Practice Questions: Federalism

Q1: What other factors besides politics keep the federations united?
Ans: Besides politics other factors that keep federations united are:

• Power sharing arrangements between the central and state governments - Clear constitutional division of powers and procedures for cooperation reduce friction and help the different levels of government work together.
• Independent role of judiciary - Courts interpret the Constitution and settle disputes between the centre and states, acting as an impartial umpire to maintain federal balance.
• Language and ethnicity - Recognition of linguistic and cultural identities through state boundaries and policies helps people feel represented and reduces separatist pressures.
• Response to conflicting claims - Institutional mechanisms like inter-governmental councils, tribunals and negotiated settlements allow conflicts to be resolved peacefully.
• Active participation of the people - Local self-government, regular elections and citizen involvement strengthen loyalty to the federation and make the system more stable.

Q2: How many seats are reserved for women in the local bodies in India?
Ans: At least one-third of the seats are reserved for women in the local bodies in India. This reservation was introduced by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments to strengthen women's participation in rural and urban local governance.

Q3: What is the official post for the chairperson of a municipal corporation?
Ans: Mayor is the official post for the chairperson of a municipal corporation. The mayor is usually elected from among the municipal councillors and presides over corporation meetings, representing the city on ceremonial occasions and guiding municipal functions.

Q4: Define the term federalism.
Ans: Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country. Both these levels of government - the centre and the states - have their own areas of authority and exercise certain powers independently, usually under a written constitution and with courts to adjudicate disputes.

Q5: Name any two subjects which are included in the Union List.
Ans: Foreign affairs and defence are included in the Union List; these subjects are handled by the central government.

Q6: Explain the vertical division of power giving example from India.
Ans: The power shared among the different levels of the government is known as the vertical distribution of power. It involves higher and lower levels of government: the Union government, the State governments and local governments. In India:

• The Union government handles subjects like defence, foreign affairs and currency.
• The State governments handle subjects such as police, public order, agriculture and irrigation.
• Local governments - Urban bodies like municipal corporations and rural bodies like the Panchayati Raj institutions - look after local services such as sanitation, street lighting and local roads.

Each level has its own powers and areas of jurisdiction so that they can function independently in the matters assigned to them. This arrangement brings government closer to the people and deepens democracy.

Q7: Explain democratic policies adopted by Government of India which made it a successful federation.
Ans: The following democratic policies have helped India to be a successful federation.

• The powers of the central and state governments have been clearly separated under the Union, State and Concurrent Lists. This reduces uncertainty about who is responsible for what and limits interference.
• A three-tier system of governance - Union, State and Local governments - ensures that people are governed at appropriate levels and local needs are addressed.
• Some states have been given special constitutional provisions to protect their distinct culture, history or geography. These provisions helped accommodate diversity and avoid conflict (for example, special provisions for several north-eastern states; Jammu and Kashmir had a special status earlier).
• The Constitution cannot be amended by a simple majority in all cases; many important amendments require wider consensus, including approval by at least half of the state legislatures for certain provisions. This rigidity protects essential federal arrangements from sudden change.
• The sources of revenue for different levels of government are specified in the Constitution. Clear financial arrangements reduce disputes and allow governments to function independently.

Q8: How are the legislative powers divided between the Union government and the State Governments?
Ans: The legislative powers are divided between the Union Government and the State Governments by the Constitution of India. The constitution is supreme in the country and the legislative powers are divided into various areas of government jurisdiction into three lists-Union List, State List, Concurrent List.

• The Union List: The Union List includes subjects like defence, foreign affairs, banking, currency and communications. The Union Government alone can make laws relating to these subjects.
• The State List: The State List contains subjects like police, public order, trade, commerce, agriculture and irrigation, which come under the jurisdiction of the State Governments. Only the State Legislatures can make laws on these subjects.
• The Concurrent List: The Concurrent List contains items like education, forests, trade unions, marriage, adoption and succession, which are of common interest to both the Union government and the State Governments. Both can make laws on these subjects. However, in case of any conflict, the law made by the Union Government will prevail.

Q9: Which five provisions of Indian Constitution make India a full-fledged federation?
Ans: A federation is a country in which the powers are divided between the union and its constituents. India is an example of a holding-together federation, where the country created constituent units and divided powers between the centre and the states.

• Two or more levels of government: The constitution provides more than two tiers of government - the Union, the States and local governments - among which powers are distributed.
•  Three Lists: Powers are divided between the Centre and the States by three lists: the Union List, the State List and the Concurrent List, which clearly allocate subjects to different levels.
• Rigid Constitution: Certain constitutional provisions require wider approval for amendment, including ratification by a majority of state legislatures in specified cases. This makes the constitution relatively rigid and protects federal arrangements.
• Bicameral Legislature: The Parliament is bicameral - the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. The Rajya Sabha represents the states and their interests at the national level.
• Independent Judiciary: An independent judiciary, with the Supreme Court as the highest court, interprets the Constitution and settles disputes between the Centre and the States, thereby upholding the federal balance.
• Note: Financial autonomy - clear specification of revenue sources for the Centre and the States - is also an important feature that supports federal functioning.

Q10: The creation of linguistic states was the first and the major test of democratic politics in our country. Justify the statement.
Ans: The creation of linguistic states was the first and the major test of democratic politics in our country.

• After 1947, there were demands to redraw state boundaries so that people speaking the same language would live in the same state. Supporters argued this would make administration easier and give citizens a stronger sense of belonging.
• Some regions, such as Nagaland, were reorganised not only on linguistic grounds but because of distinct culture, ethnicity and geography; this shows the democratic flexibility to accommodate different claims.
• When demands for linguistic states grew, many leaders feared that it might encourage separatism and disintegration; therefore, the issue was contested and required careful political handling.
• Although initially resisted, the reorganisation of states on linguistic lines (formalised by the States Reorganisation Act, 1956) eventually demonstrated that democracy could respond to popular demands peacefully and through constitutional means.
• Thus, the language policy and the peaceful creation of linguistic states strengthened the unity and integrity of India by assuring people that their languages and identities would be respected, rather than imposed upon them.