Has the governer been acting more of an agent of the center or the constitutional head of the state. Analyse in terms of recent controversies related to governers of India.
One Nation One Election refers to holding simultaneous elections for India's national and state governments, streamlining the electoral process, reducing costs and promoting governance efficiency with the goal of improving overall democratic functioning . Challenges to federalism - Centralisation ofRead more
One Nation One Election refers to holding simultaneous elections for India’s national and state governments, streamlining the electoral process, reducing costs and promoting governance efficiency with the goal of improving overall democratic functioning .
Challenges to federalism –
- Centralisation of power is a challenge to federalism as it concentrates authority in the Centre, undermining state autonomy and threatening the balance of power in India.
- Constitutional concerns pose a challenge to federalism as implementing One Nation, One Election requires amendments to Articles 83(2) and 172, potentially altering the federal structure.
- State governments’ autonomy is challenged as One Nation, One Election could lead to centralised decision making, undermining states authority to make independent decisions and policies.
Impact on democratic values –
- Reduced electoral accountability undermines democratic values by decreasing voters ability to hold elected representatives responsible for their actions, leading to potential abuse of power.
- Language bias as seen in the One Nation, One Election consultation process undermines democratic values by excluding non Hindi and non English speakers, limiting their participation.
Overall, the idea of One Nation, One Election poses significant challenges to India’s federal structure and democratic values.
See less
Federalism, in simple terms, refers to the division of powers and responsibilities between the different forms of government. In the context of India, the terms show little variation. Instead of a complete separation of powers and responsibilities, certain powers are vested in both the central and sRead more
Federalism, in simple terms, refers to the division of powers and responsibilities between the different forms of government. In the context of India, the terms show little variation. Instead of a complete separation of powers and responsibilities, certain powers are vested in both the central and state governments. Thus, we could say that Indian federalism is cooperative federalism. To understand this better, one must know that the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution guarantees the division of powers between state and centre. Although the constitution doesn’t directly refer to the federal governance structure, the Seventh Schedule divides powers between the Union and states through three lists: the Union List (centre subjects), the State List (state subjects), and the Concurrent List (the central and state governments) (subjects). Thus, Indian federalism is a unique blend of federalism and unitarianism, thus safely referred to as a quasifederal system. This may sound impressive, but it does come with challenges.
See less