Centre-State Relations in India: An Analysis

Abstract

In this research paper an effort has been made to study the administrative, legislative and financial relations of Indian Union with its federal units. In multi-level governance, operating essentially in a federal frame work, like that of India, harmonious relations between the Centre and the states are critical for the stability, security and economic development of the country. While delineating the sphere of governance for the two levels of government, our Founding Fathers had opted for a ‘Union of States’ with a strong Centre to make sure that the country did not have to suffer any challenge to its integrity again. Provisions such as, according primacy to laws passed by parliament over state laws, keeping residuary powers with the Centre and imposition of emergency rule by the Centre at extreme situations were considered as essential elements of the constitution, but these provisions are often misused by central government, which have lost the trust and faith of state governments. Indian constitution uses the term union not the centre. The constitution of India provides for a co-operative federation of states with the bias in favor of centre.