45,327	100%
Dujana State	20,135	77.94%	5,698	22.06%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	25,833	100%
Loharu State	17,978	87.18%	2,625	12.73%	0	0%	0	0%	18	0.09%	0	0%	20,621	100%
Pataudi State	15,090	83.38%	2,898	16.01%	0	0%	0	0%	109	0.6%	0	0%	18,097	100%
Total	7,002,510	53%	3,838,095	29.05%	2,244,205	16.99%	85,909	0.65%	35,391	0.27%	5,965	0.05%	13,212,075	100%
Territory comprises the contemporary subdivisions of Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

1931 census

Prior to partition, the eastern portion of Punjab that was ultimately awarded to India following the demarcation of the Radcliffe Line was made into a new province – East Punjab. The area includes the contemporary states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Below is the religious demographics of this region broken down by district and princely state with an overall total as per the 1931 Indian census.

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of East Punjab, India region (1931)^{[8]: 277 [e]}

District/ Princely State	Hinduism [f]		Islam		Sikhism		Christianity		Jainism		Others[b]		Total
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Patiala State	623,597	38.36%	363,920	22.39%	632,972	38.94%	1,449	0.09%	3,578	0.22%	4	0%	1,625,520	100%
Firozpur District	244,688	21.15%	515,430	44.56%	388,108	33.55%	7,070	0.61%	1,411	0.12%	25	0%	1,156,732	100%
Amritsar District	174,556	15.63%	524,676	46.97%	399,951	35.8%	16,619	1.49%	1,272	0.11%	46	0%	1,117,120	100%
Hoshiarpur District	526,182	50.98%	328,078	31.78%	173,147	16.77%	3,764	0.36%	1,016	0.1%	0	0%	1,032,187	100%
Jalandhar District	268,822	28.49%	419,556	44.46%	249,571	26.45%	4,323	0.46%	1,379	0.15%	70	0.01%	943,721	100%
Hisar District	583,429	64.86%	253,784	28.21%	55,169	6.13%	1,107	0.12%	5,988	0.67%	2	0%	899,479	100%
Karnal District	570,297	66.89%	259,730	30.46%	16,928	1.99%	1,469	0.17%	4,190	0.49%	0	0%	852,614	100%
Rohtak District	655,963	81.42%	137,880	17.11%	596	0.07%	4,807	0.6%	6,375	0.79%	0	0%	805,621	100%
Kangra District	752,098	93.86%	40,483	5.05%	2,396	0.3%	576	0.07%	94	0.01%	5,665	0.71%	801,312	100%
Ambala District	346,809	46.68%	230,837	31.07%	155,555	20.94%	7,141	0.96%	2,550	0.34%	10	0%	742,902	100%
Gurgaon District	493,174	66.63%	242,357	32.74%	500	0.07%	1,463	0.2%	2,665	0.36%	4	0%	740,163	100%
Gurdaspur District[c]	154,631	21.37%	367,388	50.78%	162,741	22.49%	38,756	5.36%	15	0%	4	0%	723,535	100%
Ludhiana District	120,161	17.87%	235,598	35.03%	312,829	46.52%	2,477	0.37%	1,419	0.21%	10	0%	672,494	100%
Simla Hill States	317,390	95.93%	10,017	3.03%	1,817	0.55%	176	0.05%	141	0.04%	1,309	0.4%	330,850	100%
Jind State	243,561	75.02%	46,002	14.17%	33,290	10.25%	210	0.06%	1,613	0.5%	0	0%	324,676	100%
Kapurthala State	64,319	20.31%	179,251	56.59%	72,177	22.79%	983	0.31%	27	0.01%	0	0%	316,757	100%
Nabha State	132,354	46.02%	57,393	19.96%	97,452	33.89%	66	0.02%	309	0.11%	0	0%	287,574	100%
Mandi State	199,935	96.37%	6,351	3.06%	899	0.43%	141	0.07%	0	0%	139	0.07%	207,465	100%
Faridkot State	20,855	12.69%	49,912	30.37%	92,880	56.51%	167	0.1%	550	0.33%	0	0%	164,364	100%
Sirmoor State	139,031	93.58%	7,020	4.73%	2,413	1.62%	52	0.04%	52	0.04%	0	0%	148,568	100%
Chamba State	135,254	92.09%	10,839	7.38%	112	0.08%	94	0.06%	3	0%	568	0.39%	146,870	100%
Bilaspur State	99,023	98.05%	1,458	1.44%	507	0.5%	6	0.01%	0	0%	0	0%	100,994	100%
Malerkotla State	21,252	25.58%	31,417	37.82%	28,982	34.89%	135	0.16%	1,286	1.55%	0	0%	83,072	100%
Kalsia State	28,832	48.18%	21,797	36.42%	9,035	15.1%	22	0.04%	162	0.27%	0	0%	59,848	100%
Suket State	57,616	98.64%	733	1.25%	44	0.08%	1	0%	0	0%	14	0.02%	58,408	100%
Simla District	28,661	77.91%	5,810	15.79%	760	2.07%	1,540	4.19%	1	0%	14	0.04%	36,786	100%
Dujana State	22,347	79.2%	5,863	20.78%	1	0%	5	0.02%	0	0%	0	0%	28,216	100%
Loharu State	20,198	86.55%	3,119	13.36%	2	0.01%	1	0%	18	0.08%	0	0%	23,338	100%
Pataudi State	15,596	82.64%	3,168	16.79%	1	0.01%	3	0.02%	105	0.56%	0	0%	18,873	100%
Total	7,060,631	48.86%	4,359,867	30.17%	2,890,835	20.01%	94,623	0.65%	36,219	0.25%	7,884	0.05%	14,450,059	100%
Note: Territory comprises the contemporary subdivisions of Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

