White Paper on Indian States (1950)/Part 4/Standstill Agreement

by Ministry of States, Government of India

Standstill Agreement

82. Standstill Agreements, the acceptance of which was made by the Government of India conditional on accession by the States concerned were also entered into between the Dominion Government and the acceding States. The Standstill Agreements (Appendix IX), provided for the continuance for the time being of all subsisting agreements and administrative arrangements in matters of common concern between the States and the Dominion of India or any part thereof.

APPENDIX IX

Agreement between the State of. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .and the Dominion of India

Whereas it is to the benefit and advantage of the Dominion of India as well as of the Indian States that existing agreements and administrative arrangements in the matters of common concern, should continue for the time being, between the Dominion of India or any part thereof and the Indian States:

Now therefore it is agreed between the. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .State and the Dominion of India that:—

1. (1) Until new agreements in this behalf are made, all agreements and administrative arrangements as the matters of common concern now existing between the Crown and any Indian State shall, in so far as may be appropriate, continue as between the Dominion of India or, as the case may be, the part thereof, and the State.

(2) In particular, and without derogation from the generality of sub-clause (1) of this clause the matters referred to above shall include the matters specified in the Schedule to this Agreement.

2. Any dispute arising out of this Agreement, or out of the agreements or arrangements hereby continued, shall, unless any provision is made therein for arbitration by an authority other than the Governor-General or Governor, be settled by arbitration according, as far as may be, to the procedure of the Indian Arbitration Act, 1899.

3. Nothing in this Agreement includes the exercise of any paramountcy functions.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .State.
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Secretary to the Government of India.

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SCHEDULE

1. Air Communications.
2. Arms and equipment.
3. Control of commodities.
4. Currency and coinage.
5. Customs.
6. Indian States Forces.

7. External Affairs.
8. Extradition.
9. Import and Export Control.
10. Irrigation and Electric Power.
11. Motor vehicles.
12. National Highways.
13. Opium.
14. Posts, Telegraphs and Telephones.
15. Railways (including police and other arrangements in Railway lands).
16. Salt.
17. Central Excises, relief from double income-tax and other arrangements relating to taxation.
18. Wireless.