Under Article 356 of the Constitution of India, President's Rule was imposed for the very first time after independence in which Indian state?

Introduction / Context:
Article 356 of the Constitution of India empowers the President to impose President's Rule in a state when the constitutional machinery of that state is considered to have failed. This provision has been controversial, because it has often been used in politically sensitive situations. Knowing the first instance when President's Rule was imposed is an important factual detail in Indian Polity. The question asks about the very first state where this extraordinary measure was applied after the Constitution came into force, which helps in understanding the early history of centre state relations in India.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The subject is President's Rule under Article 356 of the Indian Constitution.
• The question is about the first state where this provision was actually used after independence.
• Four states are given as options, all of which have seen President's Rule at various times.
• The task is simple factual recall of the earliest case.

Concept / Approach:
President's Rule means that the elected state government is dismissed and the administration is run in the name of the President, effectively by the central government. After the Constitution came into force in 1950, political instability in some states soon tested Article 356. Historical records show that Punjab was the first state where President's Rule was imposed in the early nineteen fifties due to internal party conflicts and breakdown of governance. An aspirant with a strong grasp of polity timelines would recall this early use and match the state correctly. The other options also experienced President's Rule but at later dates, so they can be eliminated through chronological awareness.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Recall that Article 356 became operative after the Constitution of India commenced in 1950. Step 2: Review early instances of President's Rule and note that Punjab saw this imposition in 1951 because of serious political infighting and instability. Step 3: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, and Assam all experienced President's Rule later, particularly in the nineteen fifties and nineteen sixties, not as the very first case. Step 4: Compare the options and identify Punjab as the earliest state to come under President's Rule. Step 5: Select Punjab as the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
A quick verification method is to consult a standard polity reference or timeline of President's Rule in India. Such tables often list year wise imposition of Article 356 in different states. The entries show that Punjab was placed under President's Rule in 1951 and is explicitly mentioned as the first use of Article 356. Additional references on centre state relations also repeat this fact. Cross checking in this way confirms that Punjab, not Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, or Assam, was the first state subjected to President's Rule under the Constitution.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Andhra Pradesh: President's Rule was imposed here in later years, not as the inaugural case, so it is incorrect in the context of the first use. Bihar: This state has faced President's Rule multiple times, but not the earliest one. Assam: Also experienced President's Rule later, often connected with law and order issues, but again not the first instance. Since the question specifically asks for the first state, these three options do not match the required condition and are therefore wrong.

Common Pitfalls:
One common mistake is to guess Andhra Pradesh or Bihar because candidates remember frequent political crises there. Another error is to confuse the earliest imposition with the state that has seen President's Rule the maximum number of times. Some learners also mix up events before the Constitution, such as Governor's rule under colonial arrangements, with post independence constitutional practice. To avoid these pitfalls, it is useful to memorise a few key firsts related to Article 356, including the first state, famous Supreme Court judgments like S R Bommai, and later reforms that tried to limit misuse of this provision.

Final Answer:
President's Rule under Article 356 was imposed for the first time in the state of Punjab.