1941 census

Prior to partition, the eastern portion of Punjab that was ultimately awarded to India following the demarcation of the Radcliffe Line was made into a new province – East Punjab. The area includes the contemporary states of Punjab, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh. Below is the religious demographics of this region broken down by district and princely state with an overall total as per the 1941 Indian census.

Religion in the Districts & Princely States of East Punjab, India region (1941)^{[9]: 42 [g]}

District/ Princely State	Hinduism [f]		Islam		Sikhism		Christianity		Jainism		Others[b]		Total
	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%	Pop.	%
Patiala State	597,488	30.86%	436,539	22.55%	896,021	46.28%	1,592	0.08%	3,101	0.16%	1,518	0.08%	1,936,259	100%
Firozpur District	287,733	20.22%	641,448	45.07%	479,486	33.69%	12,607	0.89%	1,674	0.12%	128	0.01%	1,423,076	100%
Amritsar District	217,431	15.38%	657,695	46.52%	510,845	36.13%	25,973	1.84%	1,911	0.14%	21	0%	1,413,876	100%
Hoshiarpur District	584,080	49.91%	380,759	32.53%	198,194	16.93%	6,165	0.53%	1,125	0.1%	0	0%	1,170,323	100%
Jalandhar District	311,010	27.59%	509,804	45.23%	298,741	26.5%	6,233	0.55%	1,395	0.12%	7	0%	1,127,190	100%
Hisar District	652,842	64.85%	285,208	28.33%	60,731	6.03%	1,292	0.13%	6,126	0.61%	510	0.05%	1,006,709	100%
Karnal District	666,301	66.99%	304,346	30.6%	19,887	2%	1,249	0.13%	2,789	0.28%	3	0%	994,575	100%
Rohtak District	780,474	81.61%	166,569	17.42%	1,466	0.15%	1,043	0.11%	6,847	0.72%	0	0%	956,399	100%
Kangra District	846,531	94.12%	43,249	4.81%	4,809	0.53%	788	0.09%	101	0.01%	3,899	0.43%	899,377	100%
Gurdaspur District[c]	174,221	19.98%	440,323	50.5%	210,688	24.16%	46,743	5.36%	25	0%	6	0%	872,006	100%
Gurgaon District	560,537	65.83%	285,992	33.59%	637	0.07%	1,673	0.2%	2,613	0.31%	6	0%	851,458	100%
Ambala District	412,658	48.68%	268,999	31.73%	156,543	18.47%	6,065	0.72%	3,065	0.36%	415	0.05%	847,745	100%
Ludhiana District	171,715	20.98%	302,482	36.95%	341,175	41.68%	1,913	0.23%	1,279	0.16%	51	0.01%	818,615	100%
Kapurthala State	61,546	16.27%	213,754	56.49%	88,350	23.35%	1,667	0.44%	380	0.1%	12,683	3.35%	378,380	100%
Jind State	268,355	74.17%	50,972	14.09%	40,981	11.33%	161	0.04%	1,294	0.36%	49	0.01%	361,812	100%
Simla Hill States	345,716	96.16%	10,812	3.01%	2,693	0.75%	161	0.04%	126	0.04%	12	0%	359,520	100%
Nabha State	146,518	42.59%	70,373	20.45%	122,451	35.59%	221	0.06%	480	0.14%	1	0%	344,044	100%
Mandi State	227,463	97.79%	4,328	1.86%	583	0.25%	11	0%	0	0%	208	0.09%	232,593	100%
Faridkot State	21,814	10.95%	61,352	30.79%	115,070	57.74%	247	0.12%	800	0.4%	0	0%	199,283	100%
