Supreme Court judge Justice BV Nagarathna has emphasized the importance of treating states as 'coordinates and not subordinates' in the country's constitutional framework.
Speaking at the Rajendra Prasad Memorial Lecture, she stated that the vertical division of powers between the Centre and states is not a hierarchy, but a carefully designed constitutional balance.
Justice Nagarathna called for stronger Centre-state cooperation, saying that states must be treated fairly regardless of which political party is in power.
She urged political leaders to rise above partisan considerations in matters of governance, adding that constitutional governance would not depend on which party is ruling at the Centre and which party is ruling at the state level.
Citizens should benefit equally from welfare measures undertaken by both levels of government, she said, and that a mature federation ought not rush to courts as adversaries.
Justice Nagarathna also stressed the importance of safeguarding the Constitution through day-to-day functioning of key bodies, such as the Election Commission, Finance Commission, and Competition Commission of India.
