Article 356 is a controversial constitutional section included in the constitution of India. This article gives the central government the authority to dismiss any state government if there has been failure of the Constitutional machinery in the state. Though this might have been included with good intent, most of the times it has been used as a pretext to dissolve state governments ruled by political opponents. Many believe that this article is a threat to the federal state system. Since the Indian constitution was adopted in 1950, the central government has used this article more than 100 times to dissolve state governments and impose direct rule (also called President's rule).
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