Contemporary challenges to Indian federalism

Abstract

Federalism in India exemplifies a distinctive endeavour in political architecture, meticulously crafted to reconcile the nation’s extensive diversity with the imperative for national cohesion. The architects of the Constitution conceived a Union of States wherein powers and obligations would be apportioned between the Centre and the states in a manner that upholds both the integrity of the nation and the autonomy of its constituent entities. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar famously characterized Indian federalism as a system characterized by a “strong Centre” that possesses the capacity to address national exigencies while simultaneously accommodating the pluralistic nature of Indian society.
Over the span of seven decades since Independence, India’s federal structure has undergone significant evolution through political praxis, judicial interpretation, and socio-economic metamorphosis. Nonetheless, in contemporary contexts, Indian federalism encounters novel and intricate challenges. The ascendance of centralized political authority, the financial subservience of states, inter-state conflicts, asymmetrical federal configurations, and the burgeoning issues of regionalism and identity politics have fundamentally reshaped Centre–State dynamics. These challenges bear profound implications for democratic governance and the principles of cooperative federalism.
This article scrutinizes the nature, origins, and ramifications of the challenges besieging Indian federalism in present-day India, while concurrently illuminating the mechanisms available to fortify federal harmony.