Federalism Vs. Centralisation: The Power Shift In Indian Constitutional Law
- IJLLR Journal
- May 11
- 1 min read
K Radhamani, Assistant Professor, School of Law, Prist (Deemed To Be) University, Madurai Campus
ABSTRACT
The constitutional framework of India provides a good example of a blend of centralization and federalism, typifying the country’s diversities and socio-political complexities. The Constitution refers to India as a "Union of States," but the Constitution values the power distribution between the Union and states under a quasi-federal model that includes the Union List, State List and Concurrent List of the Seventh Schedule. The Union's primacy within the federal model creates a semblance of authority over the States, which priority has led to some discussion on whether State sovereignty is eroding, particularly in circumstances where the Union acts, particularly in emergencies. The development and introduction of the Goods and Services Tax (GST), for instance, demonstrates a trend of re-centralization of interests that will increase discussion on the persistent tensions within federalism. Federalism also brings to light fiscal issues and concerns over the principles of equitable distribution, indicating that with an evolving society comes the chance to revise the center-sharing relationship as it relates to state identity in preserving cooperative federalism and regional identity while being integrated within a national and single-identity polity.
Keywords: Federalism, centralization
