Changing Nature of Indian Federalism and the ...

Changing Nature of Indian Federalism and the Role of Governor

Author Name : Subrat Kumar Ratha, Ratnadeep Sinha

ABSTRACT

This paper is an attempt to demonstrate some crucial and most recent developments in the Indian Federal structure relating to the position of Governor. Since British Raj, Indian Model of Federalism has conspicuously been deriving its power from a strong Union and a weak State system. The Centralist-Federalism denotes a heavy hand for the distribution of power between the Centre and States. Through a historical sketch, the controversies between the Centre and States are genuine because of the existence of diversities, demands and distributions, apart from that the office of Governor has been treated as the core area of current federal disturbance. Instead of managing the Constitutionality, many Governors are performing some pro-political functions that are not supposed to be exercised without some exceptional grounds. After a series of judicial pronouncements and recommendation of different commissions, the issues such as abuse of article 356, dissolution of assembly, political appointments have been continuing without an end. For making the states more autonomous and self-driven, it would the primary task to restrict the extra territoriality of the governor in different matters, ranging from legislative interference to breakdown of existing political order. With a sense of optimism, the Indian Federal structure would be able to capture the vitality of development and progress when the power exercisers will narrate the Constitutionalism rather than the parochial party-politics.

Key Words: Federalism, Governor, Union, Centre, Power