India’s federalism is in need of a structural reset
GS2Polity · Governance · IR· Federalism & Centre-State relations· Mains·
Why in news
The Tamil Nadu government established a High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations to address the perceived shift toward excessive centralization and propose a structural reset for Indian federalism.
Background
The Indian Constitution was designed with a centralizing bias following Partition to ensure national unity. K. Santhanam, a Constituent Assembly member, had previously cautioned against the indiscriminate accumulation of power at the national level.
Facts for Prelims
- PostK. Santhanam: A prominent voice during the Constituent Assembly deliberations who cautioned against excessive centralization.
- FactTamil Nadu government established a High-Level Committee on Union-State Relations to review contemporary federal issues.
For Mains
Q. Critically analyze the shift from a cooperative federalism model to a centralized governance structure in India and its impact on state autonomy.
Dimensions to cover in your answer
- Institutional friction: Tension between Union policy interventions and the constitutional mandate for state autonomy.
- Democratic deficit: Potential stifling of regional innovation due to centralized legislative dominance.
- Constitutional evolution: Balancing the 'centralizing bias' of the post-Partition era with modern federal requirements.
Keywords: Cooperative Federalism · Unitary Bias · State Autonomy · Constituent Assembly · Structural Reset · Union-State Relations
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