A quick-revision summary of this chapter for last-minute exam prep: definitions, numbers, dates and comparison tables. The full detailed notes are available separately.
1 The Three Lists at a Glance
| List | Example subjects | Who legislates |
|---|---|---|
| Union List | Defence, Currency, Railways, Foreign Affairs | Only the Union legislature |
| State List | Police, Agriculture, Local Government | Normally the State legislature |
| Concurrent List | Education, Forests, Trade Unions | Both Union and State |
| Residuary Powers | Cyber Laws | Only the Union legislature |
2 Numbers Worth Remembering
3 yearsMaximum extension for President’s Rule (Article 356)
1983 / 1988Sarkaria Commission: appointed / reported
31 Oct 2019J&K Reorganisation Act came into effect
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1953 | States Reorganisation Commission set up |
| 1956 | First major linguistic reorganisation |
| 1960 | Gujarat and Maharashtra separated |
| 1966 | Punjab and Haryana separated |
| 1977 | West Bengal Left Front’s financial-autonomy document |
| 1959 | Kerala government dismissed despite a majority |
| 2000 | Chhattisgarh, Uttarakhand, Jharkhand created |
| 2014 | Telangana formed from Andhra Pradesh |
3 Definitions, Exactly as You Should Write Them
All definitions in one place
FederalismAn institutional mechanism accommodating two levels of government, regional and national
Residuary powersMatters not in any List, only the Union legislature can legislate on them
Article 356President’s Rule, when a State’s government cannot be run according to the Constitution
Sarkaria CommissionAppointed 1983, reported 1988, recommended non-partisan Governor appointments
Article 370Jammu and Kashmir’s special autonomy, ended in 2019
Article 257(1)A State’s executive power must not impede the Union’s executive power
4 Three Phases of Centre-State Relations
1. 1950s-1960sNehru era, Congress dominant, relations normal
2. Mid-1960sCongress declines, opposition States rise, autonomy demands begin
3. Since the 1990sCoalition politics, greater State say, mature federalism
4.1 Interstate Conflicts: Two Types
Border Disputes
- Maharashtra-Karnataka (Belgaum)
- Punjab-Haryana (Chandigarh)
River Water Disputes
- Tamil Nadu-Karnataka (Cauvery)
- Gujarat-Madhya Pradesh-Maharashtra (Narmada)
Final Recap
- The Constitution’s English text never uses “federation”; Article 1: India is a Union of States
- Three Lists + residuary powers; strong-centre provisions: reorganisation, emergency, financial control, Governor, All-India Services
- Four autonomy demands: division of powers, financial, administrative, cultural-linguistic
- Article 356 and the Sarkaria Commission’s recommendation; the list and dates of new States
- Jammu and Kashmir’s Article 370, now history, split into two Union Territories since 2019
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