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B. Chaitanya Reddy IPS (UPSC AIR 161 - 2021)

B. Ravikiran Reddy (UPSC EO/AO AIR 29 - 2020)
Federal
System
CHAPTER 14
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 Foreword

This is not a study material for Polity. This

is merely a free supplementary resource
that helps you to remember things
easily. We have taken Indian Polity by
Laxmikanth (widely read by the
aspirants) as the frame of reference for
creating a skeletal structure for Polity
Mnemonics. This also includes a few
extra mnemonics that are important for
the exam and related to the chapter.
Therefore, some mnemonics may not be
present in the respective chapter of the
reference material

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 Dear Aspirant

We would like to improve this work

further. We need your suggestions for
enhancing the mnemonics. If you feel
any Mnemonic can be improved
further or want to make a mnemonic
suggestion or want to suggest
anything to maximize the utility of this
project to the aspirants, I request you
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I would love to hear from you.

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General Norm to identify whether a
country is unitary or a federation

Big Countries = Federation (we have exceptions like China)

Small Countries = Unitary (we have exceptions like Malaysia)
[Imp for Prelims]

All countries in South America - Except AB-V (Argentina, Brazil &

Venezuela) are Unitary

Most of the countries in Africa are Unitary

New Zealand & Australia are the countries that inherit many
similar features from the UK. For instance, both have adopted
the Parliamentary system from the UK. But, here Australia has
departed & adopted a Federation (owing to its large size)

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France (Unitary) & Germany
(Federation)

[Imp for Prelims]

France adopted the Unitary

model as they didn’t want to
depart from the legacy of
Napoleon Bonaparte

whereas Germany adopted the

Federal model as they didn’t
like the legacy of Hitler

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 In South Asia - Only PIN Nations
have Federation

[Imp for Prelims]

PN
I

Pakistan | India | Nepal

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ScaNDinavian = SND Countries (these
are letters in order extracted from
the word Scandinavia)

[Imp for Prelims] (Scandinavian &

Nordic - All of these countries being
small have adopted Unitary Model)

S N D
Sweden | Norway | Denmark (Greenland)

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Nordic Countries = FINDS (SND +
Iceland + Finland)

[V.Imp for Prelims] (Scandinavian &

Nordic - All of these countries being
small have adopted Unitary Model)

FINDS
Finland | Iceland | Norway | Denmark (Greenland) | Sweden

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8 Countries around Arctic Ocean

(USA & Canada FINDS Russia) [Prelims]

USA & Canada

FINDS
Finland | Iceland | Norway | Denmark (Greenland) | Sweden

Russia
 BIG CARS Federation

(Units of a Federation are known by various names like

States (in the USA), Cantons (in Switzerland), Provinces
(in Canada), Republics (in Russia)

B - Brazil C - Canadian Provinces

I - India A - American States, Australia, Argentina
G - Germany R - Russian Republics
S - Switz Cantons

BIG CARS Federation

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 BSF & CBI FINDS Japan as Unitary!!

To better jot down answers like a ninja in mains or

pick the winning choice in prelims lightning-fast. (as
given in NCERT & Laxmikanth) [Imp for Prelims]

B - Britain C - China
S - Spain & B - Belgium
F - France I - Italy

F - Finland
I - Iceland
N - Norway
D - Denmark
S - Sweden

Japan

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Features of Federal Government -
Bi WRIS

[V.Imp for Prelims & Mains]

Bi - WRIS
Bi means WRIS means

Bicameralism Written Constitution

Division of Powers Rigid Constitution
Dual Government Independent Judiciary
Supremacy of the Constitution

Opposite Features are of Unitary Government: May be

Bicameral (Britain) or Unicameral (China); No Division of
Powers; Single Govt; Written (France) or Unwritten (Britain);
Rigid or Flexible; Independent or may not be Independent;
Constitution may be Supreme (Japan) or may not be (Britain)

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 Reasons for why framers adopted
the Federal System - SDR

(SDR is most familiar acronym for UPSC aspirants -

Special Drawing Rights) [V.Imp for Mains]

S vast Size of India

D great Socio-cultural Diversity

R Reconciles National Unity with

Regional Autonomy

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 Indian Federation resembles
Canadian Federation - SCURF
[Imp for Prelims & Mains]

S Single Citizenship

C Centralizing Tendency

U preference to theterm Union

R Residuary powers with Centre

F in its Formation (by Disintegration)

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 Unitary Features of the Constitution -
PRAISE Flexible Governor with Veto

[Imp for Prelims & Mains]

P - Parliament over State List

R - RS has no equality of Representation

A - All India Services

I - IJ - Independent Judiciary
- IEM - Independent Election Machinery
- IAM - Independent Audit Machinery

S - Strong Centre
- States not Indestructible
- Single Citizenship
- Single Constitution

E - Emergency Provisions

Flexible - Flexibility of the Constitution

Governor - Appointment & Dismissal of Governor

Veto - Veto over State bills

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 The number of
subjects in the lists of
7th Schedule

[Imp for Prelims] [Mains - It will be a great value

addition if you can write the number of subjects
as many can’t remember]

UNION 01 100-2 = 98

CONCURRENT 02 50+2 = 52

STATE 03 60-1 = 59
42nd CAA of 1976 transferred 5 Subjects to
Concurrent List from State List i.e. WEFPA

[V.Imp for Prelims]

WEFPA
W - Weights & Measures
E - Education
F - Forests
P - Protection of Wild Animals & Birds
A - Administration of Justice

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 USA & India - Indestructible States vs
Destructible States

[V.Imp for Prelims]

