The Politics of Power and the Power of Politics: Centralization Trends in Contemporary India

Author: Dr Deepshikha Parashar, Latika Yadav

Affiliation: IIS (Deemed to be University), Jaipur

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Abstract:​​​​

This article examines the evolving contours of Indian federalism in an era marked by the growing centralization of political, fiscal, and administrative power. India’s constitutional design has always leaned toward a strong Centre, but recent developments suggest a shift not merely in degree rather in the nature of federal practice itself. Through a four-dimensional framework (political, fiscal, administrative, and judicial), this study traces how institutions that were once intended to mediate power are increasingly being sidelined. Drawing on the lens of historical institutionalism and federal theory, this analysis situates contemporary developments within a longer history of institutional drift and central dominance. In doing so, this article reveals how federalism is being hollowed out through executive practices, policy instruments, and a shrinking culture of intergovernmental consultation. To extend the analytical lens, this article also offers a comparative perspective by engaging with Turkey’s experience under executive consolidation. While structurally distinct, both countries illustrate how centralization can unfold through the logic of majoritarian democracy, altering the spirit of federalism and retaining its formal shell.

Ultimately, this article argues that if India is to sustain its pluralist and democratic character, federalism must be reimagined as a lived political ethic rooted in dialogue, diversity, and shared sovereignty.

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Keywords: Federalism, centralization, institutional drift, executive dominance​

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ISSN 3069-8200