GK Question

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Article 246 read with Seventh Schedule distributes legislative powers: Union List (List I) has ______ subjects on which Parliament has exclusive power to legislate, State List (List II) has 61 subjects for State Legislatures, and Concurrent List (List III) has 52 subjects where both can legislate (Union law prevails in conflict).

  1. 52
  2. 61
  3. 97
  4. 120

Answer: 97

Legislative distribution framework: (a) Union List (List I): 97 subjects (defence, foreign affairs, currency, railways, etc.) — Parliament exclusive power, (b) State List (List II): 61 subjects (police, public health, agriculture, etc.) — State Legislature exclusive power, (c) Concurrent List (List III): 52 subjects (education, forests, marriage, etc.) — both can legislate; Union law prevails in conflict (Article 254), (d) Residuary powers: Article 248 — Parliament exclusive power over subjects not in any List, (e) Federal flexibility: Articles 249-253 enable Parliament to legislate on State List in national interest, during Emergency, or for international agreements, (f) Applications: (i) GST: Subsumed multiple Union/State taxes, required constitutional amendment (101st) affecting Seventh Schedule, (ii) Environmental laws: Parliament legislates on State List subjects (forests, wildlife) under Article 253 (international agreements), (iii) Education: Concurrent subject; Union sets standards (RTE Act), States implement, (g) Illustrates Indian federalism's core architecture: Defined domains with mechanisms for adaptive coordination; balance between Union supremacy in national interest and State autonomy in local matters.

Topic Federalism - Article 246 Legislative Distribution Fundamentals
Exam Relevance Legislative distribution fundamentals frequently asked in SSC, Railway, and Banking exams