Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other as Reason (R) : Assertion (A): Indian federalism is called 'Quasifederal’ Reason (R): India has an Independent judiciary with the power of Judicial Review. Select the correct answer from the codes given below:

Both statements are true, but the Reason does not explain the Assertion. The answer is B.

Assertion (A): India is described as quasi-federal, a standard textbook label for a system with federal features but a strong Centre. The reasons are visible in the Constitution: a single constitution with no separate state constitutions, Parliament's power to alter state boundaries under Article 3, the Governor appointed by the President, Article 356, the emergency provisions in Articles 352 to 360, the All-India Services, and an integrated judicial hierarchy.

Reason (R): The independent judiciary and judicial review are true. They make the Supreme Court the umpire of the Centre-State division of powers under Articles 131 and 32. But this is a feature that supports federalism, so it cannot explain why the system is called quasi-federal.

• Option A is wrong because R does not explain A.
• Option C is wrong because R is true.
• Option D is wrong because A is true.

Mains angle: the Centre-State relations debate, including the Sarkaria and Punchhi Commission reports, turns on exactly this tension between a strong Centre and a judiciary that protects state autonomy.

Trap: Aspirants mark A as the explanation of A just because both statements sound true. Always ask whether R causes or explains A.