What makes India a federal country ?

1. Constitution clearly provided a three fold

distribution of legislative powers.
Union list
 National Interest
 Union Government makes laws
 Defence, foreign affairs, Banking,
currency and communication
 Uniform policy throughout the county.
 97 Subject
State list
 Subject of state interest
 Only state government can make laws
 Police,Trade,Agriculture,Irrigation
 66 subjects
Concurrent list
 Subject of common interest
 Both central and state can frame laws
but in case of conflict Union
government law to previle
 Education,forest,marriage, adoption
Residuary Subject like computer
software IT comes in this subject.
2. States in India not have identical powers
 All states in Indian union do not have
identical powers.
 Some states enjoy special status.
 Some States are independent States.
 Union Territories with legislature
 Delhi(National Capital Territory)
 Puducherry
 Jammu and Kashmir
 Union Territories without legislature
(lieutenant Governor)
 Andaman and Nicobar
 Chandigarh
 Dadra and Nagar haveli
 Daman and Diu
 Lakshwadeep
 Ladakh
NOTE : At present 28 states and 9 union
territories
 Union Territories do not have power of state.
3. Bilateral Decision
 Sharing of power between Union
government and State government.
 Parliament cannot on its own change the
power sharing arrangement.
 Any change to it has to be first passed by
both houses of parliament with atleast 2/3
rd majority.
 Then it has to be ratified by legislatures
of atleast half of the total states.
4. Independent Judiciary
 Judiciary place an important role in
implementation of constitutional
provisions
 In case of disputes about division of
powers high court and supreme court
makes decision.
HOW
FEDERALISM
PRACTICED IN
INDIA
LINGUISTIC STATES
 Creation of linguistic states was the first
and major test for democratic politics in our
country.
 Many old states vanished ,new states
created based on languages.
 Some states are created not on basis of
language but based on culture ethnicity or
Geography.
Nagaland,Jharkhand,Uttarkhand.
 National leaders feared that it would
lead to disintegration.
 But the experience shows that the formation
of linguistic states has actually made country
more united.
 State Reorganization commission was
formed in 1956 to recommend creation of
states on the linguistic basis.
 LANGUAGE POLICY

 No National language
 Hindi identified as Official language. But Hindi is
mother tongue of only 40% of Indians.
 Besides Hindi 21 other languages recognized as
scheduled languages.
 The leaders of our country adopted very cautious
attitude in spreading the use of HINDI.
 In 1965 Government stopped English as an
Official Language.
 Violent protest started in TN and non-speaking
Hindi states .
 After that English also declared as Official
Language
 According to 1991 census of India
grouped 1500 distinct languages into 114
major languages

 CENTER -STATE RELATIONSHIP
BEFORE 1990

 Same Party ruled both at center and in

most of the states.
 State Government did not exercise their
rights as autonomous federal units.
 Central Government often Misuse the
constitution and dismiss the state
Government that were controlled by
rival parties.
AFTER 1990 - PERILS OF RUNNING A
COAILATION GOVERNMENT
 Rise of regional parties
 Bringing of coailation government
 No single party got clear majority

This lead to new culture of power sharing

and respect for autonomy of State
government. Now it is difficult for central
Government to dismiss State Government.
 ONE MARK QUESTIONS
1. The Indian Federalism consists of how many
states and Union Territories?
2. How many languages are included in 8th
schedule of Indian Constitution ?
3. In which list do agriculture and Irrigation fall?
4. In which list do currency and banking fall?
5. In which education , forest, marriage fall?
6. Which level of the government in India has
power to legislate on the residuary subject?
7. When was the report of the states
reorganization commission implemented ?
8. Which language has recognized as the
national language by the constitution of
India?
9. Name any two states which created not on
the basis of language but recognized based
on culture , ethnicity or geography.
10. Which period saw the rise of regional
political parties in many states of our
country?
 IMPORTANT QUESTIONS
1. Describe three fold distribution of legislative powers
between Union Government and State government of
India.
2. Why did makers of our constitution declared India to
be a Union of states ? Why were some sub political
units of India given special status?
3. Promotion of Hindi continues to be Official policy of
Government of India. Elucidate.
4. How challenge of Language policy adopted by the
Indian federalism?
5. Describe the center – State relationship in Indian
Federalism .
6. What makes India federal country?
7. How is Federalism practiced in India ?
 DECENTRALIZATION
IN
INDIA

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RURAL LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT
Gram Sabha :
 A body comprising of all adult
members of a village.
Functions of Gram sabha:
 It elects the members of the Gram
Panchayat.
 Gram sabha supervises the work of
Village panchayat.
 It approves an annual budget of
panchayat.
 Reviews the performance of
Panchayat.
Gram panchayat :
 A council consisting of several ward
members often called panch.
 The president called sar-panch. The
decision making body of entire village.
Panchayat Samiti/Mandal/Block :
 A few Gram Panchayats grouped
together to form the Government body.
Zilla parishad :
 All the Mandal in a district together
constitute Zilla Parishad.
 Most of the members are elected and
headed by chairperson.
URBAN LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT
Municipalities:
 Municipalities are set up in towns.
 The elected bodies consisting of
people representatives.
 The town is divided into wards.
 People elect the ward members
named as Councilors.
 Municipal chairman is the political
head of the Municipality.
Municipal corporations :
 Municipal Corporations are
controlled by the elected bodies
consisting of people’s representatives.
 Corporations are set up in cities.
 The political head of the municipal
corporation is mayor.
 IMPACT OF LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT
 Constitutional status for Local
Government has helped to deepen
democracy
 It has increased women’s
representation and voice in our
democracy.
 There are now about 36 lakhs
elected representatives in the
panchayats and municipalities.
DIFFICULTIES :
 Gram Sabhas are not held
regularly.
 Most state government have not
transferred significant powers to
local self government.
 State Governments do not provide
adequate resource.
 One mark questions

1. By which name the rural local

government is popularly known ?
2. What is the official post for the
chairperson of municipal corporation ?
3. Name the system of panchayat raj
works at each level.
4. When was major step taken towards
decentralization ?
5. How much seats are reserved for the
women in local self government ?
Multiple Choice Questions
1) Who is the political head for
Municipality ?

a. Mayor
b.Councilor
c. Commissioner
d.Municipal Chairman
 Important Question
I. Analyze the advantage of decentralization
II. Which 5 provisions of constitutional
amendment of 1992 strengthen the third tier
of democracy in India? Explain.
III. What is gram sabha.?.Describe any 4
functions of Gram sabha.
IV. Explain any 5 features of Pachayt raj system
in India.
V. What is the rationale for decentralization of
powers. Explain the structure of local self
government in India.