The constitution of India makes the Centre stronger than the states and provides a quasi federal polity. Discuss.
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Explanation:
Q. The constitution of India makes the Centre stronger than the States and provides a quasi-federal polity. Discuss. (250 words)
14 Apr, 2020GS Paper 2 Polity & Governance
Enlist the features that make India a federal country.
Enlist the features of Indian Constitution that reflect an centralising tendency.
Conclude Suitably
Introduction
The Constitution of India establishes a federal system of government as it contains all the usual features of a federation, viz., dual administration, division of powers, written Constitution, supremacy of Constitution, rigidity of Constitution, independent judiciary and bicameralism.
However, the Indian Constitution also contains a large number of unitary or non-federal features. Moreover, Article 1 of the Indian constitution describes India as a ‘Union of States’.
Body
Features of Indian Constitution that reflect an centralising tendency
Inequitable Division of Power
The division of powers is in favour of the Centre and highly inequitable from the federal angle. As the Union List contains more important subjects (like defence, currency, external affairs, citizenship, railways) than the State List, the Centre has overriding authority over the Concurrent List and the residuary powers have also been left with the Centre.
No Territorial Integrity with States
The Parliament can by unilateral action change the area, boundaries or name of any state.
Flexibility of the Constitution
The Constitution of India embodies not only the Constitution of the Centre but also those of the states.
Further, the bulk of the Constitution can be amended by the unilateral action of the Parliament and the power to initiate an amendment to the Constitution lies only with the Centre.