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Why does India’s Constitution give the union government greater power than state governments?
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India
The Indian flag is also called the tricolor. The top band is saffron in color (signifying courage), the middle band is white (signifying peace and truth), and the bottom band is green (signifying fertility and growth). The wheel in the middle depicts the wheel of the law in the lion capital in Sarnath that Mauryan emperor Ashoka created.
Although India is organized on the principles of federalism, its Constitution defines the country as a “union of states” rather than a traditional federation. The central government is granted greater power than state governments to prioritize national unity over regional autonomy.12
This imbalance is maintained through several key constitutional features:
- Unitary Provisions: The Constitution incorporates unitary elements, such as the principle of single citizenship.12
- Administrative Control: The governor of each state is appointed by the union government, rather than being locally elected.1
- Emergency Powers: The union government has the authority to assume control over a state’s functions through specific emergency provisions.1
- Legislative Structure: While powers are divided into Union, State, and Concurrent lists, the central government retains significant authority to ensure national cohesion.1
These mechanisms were designed to safeguard the integrity of the nation, though this concentration of power has occasionally led to friction between state and union authorities.1