:Coorg State

{{Infobox Indian state or territory

| year_start = 1950

| year_end = 1956

| cmfirst_year = 1952-1956

| cm_first = C. M. Poonacha

| name = Coorg State

| former = yes

| type = Former State

| image_map = Coorg in India (1951).svg

| region = South India

| formation_date4 = 26 January 1950

| dissolution = 1 November 1956

| capital =

| p1 = Coorg Province

| flag_p1 = British Raj Red Ensign.svg

| s1 = Mysore State

| flag_s1 = Flag of India.svg

}}

File:South Indian territories.svg before the States Reorganisation Act of 1956 with Coorg State in dark green]]

Coorg State was a Part-C state in India which existed from 1950 to 1956. When the Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950, most of the existing provinces were reconstituted into states. Thus, Coorg Province became Coorg State. Coorg State was ruled by a Chief Commissioner with Mercara as its capital. The head of the government was the Chief Minister. Coorg State was abolished on 1 November 1956 as per the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and its territory was merged with Mysore State (later renamed as Karnataka in 1973).{{cite web|url=https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/when-kodagu-merged-mysore-short-political-history-region-130609|title=When Kodagu merged with Mysore: A short political history of the region|date=12 August 2020 }} Currently, Coorg forms a district of Karnataka state.

History

The Coorg State came into being on 26 January 1950 as per the Constitution of India. Prior to the enactment of the Constitution, Coorg had been a province of the Dominion of India.

The first legislative elections in Coorg were held in 1952. The main contenders were the Indian National Congress led in the state by C. M. Poonacha and the Takkadi party led by the Gandhian Pandyanda Belliappa. While the Congress supported merger with the neighbouring Mysore State, the Takkadi party fought the election on an anti-merger plank. The Indian National Congress won a majority of 15 seats while the Takkadi party bagged the remaining nine seats.

Commissioners of Coorg State

(1) Dewan Bahadur Ketolira Chengappa, became its first Chief Commissioner from 1947–1949

(2) C.T. Mudaliar became Chief Commissioner from 1949–1950

(3) Kanwar Baba Daya Singh Bedi, Chief Commissioner from 1950–1956{{cite web|url=http://www.worldstatesmen.org/India_states.html|title=Indian states since 1947|first=Ben|last=Cahoon|website=www.worldstatesmen.org}}

Government of Coorg

Government was formed in Coorg by Indian National Congress, who won 15 of 24 seats. Cabinet was formed with two ministers (including Chief Minister), which lasted till States Reorganisation Act on 1 November 1956.

=[[Chief Minister of Coorg|Chief Minister]]=

Cheppudira Muthana Poonacha won from Berriathnad constituency became the first and last Chief Minister of Coorg State from 1952 till 1956.

=Cabinet=

Cheppudira Muthana Poonacha, who was the Chief Minister took the charge of Ministry of Finance for Coorg State.
Kuttur Mallappa (elected to the assembly from the Sanivarsanthe constituency became the Home Minister of Coorg State

Dissolution

As a result of the States Reorganisation Act of 1 November 1956, when India's state boundaries were reorganised, Coorg State became a district of the then Mysore State{{cite web|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ZOfsAAAAMAAJ&q=Coorg+|title=Development of Mysore state, 1940-56|first1=M. B.|last1=Gayathri|first2=University of|last2=Mysore|date=6 April 1997|publisher=University of Mysore|via=Google Books}}{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=UM3LjKo8Uo8C&q=Coorg+&pg=PA383|title=Karnataka Government and Politics|first=Harish|last=Ramaswamy|date=6 April 2018|publisher=Concept Publishing Company|isbn=9788180693977|via=Google Books}} Mysore State was later renamed as Karnataka and part of the historical region of Coorg now forms the Kodagu district of Karnataka.{{cite book|last=Muthanna|first=I M|title=Coorg Memoirs (The story of the Kodavas)}}