68th De Facto Merger Day of Puducherry to Be Celebrated on November 1

Puducherry Chief Minister N.Rangasamy would unfurl the tri-colour here on November 1 to mark the celebration of the 68th de facto merger day of Puducherry. Puducherry and its outlying regions of Karaikal, Mahe and Yanam merged with the Indian Union as a result of the referendum held at the border village of Kizhoor on October 18, 1954.

A Treaty of Cession was signed in the wake of the referendum between the then French and Indian governments and the de facto merger was effected with the transfer of power from the the French to the Indian government.

The de jure transfer of power took place on August 16, 1962 and Puducherry together with the other regions was made a Union Territory in the wake of the de jure transfer of power.

There has, however, been a demand by most of the governments that Puducherry be granted statehood. Resolutions were adopted in the Assembly on several occasions and sent to the Centre for grant of statehood. But nothing happened so far.