UPSC 2023 GS-II · 15 marks · 250 words

Account for the legal and political factors responsible for the reduced frequency of using Article 356 by the Union Governments since mid-1990s.

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Legal: S.R. Bommai (1994) — judicial review of proclamation, floor test as the test of majority, revival of dissolved assemblies possible
Data anchor: ~90 uses before 1994 vs a handful per decade since — the trend the question asserts
Political: coalition era at Centre (regional parties as coalition partners), federalised polity, electoral cost of misuse (post-1977, post-S.R. Bommai norms)
Later jurisprudence: Rameshwar Prasad (Bihar 2005) censuring dissolution; Uttarakhand/Arunachal (2016) restorations
Residual concern: Governor's report route and 'constitutional breakdown' elasticity — reduced, not reformed (Sarkaria/Punchhi guidelines)

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Account for the legal and political factors responsible for the reduced frequency of using Article 356 by the Union Governments since mid-1990s.

What a top answer must contain

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