Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism?

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Question

Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism?

Accepted Answer

Correct Answer: D — It is the result of an agreement among the federating unitsSolution:Option D is NOT a feature of Indian federalism because India's federal structure did not arise from an agreement or compact between pre-existing sovereign states. This is the classical model of federalism (as in the USA, Australia, or Switzerland) where independent states came together and ceded some sovereignty to form a federation.In India, the Constitution was framed by the Constituent Assembly and imposed a federal structure from the top down. Article 1 describes India as a 'Union of States' — deliberately avoiding the word 'federation.' The Supreme Court and the Constitution make clear that: (a) the Indian federation is not the result of a contractual agreement among states; and (b) no state has the right to secede from the federation. States were created by Parliament and can be reorganised, merged, or bifurcated by Parliament (as seen with the States Reorganisation Act, 1956, and subsequent reorganisations).Why other options are NOT the answer (they ARE features of Indian federalism):Option A (Independent judiciary): India has an independent judiciary — a key feature of any federal system.Option B (Division of powers): India has a three-fold division of powers via the Union List, State List, and Concurrent List (7th Schedule).Option C (Unequal representation in Rajya Sabha): States are represented in the Rajya Sabha based on population — not equal representation — which is indeed a feature of Indian federalism (though sometimes seen as a deviation from classical federal models).Key Concept: India is described as a 'Union of States' rather than a federation of states. Dr. B.R. Ambedkar explained this was intentional — the Union is indestructible even if states may be. India is often characterised as a 'quasi-federal' state — federal in structure but unitary in spirit, with strong centralising features such as: Governor appointed by the Centre, emergency provisions under Articles 352/356/360, residual powers with the Centre, single citizenship, and Parliament's power to alter state boundaries unilaterally.

Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism?

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Which one of the following is not a feature of Indian federalism?

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