Relationship Among Union, States, and Local Bodies

The Constitution of India divides the legislation over the central, states, and the local bodies to perform efficient governance over people and their problems. The constitution has classified the relations between the Union, States, and the local bodies into three fields. One of them is the administrative relationship among Union, States, and Local bodies. It deals with the administrative authority of the government in case of any chaos in the country or state. The Union government has superior authority over the state and local bodies. The state or local bodies cannot annul an amendment passed by the Union legislature.

Relationship among Union, States and Local bodies

The relationships among the union, states, and the local bodies ensure efficient governance in the nation. The relations between the union and the states can be classified into two different fields. They are:

• Legislative relations – It includes Articles 245 to 255
• Administrative relations – It includes Articles 256 to 263

Administrative relationship among Union, States and Local bodies

• The administrative relationship among the union, states, and local bodies distributes the administrative legislature among each of them. 
• The union governs and passes laws to the whole or any part of the country. 
• Whereas, the state legislature exerts complete power over the whole or any part of the State.
• The local bodies function as tiny self-governments, taking care of even the minute part of any province.

Administrative relationship between Union and the States 

Articles 256 to 263 talk about the administrative relationship between the union and the States.

Article 256:

• The union can impose laws on states that ought to be followed by the states, even when the list of items comes under states’ legislation.

Article 257:

• The judiciary of the state cannot overrule the union’s legislation.

Article 258:

• The legislation of functions relating to a matter can be exchanged to the states’ legislation by the Prime Minister of the nation when necessary.
• So, under such conditions, the state legislature can function to make a decision even though it is the union’s responsibility. 

Article 260:

• It deals with the involvement of the Indian government in the legislation of the territories outside the Nation.
• This Article has been in effect since April 26, 1975.

Article 261:

• The public acts, records, and judicial proceedings have full rights to be executed and credited throughout the nation.

Article 262:

• The Parliament can make decisions regarding the state and interstate rivers and water bodies. 
• It deals with the water dispute within the country.

Article 263:

• The President of the nation has the power to form an interstate council to discuss local matters efficiently.
• Article 263 was put in effect on May 28, 1990, under the recommendations of the Sarkaria Commission.
• The Sarkaria commission is looked upon when forming an interstate council.

Administrative relationship between the States and the local bodies

The administrative power is distributed between the states and their local bodies to govern the areas efficiently. The local bodies function as mini-government within the states. Yet, the states have supreme power over the local bodies. The state governments look over the local bodies. The local bodies of a state include associations like Panchayats and Municipalities.

Panchayat

The gram sabha is the base of the Panchayat system. Article 243 deals with the Panchayat systems of the state. 

Article 243-A: 

• It tells about the power of the Gram Sabha in a Panchayat that it may exercise such powers and perform such functions at its level when provided by law.. 

Article 243-B:

• It categorises Panchayat at three levels – village, intermediate and district levels in the state. 

Article 243-C:

• It speaks about the composition of the Panchayat of a state. 

Article 243-K:

• It delivers official allotments in the case of Panchayat elections. 

Municipalities

Municipalities are self-governing bodies of the states. Article 243 extends to municipalities too. 

Article 243-Q:

• It details the constitutions and their setups in the state. 

Article 243-R:

• It describes the seat allotments in the municipality election. 

Article 243-S:

• It describes the constitution and composition of the wards and candidates. 

Article 243-W:

• It lists the authority and responsibility of the Municipality in the State. 

In short, the administrative relations between the State and their local bodies include the following.

• Approval of by-laws and rules
• Exercises control on the local bodies 
• Issuing directions to the local bodies
• Submission of periodic reports to state governments
• The power of the state legislature 
• An appeal against the unfair
• The behaviour of a local body
• Control on arbitrary practices
• Dissolution of municipality

Conclusion

The administrative relationship among the union, states, and local bodies is one of the official relations prevailing in India to ensure an effective rule over the nation. The other relations are, namely, the legislative relations and the financial relations. The legislature of the union is superior to that of the states. The legislature of the states is superior to that of the local bodies. The local bodies of the State include the Panchayat and municipalities. The union makes laws for the whole or any part of the Nation. The states make laws for the whole or any part of the State. The local bodies function as self-governing bodies in the states.