Explain why many leaders demanded a strong Centre during the debates in Constituent Assembly? How were powers to legislate finally divided?

(a) Before partition the Congress had agreed to grant considerable autonomy to the provinces. This had been done to assure the Muslim League that in the provinces where the Muslim League had come to power the centre would not interfere.

(b) But after partition, the constituent members felt that the earlier political pressures for a decentralised structure was no longer there.

(c) Moreover faced with the communal frenzy at the time, the need was felt by many members to have a strong centre to curb the riots and violence.

(d) Balakrishna Sharma from the United Provinces felt that only a Strong centre could plan for the welfare of the country, mobilise the economic resources needed, have an effective administration and defend the country against foreign aggression.

(e) A unitary system was already in place due to the British government and the violence that accompanied partition gave a further push to centralisation.

Powers to legislate were divided between the centre and state on the basis of three lists. These were the Union, Concurrent and State List. The Union List contained 97 subjects of national importance and only the central government could legislate on subjects of this list. The state government passed laws on the subjects of the Sate List (66 subjects). Both the centre and state could pass laws on subjects of the Concurrent List (47 subjects).