Presidents rule is enabled by article 356 of 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. This article was enabled as a means for the central government to assert authority over a state if civil unrest (such as riots) occured and the state government didn't have the means to end the unrest. Critics of president's rule argue that most of the time, it has been used as a pretext to dissolve state governments ruled by political opponents. Thus, it is seen by many as 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.
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