ABSTRACT
List, including local government, the police, public health and education, while the Concurrent List of over 40 joint responsibilities includes criminal law, marriage and divorce, and labour law. The Union List, however, contains nearly 100 subjects, including areas such as external affairs, defence and communications, and is the default repository of any items not specified on the other two lists. Also, if Union and state law are in conflict, the former prevails, while in a time of emergency Parliament may invade the competencies normally vested in the states. Considerable reserve powers, therefore, have accrued to the Centre. Meanwhile, another constitutional advantage for the Centre over the states is the device known as President’s Rule, whereby the national executive has the authority to revoke the powers of the state institutions (except the judiciary) and impose direct rule.
