LEGISLATIVE Centre State Relations

Articles 245 to 255 in the Indian constitution deal with the legislative aspect of centre states relation. Legislation means the power of making a law which is enforceable. Both the central and state governments in India have the power to make laws. But, the matters on which they can make laws differ. While the centre can make laws applicable to the nation as a whole, the states have the power to make laws applicable in their own territory that too in some matters only. Some matters need both the centre and state legislations. They are as given:

Union List: 

Union list Include the matters on which only central government can make legislations. The state governments are bounded by these legislations. Union list has 100 subjects on which it have exclusive authority to make laws. These include foreign affairs, Defence, Armed forces, Communications, Posts and telegraphs, inter-state trade and commerce and so on.

State List: 

State list include the matters on which the respective state governments can make laws. The state list consists of 61 subjects which include Public order in the state, police, administration of justice, prisons, Local Governments, agriculture and so on. However, under some situations such as emergency The Centre will take over the State list as well.

Concurrent List: 

Concurrent list include the subjects on which both central and state governments have power to make laws. The Concurrent list has 52 subjects which include Criminal and Civil procedure, marriage and divorce, economic and special planning, trade unions, labour welfare electricity, newspapers, books and printing presses,population control and so on. However, the centre has the sole powers to take over the concurrent list if needed.

On all the subject matters mentioned above, finally central government have the powers to take over every subject in any situation. Such is the power given to the centre by the Indian Constitution.