‘India had opportunities to reform federal structures during long stints of coalition governments’

A webinar on Constitution Under the Microscope: Federalism, Free Speech and the Indian Republic, jointly organised by the SRM Institute of Science and Technology and The Hindu, focused on strained Centre-State ties in many States, the role of Governors, and the importance of free speech.

Responding to a question on whether the Constitution requires amendments to make it more federal in nature, Madras High Court advocate Suhrith Parthasarathy said such an amendment may not be necessary. Instead, he stressed the need to preserve the Constitution’s basic essence.