Issues In Centre – State Relations

Issues In Centre-State Relations

There have been several issues that have caused heart-burning between the Centre and the States in recent years. They are:

1. Partisan role of the Governor in

a) Appointing and dismissing the State Ministries

b) Summoning, proroguing and dissolving assemblies

c) Reserving a large number of bills for the consideration of the President under Article 200 and 201 and

d) Issuing ordinances.

2. Misuse of Constitutional emergency powers under Article 356 by Dismissing the State Ministries having a majority in the Assembly on untenable grounds and

Suspending and dissolving the assemblies keeping in view the interest of the ruling party at the Centre.

3. Discriminatory attitude of the Centre towards States in:

a) Appointment and transfer of governors;

b) Appointment of inquiry commissions against Chief Ministers, and

c) Financial devolution in general and loans and grants-in-aid in particular.

d) The role in Planning Commission

c) The creation of posts and posting of personnel from All India Services.

The use of Central Reserve Police by the Centre in States without consulting them. Refusal or resentment by certain State Governments to carry out Centre’s directions issued under Article 257 to 365 of the Constitution not being in the interest of the ruling party in the State.

Socio cultural and regional pressures of State policies. These issues generated Centre-State tensions on the one hand and a sense of insecurity in some of the regional ruling parties on the other. Hence, the DMK in Tamil Nadu, Akali Dal in Punjab and CPM in West Bengal started advocating constitutional amendments to ensure more autonomy to the states.

Demands of States

An analysis of the demands of the States reveals the following three trends about State Autonomy.

  1. India is not a nation-state and, therefore, it should be split up into various semi-independent states.
  2. Though at the moment this trend is very insignificant, it has its advocates among certain intellectuals. However, it is felt that the rise of regionalism is not something which should unnecessarily worry the Centre because it is an inevitable result of the ‘rising consciousness of the people.
  3. One should not, therefore, impute motives to the adherents of this school of thought.
  4. The States should get greater autonomy in almost every sphere. The extreme view in this trend advocates that excepting three subjects including defence, foreign affairs and currency, all other subjects should be transferred to States.
  5. There also exist other shades of opinion in this trend.
  6. The dominant position of the Centre in our federal system should continue to prevail and adjustments should be made within the existing frame-work of the Constitution.

Look here for the notes of Recommendations Of The Sarkaria Commission.

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