National

CPI(M) for reforms in Centre-State relations

NEW DELHI: Attempting to initiate a debate on Centre-State relations, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Wednesday prepared an approach paper to restructure legal, administrative, financial, institutional and other matters, strongly suggesting amending the Constitution to prevent misuse of Articles 356 and 355.

“We have a Constitution that is federal in form but it is more unitary in character. The basic structure remains to be one where legislative, administrative and financial powers are disproportionately concentrated in the Union government, with the States having a large number of responsibilities without sufficient autonomy,” party general secretary Prakash Karat said releasing the paper.

The party, he said, had already sent the paper to other political parties and was “open to further discussion” in various platforms, including Chief Ministers, so that a common approach could be adopted. He said the CPI (M) felt that irrespective of the political party which was ruling in the States, everyone should take steps to bring reforms in Centre-State relations.

On the political front, he said, the Central government was armed with “draconian powers” to threaten a State government and ultimately dismiss it. Unless a serious threat to national unity or to the secular fabric of the country is detected, Article 356 should not be used. The paper suggests incorporating safeguards, he said, adding that the Inter-State Council Standing Committee arrived at some consensus in 1996-97 that was “worth pursuing.”

Though the party felt that the post of Governor was an “anachronism,” Mr. Karat said the suggestion was that the Governor should be appointed by the President from a list of three eminent persons suggested by the Chief Minster. Experience showed that the post of Governor was a traditional refuge for retired politicians of the ruling party.

Another key suggestion included altering treaty-making powers of the Union Executive. He said parliamentary approval should be mandatory and when such treaties affected the interests of the States, as in the case of agriculture, they should be consulted and the concurrence of the Inter-State Council made mandatory.

On financial aspects, the paper suggested that 50 per cent of the total pool of collection of Central taxes should be devolved to the States. It said there was a basic imbalance in the Constitution since major responsibilities in the sphere of development expenditure (irrigation, roads, power, education, health, etc.) and administrative expenditure had been given to the States, and the more important power of revenue raising had been given to the Centre.

The paper also raised institutional issues such as making the decisions of the Inter-State Council binding on the Union government; granting constitutional status to the National Development Council and making the Planning Commission its executive wing. The party also said the views of the States should be taken into account before determining the terms of reference of the Finance Commission.

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