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:

1. LEGISLATIVE RELATIONS
2. ADMINISTRATIVE RELATIONS
3. FINANCIAL RELATIONS

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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.

Also read: Legislative Relation Between Centre and State in India

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.

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The constituent assembly was formed on the recommendation of the Cabinet Mission which visited India in 1946. The Constituent Assembly met for the first time in New Delhi on 9 December 1946 in the Constitution Hall which is now known as the Central Hall of Parliament House.

• Mr. Sachchidanand Sinha was elected provisional chairman of the assembly.
• Dr. Rajendra Prasad later became the permanent chairman of the constituent assembly.
• On 13 December 1946, Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru moved the Objectives Resolution which resolved to proclaim India as the Independent Sovereign Republic and to draw up for her future governance a Constitution.
• The Constituent Assembly took almost three years (two years, eleven months and seventeen days to be precise)
  to complete its historic task of drafting the Constitution for Independent India.
• The Assembly held eleven sessions covering a total of 165 days.
• India is governed in terms of the Constitution, which was adopted on 26 November 1949, which was the last day of the Eleventh session of the Constituent Assembly.
• This date finds mention in the Preamble to the Indian Constitution thus IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY
  this twenty-sixth day of November 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES
  THIS CONSTITUTION.
• The honourable members appended their signatures to the constitution on 24 January 1950.
• The Constitution of India came into force on 26 January 1950. On that day, the Constituent ceased to exist, transforming itself into the Provisional Parliament of India until a new Parliament was constituted in 1952.

Important Dates –

Constituent Assembly to Constitution

Assembly met for the first time – 09 Dec 1946

Objectives Resolution moved

13 Dec 1946

Constitution adopted

26 Nov 1949

Signed by members –

24 Jan 1950 Constitution came into force and Assembly ceased to exist – 26 Jan 1950

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Vision set forth in the Indian Constitution

• Indian Constitution has been framed by the congress Assembly by working committee on June 24, 1946.
• In the meeting of the Constituent Assembly, Congress adopted a resolution in the eve of November 1946, declaring that: “it stands for an independent sovereign republic wherein all powers and authority are derived from the people and for a Constitution wherein social objectives are laid down to promote freedom, progress & equal opportunity for all the people of India…..”
• In the early draft of the Union Constitution, Preamble was a somewhat formal affair, which was provided by B.N. Basu’s memorandum on the Union Constitution on 30^th May 1947. And it was:

“We the people of India, seeking to promote the common good, do hereby, through our chosen representatives, enact, adopt and give to ourselves this Constitution”.

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• The Preamble was finally adopted on Twenty-sixth day of November 1949. Now, the present form of Preamble is as under:

WE, THE PEOPLE OF INDIA, having solemnly resolved to constitute India into a SOVEREIGN SOCIALIST SECULAR DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC and to secure to all its citizens:

JUSTICE, social, economic and political;

LIBERTY of thought, expression, belief, faith, and worship;

EQUALITY of status and of opportunity; and to promote among them all

FRATERNITY assuring the dignity of the individual and the unity and integrity of the Nation;

IN OUR CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY this twenty-sixth day of November 1949, do HEREBY ADOPT, ENACT AND GIVE TO OURSELVES THIS CONSTITUTION.

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Terms of Preamble

Sovereign – It means supreme or independent. The country is both, internally as well as externally sovereign. Externally it is free from any foreign power and internally it exercises a free government directly elected by the people and makes laws that govern the people.

Socialist – The word was added by the 42nd amendment act of 1976. It implies to social and economic equality. Social equality means there is no discrimination on the grounds of caste, colour, creed, sex, religion, language, etc. Each one enjoys equal status and opportunities.

Secular – The word was inserted by the 42nd amendment act of 1976. Secular implies equality of all religions and religious tolerance. No state in India has an official state religion. Anybody can preach, practice and propagate any religion of his or her choice. In the eyes of the law, all citizens are equal irrespective of their religious beliefs.

Democratic – This means that the government of all levels are elected by the people through a system of universal adult franchise. Every citizen irrespective of caste, creed, colour, sex, religion or education who is 18 years of age and above is entitled to vote, if not debarred by law.

Republic – The term means that the head of the state is elected, directly or indirectly, for a fixed tenure. The President of India is elected by Electoral College for a fixed period of five years.

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