Asymmetry Rekha Saxena
Asymmetry Rekha Saxena
Asymmetry Rekha Saxena
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70 January 14, 2012 vol xlvii no 2 EE3 Economic & Political weekly
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from the departing colonial rulers and in 1965 takes a dismissive view
federalism government and the fundamental rights
desired to establish a strong nation state
of it, of the citizens. Article 370 (bii) limited the
as for him, it is prone to secessionism
in due course. This is illustrated (1965:873).
by the The Canadian experience with power of the Parliament to make laws for
the
almost total rejection of the federal Quebec
idea as question has brought about the
a state of Jammu and Kashmir to for
such by Pakistan and Sri Lanka bit despite eign affairs, defence and communications
of turnaround in the theoretical appre
their ethno-national diversities. India andciation of asymmetrical federalism as specified in the Instrument of Accession
Nepal are the only examples of reluctant asymmetry was impliedly built into the by dint of which the state joined the Union
federal constitution-making in Canada in
federalists in this part of the world, taking of India in October 1948. Parliament's
the evidence of the process of constitu laws on subjects in the union and concur
1867 (without using the term) and the tra
jectory of the federalist and sovereignist
tion-making in the two states. It took India rent lists would not automatically be valid
debate has brought to the fore the accom
nearly half a century to develop some de in the state unless the president of India in
gree of concession to asymmetrical feder concurrence with the state government
modative potential of the device.4 Federal
alism, if at all. declared them applicable to the state.
experiments elsewhere have supported
The comparative political experience of
this line of argument including the Indian
Similarly Article 371 A and E provide that
all multinational federations, with thecase (Stepan 2004). Michael Burgessa parliamentary statute to be extended to
possible exception of Switzerland, sug (2006: 209-25) makes a more balanced the states of Nagaland and Mizoram re
quire the consent of the legislatures of
theoretical statement by suggesting that
gests that some degree of constitutional
those states, if the law concerned relates
the accommodative or secessionist poten
asymmetry is essential for establishing
tials of asymmetrical federal arrange
enduring federal unions in the contempo to religious and social practices of Nagas
rary world today. India, Belgium, Canada and Mizos, their customary law and pro
ments actually depend on specific cultural
are cases in point in this context. These cedures, administration of civil and crimi
and historical contexts. A flat a priori as
are the major examples of reasonably
sertion cannot be made in this regard. nal justice affecting these customary
well-functioning asymmetrical federal laws, and ownership and transfer of land
democracies today. The Russian federationThe Indian Experience resources of these states. The above articles
the political leadership and other contexthe United States of America but on the may be synoptically noted here. Indian
tual factors. To quote McGarry (2005:17),basis of their population.5 Thus, the state
federalism relates to a special kind of fed
I have argued that, contrary to the fears of of Uttar Pradesh has 31 seats whereas erating units that are called the union ter
ritories (uts). The seven uts have been
state-nationalists, or integrationists, therestates from the north-east (such as Megha
is little evidence that asymmetry promotes laya, Mizoram, Manipur) and Pondicherry
created at various points in time. The rea
break-up. Indeed, virtually all cases of seces
and Goa have just one seat each in the
sons for their creation were varied. These
sion in the twentieth century have occurred
from unitary states, or from democratising
Rajya Sabha. The literature on Indian
areas were either too small to be states or
federations that were centralised from much too difficult to merge with neighbouring
federalism has recently been applying the
of their history and that were essentiallyconcept of constitutional asymmetry under states on account of cultural differences,
symmetrical in nature. Asymmetrical fedwhich the states of Jammu and Kashmir, interstate disputes, specific needs of the
eralism may be associated with instability
Nagaland, and Mizoram enjoy certain spe National Capital Territory, or far-flung
and illiberalism in certain limited contexts,
but there is nothing inherently unstable or
isolated
cial position and powers in the Constitution location on the coasts. Originally,
not enjoyed by others. Jammu and Kash
illiberal about it. Rather, much depends on they were all administered directly by
context, on motivations of the parties in mir has a constitution of its own drafted the union through a centrally appointed
volved, and in the details of the autonomyby the constituent assembly of the state administrator. None of these had a legis
arrangements.
and adopted in 1957, though its provisions lature but all were represented by at
Charles Tarlton who is credited with
broadly conform to the Constitution of least one seat in the lower house of Parlia
India with regard to the structure of the ment. Parliament can either extend the
having coined the term asymmetrical
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NOTES
Economic & Political weekly QEQ3 January 14, 2012 vol xlvii no 2 73
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NOTES
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t i
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Regional Media • Media and Conflict • Media Ethics
Media Books and Research • Media and Gender • Online Media
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