Which of the following statements regarding the federal features of the Indian Constitution are correct?
A. India is a Union of States.
B. The Constitution is the supreme organic law of the land.
C. The legislative powers are distributed between the center and the states.
D. The residuary powers are reserved to the states.
E. All states have equal representation in the Rajya-Sabha.
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:
- AOption (a)
A, B and D Only
- BOption (b)
A, B and C Only
- COption (c)
B, C and D Only
- DOption (d)
C, D and E Only
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Correct answer
A, B and C Only
Why this answer is correct
The correct answer is 'A, B and C Only'
Key Points
- Federal features of the Indian Constitution:
- Union of States: India is described as a "Union of States" in Article 1 of the Indian Constitution, signifying that its federal structure is not the result of an agreement by the states and the states do not have the right to secede from the union.
- Supremacy of the Constitution: The Constitution is the supreme law of the land, and all laws and actions of the government must conform to it. This ensures that both the central and state governments operate within the framework of the Constitution.
- Distribution of Legislative Powers: The legislative powers are clearly divided between the center and the states through three lists in the Seventh Schedule: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. This ensures a federal distribution of powers and responsibilities.
Additional Information
- Residuary Powers:
- The residuary powers, which are not enumerated in any of the three lists, are vested in the central government (the Union) and not the states. This is a distinct feature of Indian federalism, which differs from the classical federal systems like that of the United States.
- Representation in the Rajya Sabha:
- All states do not have equal representation in the Rajya Sabha (Council of States). Representation is based on the population of the state, leading to larger states having more representatives compared to smaller states.