Question

What is the primary role of the written constitution in a federal system ?

• A. To grant unlimited power to the central government.
• B. To outline the powers and responsibilities of both regional and national governments.
• C. To declare a national language.
• D. To establish a monarchy.

Answer 1

Answer:

B. To outline the powers and responsibilities of both regional and national governments.

Federalism 

• Federalism is a system of government in which the power is divided between a central authority and various constituent units of the country.

• The United States of America is the country where the federal government was first established

• India is a land of continental proportions and immense diversities. There are more than 20 major languages and several hundred minor ones. It is the home of several major religions. There are several million indigenous peoples living in different parts of the country

• In spite of all these diversities we share a common land mass.

• We have also participated in a common history, especially, when we fought for independence.

• We also share many other important features. This has led our national leaders to visualize India as a country where there is unity in diversity. Sometimes it is described as unity with diversity

Key ideas and concepts

• Essentially, federalism is an institutional mechanism to accommodate two sets of polities—one at the regional level and the other at the national level.

• Each government is autonomous in its own sphere.

• In some federal countries, there is even a system of dual citizenship.

• India has only a single citizenship.

• The people likewise, have two sets of identities and loyalties — they belong to the region as well as the nation, for example we are Gujaratis or Jharkhandis as well as Indians.

• Each level of the polity has distinct powers and responsibilities and has a separate system of government.

• The details of this dual system of government are generally spelt out in a written constitution, which is considered to be supreme and which is also the source of the power of both sets of government.

• Certain subjects, which concern the nation as a whole, for example, defence or currency, are the responsibility of the union or central government.

• Regional or local matters are the responsibility of the regional or State 

• To prevent conflicts between the centre and the State,there is an independent judiciary to settle disputes.

• The judiciary has the powers to resolve disputes between the central government and the States on legal matters about the division of power.