Describe the three fold distribution of legislative powers between the union government and the state governments. Who can make laws on the subjects which are not covered under these lists and what name has been given to such subjects?

(a) Power has been distributed between the Centre and the States as given below:
(i) Union List: It contains subjects of national importance such as defence, currency and foreign affairs. Only Union Government can make laws on the subjects of Union List.
(ii) State List: It contains subjects of local importance such as police and agriculture. The State Governments make laws on these subjects.
(iii) Concurrent List: The subjects like education, forest, marriage have been included in this list. Both the governments i.e., Central as well as State Governments – can make laws on these subjects. In case of conflict between two laws, the law made by the Central Government will prevail.
(iv) Residuary Subjects: The power relating to subjects which have not been included in either of the lists have been given to the Central Government i.e., computer software.
(b) From above it is clear that more powers have been given to the Central Government. The subjects of national importance such as defence, foreign affairs, currency, have been included in the Union List. In the Concurrent List too, if the laws made by the Centre and the States conflict with each other, the law made by the Union Government prevails. Residuary powers have been vested with the central government which has made it more powerful than the states.