If a law made by a State Government on a Concurrent List subject conflicts with a law made by the Union Government on the same subject, which law prevails? Explain the significance of this provision for Indian federalism.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 13:17 · grounding rag
Model Answer
When a State Government's law on a Concurrent List subject conflicts with a Union Government's law on the same subject, the law made by the Union Government prevails.
Significance for Indian federalism:
- It ensures national uniformity on subjects of common interest (e.g., education, forests, marriage).
- It prevents conflicting laws from creating confusion across states.
- It reflects India's "holding together" federation, where the Central Government is relatively stronger than the States.
- However, States still retain the right to legislate on Concurrent List subjects, preserving their autonomy unless there is a conflict.
This provision balances unity with diversity — a core goal of Indian federalism.
Source: Chapter 2 — Federalism, "What makes India a federal country?" section
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Explanation
What examiners look for:
- The direct answer — Union Government's law prevails (must state this clearly for 1 mark).
- At least 2–3 significance points for the remaining 2 marks.
- Use of correct terms: Concurrent List, Union Government, federalism.
Key to remember: The three lists — Union, State, and Concurrent — and the rule that Central law overrides State law in case of conflict on the Concurrent List. Don't confuse this with the State List, where only State Governments legislate.