In the Seventh Schedule of the Constitution of India, the subject \"Betting and gambling\" is included under which of the following lists?

Difficulty: Easy

Correct Answer: State List

Explanation:


Introduction / Context:
The Constitution of India distributes legislative powers between the Union and the states through the Union List, State List and Concurrent List found in the Seventh Schedule. Some subjects are clearly local or region specific, and states have the main responsibility for regulating them. This question asks where the subject betting and gambling is placed, which is a classic example of a matter handled primarily at the state level in India.


Given Data / Assumptions:

  • The Seventh Schedule contains three operative lists: Union List, State List and Concurrent List.
  • The subject under consideration is betting and gambling, which involves activities like lotteries, casinos, race betting and other games of chance.
  • There is also a distractor option Global List, which is not an actual constitutional list.
  • You must recall which list empowers states or the Union to legislate on this matter.


Concept / Approach:
Subjects that are essentially local in character or that involve public morals and law and order within a state are usually assigned to the State List. Betting and gambling fall into this category because each state may have different social attitudes, religious sensibilities and economic considerations regarding such activities. The Constitution therefore leaves regulation or prohibition of betting and gambling mainly to the states. As a result, some states allow certain forms of lotteries or race course betting while others completely ban them. This flexibility is possible because betting and gambling is a State List subject.


Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recognise that betting and gambling typically take place within the territorial limits of a state and relate to local law and order and public morality.Step 2: Recall that such subjects are generally placed in the State List to allow states to decide their own policies.Step 3: Remember that the Union List covers national subjects like defence, foreign affairs and currency, which clearly do not include betting and gambling.Step 4: Note that although the Concurrent List covers shared subjects like criminal law and marriage, betting and gambling is explicitly assigned to the State List instead.Step 5: Conclude that the correct list is the State List.


Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify this by observing real life differences between states: for example, some states run state lotteries while others prohibit lotteries, and some have more relaxed laws about casinos or horse race betting. These policy differences would not be possible if betting and gambling were centrally regulated under the Union List. Polity reference books that reproduce the entries of the State List clearly include betting and gambling, confirming that your answer is correct.


Why Other Options Are Wrong:
The Union List deals with matters of national importance such as defence and currency, not localised activities like gambling. The Concurrent List includes subjects where both Union and states can legislate, such as forests or education, but betting and gambling has been kept specifically in the State List. The so called Global List has no existence in the Indian Constitution and appears only as a distractor. Therefore, none of these other options accurately reflect the constitutional position of betting and gambling.


Common Pitfalls:
A common mistake is to assume that anything related to law and criminality must be in the Concurrent List. However, the Constitution distinguishes between broad criminal law and specific activities like betting and gambling, clearly assigning the latter to states. Another pitfall is to ignore the federal logic and guess the Union List simply because gambling can be lucrative, but constitutional design is based more on local control than revenue considerations in this case. Careful study of the Seventh Schedule entries helps avoid such confusion.


Final Answer:
In the Seventh Schedule, betting and gambling is listed in the State List.

More Questions from Indian Politics

Discussion & Comments

No comments yet. Be the first to comment!
Join Discussion