USA INDIA

In s In
de te de es
st
ru S ta str t at
cti ble uc l eS
b le ti tib
c ti b
u nio n o In d estruc le u n
io n of D estru
f

India = ID = In India States have no right to territorial

integrity. Parliament can by unilateral action
change the ABN - Area, Boundaries, or Name of any
State (by a simple Majority)

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US has Double Citizenship & Double
System of Courts

[V.Imp for Prelims]

US-D
US Dollars are widely used. So associate D with
Double Citizenship & Double System of Courts
(Independent Judiciary)

India has a Single Citizenship & a Single System of

courts (Integrated Judiciary)

(We do not mean to promote rote learning. But want to

help aspirants mark the right option in Prelims &
without confusion in just a few seconds)

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USA countries has Dual Citizenship

(Double Citizenship = National as well

as State Citizenship) [Imp for Prelims]

USA
USA | Switzerland | Australia

USA Switzerland

Australia

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 Power of Parliament to make laws on
State List - RN-SIP (or) R-SPIN

(RN-SIP is in order) [Imp for Prelims]

Link 2 with Link 3 with 3

2 or more states lettered word CAT

249 250 251 252 253

RS Resolution National States International CAT
Emergency Request
Conventions
Agreements
Treaties

356/365
President’s Rule

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 US-D
Comparison between India & USA US Dollars are widely used. So associate D with
Double Citizenship & Double System of Courts
(Independent Judiciary)

India has a Single Citizenship & a Single System of

[V.Imp for Prelims] courts (Integrated Judiciary)

India - USA
Integrated Courts Separate Courts (Independent)
Integrated Election Machinery Separate Election Machinery
Integrated CAG Separate CAG

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 Substantiation of Strong Centre -
IRON

(Division of Powers is in favour of the center and

highly inequitable from the federal angle because
of its IRON fist) [Imp for Mains]

I more Important Subjects in Union List

R Residuary Powers with Centre

O Overriding Authority over Concurrent List

N more Number of Subjects in Union List

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 KC Wheare called Indian Federalism as Quasi
Federal (KC & Quasi are somewhat Rhyming)

(described the Constitution of India as “quasi-federal”)

[Mains Answer enriching line - against Federation]

“Indian Union is a unitary

state with subsidiary
federal features rather
than a federal state with
subsidiary unitary
features.”

KC Wheare

KC Wheare
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 Santhanam on Indian Federation

(Just for remembering!! - Owing to its strong regional

parties - many times there was a conflict between TN &
Centre. So, Santhanam being from TN was critical of the
Centre’s functioning as a Unitary govt)
[Mains Answer enriching line - against Federation]

“India has practically

functioned as a unitary
state though the Union
and the states have tried
to function formally and
legally as a federation.”

K Santhanam
Chairman of the Committee on Prevention of
Corruption/Santhanam Committee (1962) which
resulted in the establishment of CVC in 1964.

K Santhanam
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 Paul Appleby characterizes the Indian system as
“extremely federal” (An Apple at the Extreme edge)

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Morris Jones called Indian Federalism “bargaining
federalism” (More Bargaining woman)

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 Granie in Villa is cooperative

Granville Austin called Indian federalism a “cooperative federalism”.

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 Iron filings - a strong centralizing tendency toward magnet
Ivor Jennings - federation with a strong centralizing tendency

He observed that “the Indian Constitution is mainly federal with

unique safeguards for enforcing national unity and growth”

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Alexan-dro-wicz said “India is a case sui generis
(i.e., unique in character) in its Federation.
(Alexander is Unique)

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 Ambedkar on Indian Federation

[Mains Answer enriching line - Supporting Federation]

Constitution avoids the

tight mould of
federalism and could be
both unitary as well as
federal according to the
requirements of time
and circumstances”

Dr. B.R. Ambedkar

Ambedkar
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In SR Bommai Case Bommai (1994) - SC - Federalism is
the ‘basic feature’ of the Indian Constitution.

[Mains Answer enriching line]

Greater power is conferred upon

the Centre vis-a-vis the states
does not mean that the states
are mere appendages of the
Centre. The states have an
independent constitutional
existence. They are not
satellites or agents of the
Centre. Within the sphere
allotted to them, the states are
supreme.

SR Bommai
Indian Politician and 4th Chief Minister of Karnataka

SR Bommai
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In SR Bommai Case Bommai (1994) - SC - Federalism is
the ‘basic feature’ of the Indian Constitution.

[Mains Answer enriching line]

The fact that during

emergency and in certain
other eventualities their
powers are overridden or
invaded by the Centre is not
destructive of the essential
federal feature of the
Constitution. They are
exceptions and the
exceptions are not a rule.

SR Bommai
Indian Politician and 4th Chief Minister of Karnataka

SR Bommai
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Federalism in India represents a compromise between
the following two conflicting considerations

[Mains Answer enriching line]

Need for national

integrity and a strong
Union government
under exceptional
circumstances.

Normal division of
powers under which
states enjoy autonomy
within their own
spheres

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 Definition of Federalism

[Mains Answer enriching Diagram]

National Govt. States

Federalism

Federalism is a system of government in which power is

divided between the national government and the regional
governments by the Constitution and both operate in their
respective jurisdictions independently.

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 Trends in the working of Indian Political
System that reflects Federal Spirit - DANGER

[Imp for Mains]

D Disputes - Territorial Disputes + ISRWD

(Inter State River Water Disputes)

A Assertion of Autonomy & Resistance to the

interference from Centre

N New States formation to fulfil regional

aspirations

G Grants (41%) - more devolution demands

E Emergency & Presidential Rule related

Procedural Limitations by SC

R Regional Parties rising to prominence

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(Part 1 - Chap 1 to 13)
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