The Panipat district, including the area of Panipat, Karnal and Sonipat, was formed in the re-organisation of 1824. In 1832, the district was included in N.W.P. In 1851, the Panipat district was divided into Panipat and Karnal tahsils with the headquarters at Panipat and Gharaunda. In 1854, the headquarters of the district were shifted to Karnal. So, in place of Panipat, Karnal district began to function. Upto the end of October, 1989, the Panipat tahsil remained a part of Karnal district. On November 1, 1989, after taking Panipat and Assandh3 tahsils from Karnal district, the Panipat district was formed. During this re-organisation4 Ballah as a sub-tahsil was created .The administrative set-up on December 31, 1990, is as under :-
1. District Census Handbook of Faridabad District, 1991, p.1.
2. Vide Haryana Government Notification No. 716-E(VI)-80/5163.
3. After census operations of 1991, Assandh tahsil was included in Karnal district.
4. The Panipat district remained abolished during the period from 24th July, 1991 to 31st December,1991. It was revived again on 1st January,1992.
The district had two sub-divisions (Panipat and Assandh); 2 tahsils (Panipat and Assandh); and 3 sub-tahsils (Samalkha, Israna and Ballah).