FEDERALISM – 

QUASI–FEDERAL NATURE
CONSTITUTIONAL
LAW
- GAYATHRI.D (19BLA1019)
 Government systems

Federal system Unitary system

 IS INDIA
A FEDERAL 
COUNTRY?
 •  Dual polity​
•  Written constitution​
SOME • Division of powers​
FEDERAL FEATURES • Supremacy
of the constitution​
 IN THE • Rigidity​
CONSTITUTION • Independent judiciary​
• Bicameralism​
 In view of many historians such as according
to KC Wheare, practically the constitution of
India is not strictly federal in nature whereas it is
the quasi-federal in nature. In the words of D.D.
Basu, the constitution of India is a combination
INDIA - "A QUASI- of the federal and unitary system it’s neither
purely federal nor unitary.
FEDERAL COUNTRY"
The Chairman of the Drafting Committee, Dr.
Ambedkar had therefor appropriately said that
“Our Constitution would be both unitary as well
as federal as per the prerequisites of time and
circumstances”.
 WHY INDIA IS NOT
A FEDERAL COUNTRY
?
 • Strong center 

SOME UNITARY
• States not indestructible 
• Single constitution 
FEATURES IN • Rigid and flexible 

THE
• Single citizenship 
• Integrated judiciary 
CONSTITUTION •
•
Emergency provisions 
Appointment of
governor 
• All India services 
Thus, India is a Quasi-federal
country having combination
of both unitary and federal
features
 CENTER-STATE RELATIONS

LEGISLATIVE Part XI ADMINISTRATIVE

Article Article
245- 256-
255 263
Part XII

FINANCIAL 

Article
263-
293

CENTRE-STATE RELATIONS
Article 352, 356, 360
DURING EMERGENCY