Union of States

India is described as a "Union of States" in the Constitution of India, specifically in Article 1. This term signifies that India is a federal state with a strong central authority. Here is an explanation of why India is referred to as a Union of States:

Division of Powers
- The Indian Constitution divides powers between the central government and the state governments.
- There are three lists - Union List, State List, and Concurrent List which enumerate the subjects on which each level of government can make laws.

Supremacy of the Constitution
- The Indian Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and both the central government and state governments derive their powers from it.
- The Constitution establishes a federal system but with a strong bias towards the center in terms of distribution of powers.

Single Citizenship
- Unlike some federations where citizens have dual citizenship (federal and state), India follows the principle of single citizenship.
- All citizens of India are subject to the same set of rights and duties irrespective of the state they reside in.

Flexibility
- The Constitution provides for a flexible system where states can be reorganized, new states can be created or existing states can be merged without the need for constitutional amendments.
- This flexibility allows for the changing needs and demands of the country to be accommodated within the existing framework.

In conclusion, the term "Union of States" in the Indian Constitution reflects the unique federal structure of the country where there is a division of powers between the center and the states, while also emphasizing the supremacy of the Constitution and the flexibility in state boundaries.