Federalism

The National Testing Agency’s unbroken record of paper leaks, glitches, and mismanagement is not a story of institutional failure alone but of unconstitutional centralisation, corporate capture of public examinations, and a federal structure being quietly dismantled.

As actor Vijay swears in as Tamil Nadu’s chief minister following days of uncertainty, we look back upon whether the Governor can actually act as an authority certifying legislative confidence despite prima facie proof of majority support. Could statutory clarity on the sequence of government formation avoid future instances of such ‘receipt constitutionalism’?

While the 131st Constitution Amendment Bill may have failed in the legislature, several questions surrounding delimitation and the fate of ‘political justice’ in Indian federalism continue to linger. Is a bloated Parliament truly what we need? And are there other ways to imagine India’s delimitation future?

In a detailed order passed today, the Bench formally recorded its appreciation for the manner in which the dispute was resolved and commended the role played by the committee headed by Justice Dhulia.

Recent violence in the tribal majority border region has so far seen four deaths and over seventy injuries. For policymakers, this must be a reminder that the longer Ladakh’s constitutional fate hangs in limbo, the longer the risks of radicalisation remain.

The Solicitor General continued to press that in exercise of Article 200 powers, the governor could withhold assent to a bill, and the judiciary cannot issue mandamus in such a situation.

“We are proud of our Constitution. See what is happening in our neighbouring states,” CJI Gavai noted amidst rising tensions and violence in Nepal.

On the third day of hearings, CJI Gavai reiterated that the governor would not be justified in sitting over a bill for six months.