Centre State Relations In India

The Indian constitution declares India as federal. That means it is a union of states where
power is divided between centre and states as per the procedure mentioned in the
constitution. In this two tier system, the central government have the final say in all the
matters and in this way India is federal but unitary. The different relations between centre
and state are as follows:

• LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS
• ADMINISTRATIVE RELATIONS
• FINANCIAL RELATIONS

Legislative Centre-State Relations:

Articles 245 to 255 in the Indian constitution deal with the legislative aspect of centre states
relation. Legislation means the power of making a law which is enforceable. Both the central
and state governments in India have the power to make laws. But, the matters on which they
can make laws differ. While the centre can make laws applicable to the nation as a whole, the
states have the power to make laws applicable in their own territory that too in some matters
only. Some matters need both the centre and state legislations. They are as given:

UNION LIST:
Union list Include the matters on which only central government can make legislations. The
state governments are bounded by these legislations. Union list has 100 subjects on which it
has exclusive authority to make laws. These include Foreign affairs, Defence, Armed forces,
Communications, Posts and telegraphs, inter-state trade and commerce and so on.

STATE LIST:
State list includes the matters on which the respective state governments can make laws. The
state list consists of 61 subjects which include Public order in the state, police, administration
of justice, prisons, Local Governments, agriculture and so on.However, under some situations
such as emergency, The Centre will take over the State list as well.

CONCURRENT LIST:
The Concurrent list includes the subjects on which both central and state governments have
the power to make laws. The Concurrent list has 52 subjects which include Criminal and Civil
procedure, marriage and divorce, economic and special planning, trade unions, labour
welfare electricity, newspapers, books and printing presses,population control and so
on.However, the centre has the sole powers to take over the concurrent list if needed.
On all the subject matters mentioned above, finally, the central government have the powers
to take over every subject in any situation. Such is the power given to the centre by the Indian
Constitution.

Administrative Centre-State Relations:

Articles 256 to 263 The Indian Constitution deal with the administrative aspect of centre-state
relations in India. Regarding Administration, State governments are like sub-ordinates to the
Centre. Central government gives directions to the State governments in the course of
administrative action.
Even some matters like railways, central excise, income tax, post and telegraph and so on are
directly administered by the central government. Hence, in administrative matters also
Centre has the final say.

Financial Centre-State Relations:

Articles 268 to 293 in the Indian constitution deal with the financial aspect of centre-state
relations in India. It mainly deals with the imposition and collection of taxes. These are
categorised as follows:
Taxes levied by the centre but collected and used by the states: The stamp duties, Excise
duties, medicinal and toilet preparations come under this.
Taxes levied and collected by the centre but given to the states: The property tax, taxes on
goods carried by railways, Sea, airways and so on come under this.
Taxes levied and collected by the centre but distributed between centre and states: Income
tax other than corporate tax and such other residual taxes come under this.
In addition to this, Centre also gives many grants and loans to the states from time to time.

CONCLUSION:
When we observe the centre-state relations in India, the power position given to the central
government is clearly known. Hence, Indian political system is federal but unitary.

Mohmmad Ismail
1712Cukmr17