Subject: Indian Polity

India's federal structure has evolved through a dynamic interplay of cooperation, competition, and confrontation between the Centre and States, particularly evident in recent developments and constitutional interpretations.

Cooperation in Indian Federalism

• The implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) exemplifies cooperative federalism through:
  • Creation of the GST Council as a joint decision-making platform.
  • Shared responsibility for tax collection and revenue distribution.
• NITI Aayog's initiatives foster Centre-State collaboration through:
  • Aspirational Districts Programme promoting competitive and cooperative federalism.
  • Atal Innovation Mission encouraging state-level innovation ecosystems.

Competition Between States

• Performance-based rankings by NITI Aayog create healthy competition:
  • Health Index motivating states to improve healthcare infrastructure.
  • State Innovation Index promoting entrepreneurship and development.
• Economic competition through:
  • Investment attraction policies.
  • Implementation of ease of doing business reforms.

Elements of Confrontation

• Inter-state water disputes highlight confrontational federalism:
  • Krishna River dispute between Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
  • Mahadayi River conflict between Karnataka and Goa.
  • Mahanadi River dispute between Odisha and Chhattisgarh.
• Centre-State tensions in administrative matters:
  • West Bengal vs CBI (2024) case regarding withdrawal of general consent.
  • Tamil Nadu Governor's case (2025) concerning withholding of assent to bills.
  • Delhi Government's administrative control clarified by Supreme Court (2023).

Recent Constitutional Interpretations

• Supreme Court's role in balancing federal relations:
  • Setting timelines for gubernatorial actions.
  • Clarifying administrative jurisdictions.
  • Protecting state autonomy while maintaining national unity.

The evolving nature of Indian federalism continues to be shaped by these three forces, with recent examples demonstrating the system's adaptability through mechanisms like the Interstate Council and Zonal Councils. The success of initiatives like One Nation, One Tax and Cooperative and Competitive Federalism shows the potential for balanced federal relations in India's governance framework.