The Yanam coup d'état dated 13 June 1954 had enraged the French authorities of Puducherry. Rumours were spread to the effect that the French government were despatching a
cruiser to Yanam to capture Merger leaders and to re-establish their authority. After the coup, the last
administrator of Yanam, George Sala was recalled by
André Ménard, then Governor General of
Puducherry in June 1954.
Dadala was also appointed as Acting Commissioner for Yanam for 14 days. Towards the end of June 1954,
Kewal Singh paid a visit to Yanam and requested Dadala's return to Pondicherry to continue his activities there. On 3 July, on Kewal Singh's request, Dadala left Yanam, after making all arrangements for its proper administration.
De facto transfer Yanam remained under French control till 13 June 1954, when it joined the Republic of India by Indian military action. On 1 November 1954, after long years of freedom struggle the
de facto transfer (Vāstavikāntaraṇa) of the four enclaves of
Pondicherry, Yanam,
Mahé, and
Karikal to India was achieved. The Prime Minister,
Jawaharlal Nehru, visited Puducherry on 16 January 1955. Messrs
Edouard Goubert, S. Perumal, Dadala and Sri Pakirisamy Pillai presented addresses to Pandit Nehru in a public meeting in the maidan of Gorimedu. Since 2014, 1 November is celebrated as
Liberation day throughout Puducherry U.T. and is a public Holiday. This initiative has been taken shortly after the NDA government had taken power in 2014 and then newly appointed Lt. Governor
A. K. Singh had issued a notification regarding that decision of central government.
1956 Treaty of cession A treaty of cession was signed by the two countries on 28 May 1956. The
de jure transfer was delayed until the end of the
Algerian War. The treaty was ratified by the
French parliament in May 1962. On 16 August 1962 (De Jure Day) India and France exchanged the instruments of ratification under which France ceded to India full sovereignty over the territories it held.
Special administration status According to
Traité de cession dated 1956, the
four former French colonies were assured of maintaining their special administrative status. That is why Puducherry is the only Union Territory with some special provisions like Legislative Assembly, French as official language, etc. This is the most important article in the
Traité de Cession, which ensures and safeguards the personal interest of the people regarding their special administrative status. The
Article II of
1956 Traité de Cession which is valid in both English and French versions, states that,
Merger with the Union Territory of Pondicherry Pondicherry and the settlements of Karikal, Mahé and
Yanaon became a
Union Territory with effect from 7 January 1963 by the
14th amendment to the
Indian Constitution, which was notified in
The Gazette of India on 29 December 1962. In the same year, on 10 May, as the people aspired for a popular Government, the
Indian Parliament enacted the
Government of Union Territories Act, 1963 that came into force on
1 July 1963, and the pattern of Government prevailing in the rest of the country was introduced in this territory also, but subject to certain limitations.
Dates of important events of merger of French India Some communes of Pondicherry were liberated. The communes of Nettapacom, Tiroubouvane were liberated on 31 March 1954 and 6 April 1954 respectively. Also, some villages of Bahour commune were liberated around same time. ==Geography==