RAS question
The Indian Constitution provides for a:
Correct answer: (B) Federal system with a strong unitary bias.
The Indian Constitution provides for a federal system with a strong unitary bias, often described as quasi-federal.
Explanation
The Constitution is not purely unitary, because it contains core federal features such as a division of powers and an independent judiciary. The cited Supreme Court judgment confirms that the legal position is settled: the Constitution has a quasi-federal character with a strong bias towards the Centre. This matches the standard description in the explanation. India has the significant features of a federal Constitution, but not in the strict mould of the United States. Its federalism is modified by unitary features such as single citizenship, emergency provisions and an integrated judiciary. K.C. Wheare's description of India as quasi-federal captures this mix: federal in form, but with a clear central tilt.
Why the other options are wrong
- (A) A purely unitary system would not have constitutionally recognised federal features such as division of powers and an independent judiciary.
- (C) A purely federal system misses the Constitution's strong unitary features, including single citizenship, emergency provisions and an integrated judiciary.
- (D) A confederal system is based on a loose association of units, whereas the Indian Constitution creates a Union with federal features and a strong central bias.
Concept
This tests the nature of the Indian federal system, a core polity theme in RAS because Centre-State relations, emergency powers and constitutional structure recur across governance questions.