Chamba State	155,910	92.3%	12,318	7.29%	107	0.06%	190	0.11%	0	0%	383	0.23%	168,908	100%
Sirmoor State	146,199	93.7%	7,374	4.73%	2,334	1.5%	38	0.02%	81	0.05%	0	0%	156,026	100%
Bilaspur State	108,375	98.22%	1,498	1.36%	453	0.41%	7	0.01%	3	0%	0	0%	110,336	100%
Malerkotla State	23,482	26.65%	33,881	38.45%	30,320	34.41%	116	0.13%	310	0.35%	0	0%	88,109	100%
Suket State	69,974	98.43%	884	1.24%	234	0.33%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	71,092	100%
Kalsia State	29,866	44.32%	25,049	37.17%	12,235	18.15%	55	0.08%	188	0.28%	0	0%	67,393	100%
Simla District	29,466	76.38%	7,022	18.2%	1,032	2.68%	934	2.42%	114	0.3%	8	0.02%	38,576	100%
Dujana State	23,727	77.37%	6,939	22.63%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	0	0%	30,666	100%
Loharu State	23,923	85.77%	3,960	14.2%	7	0.03%	2	0.01%	0	0%	0	0%	27,892	100%
Pataudi State	17,728	82.38%	3,655	16.98%	0	0%	9	0.04%	128	0.59%	0	0%	21,520	100%
Total	7,963,083	46.93%	5,237,584	30.86%	3,596,073	21.19%	117,155	0.69%	35,955	0.21%	19,908	0.12%	16,969,758	100%
Note: Territory comprises the contemporary subdivisions of Punjab, India, Chandigarh, Haryana, and Himachal Pradesh.

2011 census

Religion

East Punjab comprising the states of (Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh and Union territory of Chandigarh) had a population of 61,014,852 people as of 2011 census report of India. The Hindus form a majority in East Punjab region with 40,234,605 adherents comprising (65.94%), Sikhs are 17,466,731 comprising (28.62%) of the region, Muslims are 2,518,159 comprising (4.12%) of the region and others are 795,357 including Christians, Buddhists, Jains, and atheists together comprising remaining (1.3%) of the region. Sikhs are the majority in Punjab, while Hindus form the majority in Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, and Chandigarh. Muslims are majority in Malerkotla and Nuh districts of Punjab and Haryana.^[11]

Language

As per 2011 census, Punjabi is the most spoken language and is spoken by 28,166,306 people, followed by Hindi which is spoken by 16,259,205 people, Haryanvi by 9,423,138 people and Western Pahari language by 4,599,283 people. While 2,580,928 people speaks other languages like Nepali.^[13]

Modern usage

Since it ceased to be the name of a state, "East Punjab" has been used in India to refer to the eastern part of the present Punjab state, while in Pakistan it means the eastern part of Pakistan's Punjab province, although Pakistanis also sometimes refer to the current Indian Punjab as "East Punjab".^[14] Terms East and West Punjab are also often used in modern India and Pakistan when making a comparison between the two territories.