Q.Is there a need for mentioning Residuary powers separately? Why? Why do States feel dissatisfied about the division of powers?
Residuary powers need to be mentioned separately so that subjects not foreseen or listed in the Union, State or Concurrent Lists still have a clear owner, and States feel dissatisfied because real economic and financial power is heavily centralised while they carry heavy responsibilities with meagre revenue.
The Constitution's Union, State and Concurrent Lists demarcate the subjects under the exclusive domain of the Union and the States, along with subjects both can legislate on. But no list drawn up at one point in time can anticipate every possible subject that may arise later — new matters like Cyber Laws, for example, did not exist when the Constitution was framed. Residuary powers exist precisely to cover such matters not mentioned in any of the Lists, and the Constitution vests them exclusively in the Union legislature. Mentioning them separately closes any gap in the scheme of division of powers and avoids ambiguity or disputes over subjects that no list explicitly covers.
States feel dissatisfied about the division of powers mainly because it leaves them financially weak relative to their responsibilities. One important aspect of the division of powers is that economic and financial powers are centralised in the hands of the central government by the Constitution — the major revenue-generating subjects are under central control, so the States have very meagre revenue sources of their own even though they carry immense responsibilities. States are therefore mostly dependent on grants and financial assistance from the Centre, and on loans given at the Union government's discretion; this distribution of economic resources is considered lopsided by many States, and has even led to charges of discrimination against States ruled by opposition parties. On top of this, since residuary powers themselves go to the Union rather than to the States, States can feel that even matters left over by the three Lists add further weight to an already centre-heavy scheme.
Yes — residuary powers need to be mentioned separately because the Union, State and Concurrent Lists cannot anticipate every future subject (e.g., Cyber Laws), and residuary powers cover exactly such unlisted matters; the Constitution assigns these exclusively to the Union. States feel dissatisfied with the division of powers mainly because the Constitution centralises financial and economic powers with the Centre, leaving States with large responsibilities but very limited revenue sources of their own, so they remain dependent on central grants, assistance and discretionary loans.
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