Answer: Federalism is a system of government in which power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of a country (such as states), and each level of government is independent in its own sphere as defined by the Constitution.

Answer: Power sharing is necessary to prevent concentration of power in one hand, to reduce conflicts among social and regional groups, and to ensure that all sections feel represented, which strengthens democracy and national unity.

Answer: Federal country – India (or USA). Unitary country – Sri Lanka (or United Kingdom).

Answer: A prudential reason is that power sharing reduces the chances of conflict between social groups, leading to political stability and strengthening the unity of the country.

Answer: The Union (Central) Government has the power to legislate on defence and foreign affairs.

Answer: State List – Police / Agriculture (any one). Concurrent List – Education / Forests (any one).

Answer:

• Two or more levels of government: Usually a national government and state/regional governments.
• Division of powers: The Constitution clearly distributes powers between different levels of government, and each level is independent in its own sphere.

Answer:

• The judiciary acts as an umpire to settle disputes between the central and state governments.
• It protects the supremacy of the Constitution by ensuring that all levels of government act within their limits and do not encroach upon each other’s powers.

Answer:

• Distribution of power: In a federal system, power is divided between the centre and states; in a unitary system, all powers are concentrated in the central government.
• Status of states: In a federation, states have constitutional status and are not merely administrative units; in a unitary state, local units are subordinate to the centre.

Answer:

• Two or more levels of government: India has governments at the Union, State and Local levels.
• Division of powers: Powers are clearly divided through Union List, State List and Concurrent List.
• Supremacy of the Constitution: The written Constitution is supreme and all governments must work according to it; it can only be changed through a special procedure.

Answer:

• Union List: Subjects of national importance (defence, foreign affairs, banking, currency); only Parliament can make laws on these.
• State List: Subjects of state and regional importance (police, public order, agriculture); state legislatures make laws on these.
• Concurrent List: Subjects of common interest to both Union and States (education, forests, trade unions); both can make laws, but Union law prevails in case of conflict.

Answer:

• Residuary subjects: Subjects that are not mentioned in the Union, State or Concurrent Lists (for example, information technology, cyber laws).
• In India, the Union Parliament has the power to legislate on residuary subjects.
• This was done to maintain unity and uniformity on new and important matters affecting the whole country, showing India has a strong central government within a federal system.

Answer:

• Residuary powers and many important subjects (defence, currency) are with the Union Government.
• During emergencies, powers of states can be curtailed and the system works more like a unitary government.
• In case of conflict on Concurrent List subjects, the Union law prevails over the state law.

Answer: A linguistic state is a state formed mainly on the basis of the language spoken by the majority of its people. For example, Andhra Pradesh for Telugu speakers, Gujarat for Gujarati speakers, etc.

Answer:

• It recognised the cultural and linguistic identities of people instead of suppressing them.
• People felt that their language and culture were respected and protected, which reduced regional tensions.
• States became more effective units of administration, promoting better governance and strengthening the feeling of being part of one united India.

Answer:

• Hindi in Devanagari script is recognised as the official language of the Union, and English continues as an associate official language.
• The Constitution has not declared any national language for India.
• States are free to adopt their own official language(s), and many languages are recognised in the Eighth Schedule of the Constitution.

Answer:

• Hindi was not imposed as the only language; English was continued as an associate official language, which reduced fear among non-Hindi speaking states.
• No language has been given the status of national language, which avoids feelings of domination by any one linguistic group.
• States can use their own languages for administration and education, promoting linguistic pride and harmony within the federal framework.

Answer:

• It shows power sharing between the Union and states in deciding official languages.
• States have the freedom to choose their own official language(s), which respects regional diversity.
• The Union uses both Hindi and English, accommodating different regions and avoiding imposition of a single language, which is in line with the federal principle of accommodation and cooperation.

Answer:

• For many years, the same political party (mainly the Congress) ruled at the Centre and in most states.
• The Centre often enjoyed a dominant position, and federal provisions were not fully used in practice.
• India functioned as a centralised federation, with the central government strongly influencing state governments.

