What is the difference between a unitary and federal constitution ?

Constitutions are either unitary or federal. A unitary system is governed constitutionally as one single unit, with one constitutionally created legislature.

This means that all powers of the Government are centralized in one Government that is Central Government. The most famous example of Unitary Constitution is UK.

In Unitary Constitution the provinces are subordinate to the centre, but in federal constitution , there is a division of powers between the federal and the state governments. Both are independent in their own sphere. Constitution of India has features of both unitary and federal constitution.


4 Comments

  1. Raksha

    July 28, 2017 at 3:09 pm

    Good

  2. Chetanya Singh

    December 1, 2019 at 3:38 pm

    Thank you very much, although I would like to add that the Indian Constitution is known to be ‘Quasi-Federal’ and that it is a federation with unitary features. Some topics, which come under the ‘Union List’ are discussed and decided upon by the Central Government, whereas, some topics that come under the ‘State List’ are mostly dealt by the State Governments. However, there also happens to be the ‘Concurrent List’, which consists of topics that are supposed to be discussed by the State Governments and the Central Government, with the ultimate decision making faculty being in the hands of the Central Government of India. A ‘Residuary Lists’ also exists, because the Constitution of India was written a long time ago, and the team of people writing it knew that new technological and ideological advances that would occur in the future would cause problems to the nation as well, and topics and issues such as cybercrime and terrorism are placed in the list, that have recently come into broad daylight, i.e years after the formation of the constitution.

    EXAMPLES OF TOPICS AS PER LISTS:

    RESIDUARY: Terrorism, Cybercrime
    CONCURRENT: Marriage, Divorce, Land Ownership
    UNION: Trade policies, Defense
    STATE: Public Health: Sanitation, Police

    THANK YOU VERY MUCH AGAIN .

  3. Oreva

    May 4, 2020 at 12:46 am

    Thanks so much but I am sorry cause this is not what I was looking for. Maybe put more than one difference next time.
    But otherwise thank You

  4. Sini

    July 6, 2020 at 6:40 pm

    Please more differences will be better

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