Prelude

The Cartel is becoming increasingly aggressive with each passing day. And how! And no, I’m not a wannabe… I faintly recall one of the Cartel’s Inner Circle Member commenting somewhere that the Cartel will know if a wannabe (or any sundry person for that matter) qualifies for membership: in other words, whether the person has arrived or no.

So, although I know I’m eminent, I’ll keep quiet and let the Cartel announce that they’re proud to have me in The Club and do me the honours: if not in the near future, certainly at some point in time.

But doesn’t this statement imply that I am an aspirant, too? I’ll let the other eminences answer this using their fabulous powers of reasoning. And I say this very humbly, no sarcasm intended.

The Purpose

All right, I’ll get to the point now. The whole Prelude was in jest–people who’d like to take it seriously are welcome to do so; after all I stand to gain in the end!

Starting with this post, I shall when I have the time and something interesting I happen to think/read about, post a free for all topic open to debate. I’ve created a new category entitled, Discussions, for this purpose. You can post your views using the Comments box or send me an email (if you think it merits a separate blog entry) at b underscore sandeep at fastmail dot fm: more like pseudo guest blogging.

States are not Vassals of the Union

So reads the title of one of Nani Palkhivala’s articles/speeches. In his typical style, he argues several points to show that the current set up in India where states are treated like the feudatories of the central government, reeks of authoritarianism. He wrote this somewhere in the 70s (80s maybe?) where this was at its height.

This has lessened in recent times thanks to coalition politics, but not in a pleasant way. The regional party with more seats has naturally played the bully: DMK’s threat to the Congress is a telling example of this phenomenon.

Forgive the digression.

Among other things–written typically from a Constitutional expert’s perspective–that interested me in the article, I choose to include these:

• President’s rule: when, how(?) and why should it be imposed. Nani says that (at the time of writing the article) President’s Rule was imposed for a record 70 times post-independence!
• Appointment of governors: the true role of Governors. Nani quotes a judgment that says that employer-employee relationship doesn’t exist between the Government of India and the Governor…that the Governor’s office is not subservient to the GOI.
• President’s assent to State bills: Constitutionally, the President is never bound to give assent to State bills.
• Financial Relations/(Tax) Revenue sharing with the states: Facts show that there exists a gross disproportion of revenue sharing between the Centre and the States what with the Centre cornering the lion’s share.

Before I go further, let me state that I’m very poor in this area. Plus, I have read Nani’s take on these issues. What I’d like is to hear variegated viewpoints on these and hopefully increase my knowledge.

Lastly, I’m aware of the incredible freedom that individual States (even Counties) enjoy in the US as opposed to India. I’d like your perspectives on this, too.