Answer:

• Regional parties emerged as important players in many states and at the national level.
• No single party could easily secure a majority in Lok Sabha; coalition governments became common.
• The Centre now has to share power and consult state-based parties, making India more genuinely federal in practice and giving states a greater say in national decisions.

Answer:

• When the President, on the advice of the Union Government, declares that the state government cannot be run according to the Constitution, President’s Rule is imposed and the state comes under direct rule of the Centre.
• Its misuse to dismiss elected state governments for political reasons weakens federalism by reducing the autonomy of states and disregarding the mandate of the people.

Answer:

• The Supreme Court has laid down strict guidelines for the use of Article 356 (President’s Rule).
• It allows the dismissal of state governments under Article 356 to be challenged in court.
• This has reduced the misuse of President’s Rule and protected the rights and autonomy of state governments, strengthening Indian federalism.

Answer:

• Decentralisation means transfer of power and responsibility from higher levels of government (Union and State) to lower levels (local self-government).
• It was needed because a vast country like India cannot be run only from the Centre or state capitals; local problems require local solutions and people’s direct participation.

Answer:

• Creation of a three-tier Panchayati Raj system – Gram Panchayat, Panchayat Samiti and Zila Parishad in rural areas.
• Regular elections to Panchayats every five years.
• Reservation of seats for Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and at least one-third of seats for women in Panchayats.

Answer:

• Composition: Gram Panchayat is the executive body at the village level. Its members are elected by the villagers; the head is called the Sarpanch.
• Functions:
  • Looks after basic civic amenities such as village roads, drinking water, street lighting.
  • Implements government schemes related to employment, sanitation and welfare at the village level.

Answer:

• It allows people to participate directly in decision-making at the village or town level.
• Local representatives are closer to the people, so they can be easily approached and held accountable.
• Issues like water, sanitation and local roads are addressed effectively, making democracy more responsive and meaningful to ordinary citizens.

Answer:

• The Gram Sabha consists of all adult voters of a village.
• Functions:
  • Approves the plans, budget and programmes of the Gram Panchayat.
  • Reviews the performance of the Gram Panchayat and asks questions about the work done.

Answer:

• It gives women an opportunity to participate in politics and decision-making at the grassroots level.
• Women can raise issues that directly affect them, such as health, education and safety, making governance more inclusive.
• It challenges gender stereotypes and prepares future women leaders, strengthening democratic values of equality and representation.

Answer:

• Accommodation of diversity: Federalism shares power between the Union, states and local bodies, allowing different regions and communities to protect their identity while staying united.
• Greater participation: Decentralisation through Panchayats and Municipalities enables people to directly participate in decision-making on local issues, which deepens democracy.
• Reduced conflicts: Sharing power prevents domination of one group or region, reducing conflicts and promoting political stability.
• Responsive governance: Local and state governments can frame policies suitable to local needs, making administration more efficient and increasing people’s trust in democratic institutions.

Conclusion: Thus, federalism and decentralisation complement each other and are crucial for unity, stability and democratic functioning in a large, diverse country like India.

Answer:

• Approach of Sri Lanka:
  • Adopted majoritarian policies after independence.
  • Declared Sinhala as the only official language and favoured Sinhala-speaking majority.
  • Ignored and discriminated against Tamil-speaking minorities, leading to tensions and civil war.
• Approach of India:
  • Adopted federalism and power sharing through Union, State and Local governments.
  • Reorganised states on linguistic basis and followed a flexible language policy.
  • Shared power with states and decentralised to Panchayats and Municipalities, managing diversity largely through democratic means.
• Importance of Federalism & Power Sharing:
  • Majoritarianism can create long-term conflicts and instability.
  • Federalism and power sharing help accommodate different groups, build trust and maintain unity in diversity.

Conclusion: The comparison shows that respecting diversity through federalism and power sharing is essential for peace, stability and success of democracy in multi-cultural societies.