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UPPCS Polity Gap Sheet: Centre–State Relations and Emergency.

UPPCS has asked 15 of these. 2 have not been asked yet. Lock the first list, then read the second: it holds what UPPCS has not used yet.

First, the concept

India is a 'Union of States' with a strong centre: residuary powers, All India Services, Governors and emergencies all lean towards Delhi. Each commission on Centre–State relations has tried to rebalance this.

An emergency turns the federation unitary for a while. After 1975 the 44th Amendment added brakes: 'armed rebellion' instead of 'internal disturbance', a written Cabinet decision, and a special majority within one month.

✅ Already asked (15)

Division of powers

  • Article 246 and the three Lists · Union, State, Concurrent; Union law wins in a clash on the Concurrent List (Article 254)
  • Residuary powers with Parliament (Article 248) · Idea from Canada; in the USA they lie with the States
  • Parliament on State subjects · Rajya Sabha resolution (249), Emergency (250), two or more States ask (252), treaties (253)
  • Subjects moved to the Concurrent List (42nd) · Education, forests, wildlife, weights and measures, administration of justice
  • Inter-State water disputes (Article 262) · Inter-State River Water Disputes Act 1956; courts kept out

Commissions on Centre–State relations

  • Administrative Reforms Commission (1966) · Morarji Desai, then K. Hanumanthaiya
  • Rajamannar Committee (1969) · Set up by Tamil Nadu; asked for more State autonomy
  • Sarkaria Commission (1983) · Use Article 356 sparingly; permanent Inter-State Council
  • Punchhi Commission (2007) · Fixed tenure for Governors; 'localised emergency'
  • States Reorganisation Commission (1953) · Fazl Ali, K. M. Panikkar, H. N. Kunzru; Dhar Commission (1948) and JVP Committee before it

Emergencies

  • National Emergency (Article 352) · Proclaimed three times: 1962 (China), 1971 (Pakistan), 1975 (internal disturbance)
  • Approval within one month by special majority · Then renewed every six months; Lok Sabha can end it by simple majority
  • Article 358 and 359 · Article 19 suspended automatically (war or external aggression); other rights by order, except 20 and 21
  • President's Rule (Article 356) · Approval in two months; up to three years; first in Punjab (1951)
  • Financial Emergency (Article 360) · Never declared; salaries, even of judges, can be cut

❌ Not asked yet (2)

Items marked 'asked in other exams' have come in UPSC or other state exams, not yet in UPPCS.

🔒 2 items not asked yet

Commissions on Centre–State relations: 2

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⚠️ Residuary powers lie with Parliament in India (from Canada), but with the States in the USA. Articles 20 and 21 can never be suspended in an Emergency. A Financial Emergency has never been declared.

'Asked' and 'not asked' are checked against every UPPCS question on this site. 'Not asked yet' does not mean it will surely come.

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