| Year Start: | 1947 |
| Year End: | 1956 |
| Cmfirst Year: | 1952-1956 |
| Cm First: | C. M. Poonacha |
| Coorg State | |
| Former: | yes |
| Type: | Former State |
| Region: | South India |
| Formation Date4: | 26 January 1947 |
| Dissolution: | 1 November 1956 |
| P1: | Coorg Province |
| Flag P1: | British Raj Red Ensign.svg |
| S1: | Mysore State |
| Flag S1: | Flag of India.svg |
Coorg State was a Part-C state in India which existed from 1950 to 1956. When the Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950, most of the existing provinces were reconstituted into states. Thus, Coorg Province became Coorg State. Coorg State was ruled by a Chief Commissioner with Mercara as its capital. The head of the government was the Chief Minister. Coorg State was abolished on 1 November 1956 as per the States Reorganisation Act, 1956 and its territory was merged with Mysore State (later renamed as Karnataka in 1973).[1] Currently, Coorg forms a district of Karnataka state.
The Coorg State came into being on 26 January 1950 as per the Constitution of India. Prior to the enactment of the Constitution, Coorg had been a province of the Dominion of India.
The first legislative elections in Coorg were held in 1952. The main contenders were the Indian National Congress led in the state by C. M. Poonacha and the Takkadi party led by the Gandhian Pandyanda Belliappa. While the Congress supported merger with the neighbouring Mysore State, the Takkadi party fought the election on an anti-merger plank. The Indian National Congress won a majority of 15 seats while the Takkadi party bagged the remaining nine seats.
(1) Dewan Bahadur Ketolira Chengappa, became its first Chief Commissioner from 1947–1949
(2) C.T. Mudaliar became Chief Commissioner from 1949–1950
(3) Kanwar Baba Daya Singh Bedi, Chief Commissioner from 1950–1956[2]
Government was formed in Coorg by Indian National Congress, who won 15 of 24 seats. Cabinet was formed with two ministers (including Chief Minister), which lasted till States Reorganisation Act on 1 November 1956.
Cheppudira Muthana Poonacha won from Berriathnad constituency became the first and last Chief Minister of Coorg State from 1952 till 1956.[2]
As a result of the States Reorganisation Act of 1 November 1956, when India's state boundaries were reorganised, Coorg State became a district of the then Mysore State[2] [3] [4] Mysore State was later renamed as Karnataka and part of the historical region of Coorg now forms the Kodagu district of Karnataka.[5]