The States Reorganisation Act, 1956, was passed to reorganise the boundaries of Indian states based on linguistic lines. As a result of this Act, 14 states and 6 union territories were formed. The restructuring was done to address the aspirations of different linguistic communities and ensure smoother governance. Some states were merged, and new ones were created based on the need for regional autonomy. The process significantly impacted the political landscape of post-independence India.