India has a federal system of
government, which means that power is divided between the central government
and the state governments. The Constitution of India provides for a
distribution of powers between the central government and the state governments
in a three-fold distribution of legislative, executive, and financial powers.
The Union List, State List, and Concurrent List of
the Seventh Schedule of the Indian Constitution enumerate the subjects on which
the central government and the state governments can legislate. The Union List
includes subjects such as defense, foreign affairs, currency, and
communication. The State List includes subjects such as public order, police,
and health. The Concurrent List includes subjects such as education, social
welfare, and forest conservation.
The central government has the power to make laws
on subjects in the Union List, while the state governments have the power to
make laws on subjects in the State List. Both the central government and the
state governments can make laws on subjects in the Concurrent List, but in case
of any conflict, the law made by the central government prevails.
The federal system of government in India allows
for a distribution of power that ensures that the central government has the
power to deal with matters of national importance, while the state governments
have the power to deal with matters of local and regional importance. This
system also allows for greater participation and representation of people in
the governance process, as the state governments are closer to the people and
their needs.