CENTRE STATE RELATIONS: A DILEMMA DESPITE 75 YEARS OF INDEPENDENCE

Abstract

Independent India encountered demands for further autonomy and separation from contemporary states, the origins of which were established during the British era. In this situation, the connections between the central and state governments have critical importance. Due to the predominant unitary characteristics in the Indian Constitution, which explicitly designates India as a union of states rather than a federation of states, the Indian state has developed a 'quasi-federal' structure. This arrangement has generated tension between the dominant central authority and the comparatively weaker states.

With the advent of coalition politics, states have assumed a pivotal role, using their regional parties to exert greater influence in national decision-making. States today function not merely as pressure groups but also lead in trade and commerce, progressively assuming a significant role in foreign policy. This paper seeks to elucidate the evolving connection between the centre and the state. The initial section of the chapter provides a succinct summary of the historical context of centre-state interactions, succeeded by an examination of the constitutional framework governing the two in the subsequent section.