Which commission's recommendations formed the basis of the Punjab Reorganisation Act that created the separate states of Punjab and Haryana in 1966?

Introduction / Context:
The Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966 is a very important milestone in the political and administrative history of independent India. It led to the creation of the present day states of Punjab and Haryana and also affected the boundaries of Himachal Pradesh. Before any such reorganisation, the Government of India often set up expert commissions to study demands, recommend boundaries, and suggest administrative arrangements. This question asks which specific commission's recommendations formed the basis for the Punjab Reorganisation Act. Knowing the names and roles of these commissions is essential for exams that cover Indian Polity and post independence state formation.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The focus is on the creation of Punjab and Haryana as separate states in 1966.
• The question clearly refers to recommendations that shaped the Punjab Reorganisation Act.
• Four different commissions are listed as options, all of which have appeared in Indian constitutional and political history in different contexts.
• The task is to match the correct commission with the specific event of Punjab's reorganisation.

Concept / Approach:
After independence, linguistic and regional demands led to several reorganisations of states. For Punjab, the demand for a Punjabi speaking state and separate treatment of Hindi speaking areas gained momentum. The central government therefore appointed the Shah Commission under Justice J C Shah to demarcate the boundaries between Punjab and the proposed Haryana based on language and administrative convenience. The Punjab Reorganisation Act, 1966, was largely based on the recommendations of this Shah Commission. Other commissions in the options are associated with different matters, so elimination and proper matching provide the right answer.

Step-by-Step Solution:

Step 1: Recall that the Dhar Commission was one of the early bodies that examined the principle of linguistic reorganisation of states soon after independence, but it did not specifically handle the Punjab Haryana division in 1966. Step 2: Remember that the Mahajan Commission is better known for dealing with certain interstate boundary disputes, such as the Maharashtra Gujarat region, and not for the Punjab and Haryana partition. Step 3: Note that the central government appointed the Shah Commission under Justice J C Shah to recommend how to divide Punjab into a Punjabi speaking state and a Hindi speaking state. Step 4: The recommendations of the Shah Commission were translated into law through the Punjab Reorganisation Act of 1966. Step 5: Therefore, the correct answer is Shah Commission.

Verification / Alternative check:
An efficient way to verify this answer is to connect each commission with its famous work. The States Reorganisation Commission led by Fazl Ali is different and not listed here. The Dhar Commission was earlier and more general. The Mahajan Commission dealt with specific boundary disputes in western India. By contrast, standard polity and history texts specifically mention the Shah Commission in connection with the Punjab Haryana division. When the Punjab Reorganisation Act is discussed, the name Shah Commission repeatedly appears, confirming that this is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Dhar Commission: This commission reported on the principle of linguistic states in the late nineteen forties, not on the detailed partition of Punjab in 1966. Das Commission: This is not the commission historically associated with Punjab reorganisation and is included only as a distractor. Mahajan Commission: Known for its report on the Maharashtra and Gujarat border issue, not for creating Haryana. None of these options correspond directly to the Punjab Reorganisation Act, so they are incorrect here.

Common Pitfalls:
Students often confuse different commissions because many of them dealt with state boundaries and reorganisation. A typical mistake is to assume that any commission that handled borders must have shaped all reorganisation laws. Another error is mixing up the States Reorganisation Commission with the Shah Commission. To avoid such confusion, aspirants should create a small table linking each commission to its main recommendation and the law or event that followed. Regular revision of this mapping ensures that questions like this can be answered quickly and accurately under exam pressure.

Final Answer:
The Punjab Reorganisation Act that created the separate states of Punjab and Haryana was based on the recommendations of the Shah Commission.