States Reorganisation Act, 1956 · Chapter III: Zones and Zonal Councils
Section 15: Establishment of Zonal Councils
As from the appointed day, there shall be a Zonal Council for each of the following five zones, namely:
(a) the Northern Zone, comprising the States of [Haryana], [Punjab, Himachal Pradesh], Rajasthan and Jammu and Kashmir* and the [Union territories] of Delhi, [and Chandigarh];
(b) the Central Zone, comprising the States of Uttar Pradesh and Madhya Pradesh;
[(c) the Eastern Zone, comprising the States of Bihar, West Bengal [Orissa and Sikkim];]
[(d) the Western Zone, comprising the States of Goa, Gujarat and Maharashtra and the Union territories of Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu; and]
(e) the Southern Zone, comprising the States of Andhra Pradesh, [ [Tamil Nadu], [Karnataka] and Kerala] [and the Union territory of Pondicherry].
Source: India Code (indiacode.gov.in), the consolidated text published by the Legislative Department, Government of India. Text as updated on India Code on 15 October 2026. Words in square brackets [ ] were inserted or substituted by later amending Acts, and *** marks words omitted by an amendment. The amendment footnotes are not reproduced here. Official text on India Code.