Conflicts in India's Federal System

The Constitution gives the central government considerable strength, but it also recognises that every state has its own distinct identity. Once that separate identity of a state is accepted, it is only natural for the state to expect a bigger role in governing itself and in shaping national policy. Over the decades, this expectation has repeatedly translated into states asking the centre for more powers and greater freedom to run their own affairs, and this has produced recurring friction between the union government and the states.

Not every dispute in this relationship is of the same kind. Some disagreements are essentially legal in nature -- for instance, a dispute over the exact interpretation of a constitutional provision -- and these can be settled by the courts. But many disputes, especially demands for greater autonomy, are political rather than legal. They cannot be resolved by a court judgment; they have to be worked out through negotiation, bargaining and mutual accommodation between the centre and the states. …