Seventh Schedule

Seventh Schedule (Union List, State List and Concurrent List)

Article 246

The Seventh Schedule divides legislative powers between Parliament and State Legislatures through three lists. The Union List (List I) contains subjects like defence, foreign affairs, banking, currency, and railways on which only Parliament can legislate. The State List (List II) contains subjects like police, public health, agriculture, and local government on which only State Legislatures can ordinarily legislate. The Concurrent List (List III) contains subjects like criminal law, marriage, education, and forests where both Parliament and State Legislatures can legislate, with central law prevailing in case of conflict under Article 254. This schedule is central to India's federal structure, and disputes over which list a particular law falls under have generated significant constitutional litigation. Entries such as Entry 97 (residuary powers) in the Union List and various amendments over time (like the 42nd Amendment shifting some entries) highlight the dynamic nature of this division of powers.

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