Question

Unitarian-Federalism in India.

Answer 1

The Constitution of India establishes a system of government that is federal in structure but unitary in spirit. This is often referred to as “quasi-federal” or unitarian-federalism. Like a federal system, the Indian Constitution provides for a division of powers between the Union and the States through the Union, State, and Concurrent Lists in the Seventh Schedule. It also has a written constitution, supremacy of the constitution, and an independent judiciary, all features of federalism.

However, India departs from classical federalism in several ways. During emergencies, the Union government becomes extremely powerful, and the states come under its control. Also, the governor, appointed by the president, plays a key role in state administration, and the parliament can change state boundaries or names, which is not possible in a strict federal system.

Thus, India is described as a federal polity with a strong unitary bias, ensuring both unity and diversity in a large and pluralistic country.