7th Schedule of Indian Constitution:

• Article 246 of the constitution of India provides for a threefold division of legislative subjects between centre and states (Seventh Schedule). They are
  • Union List (List-I),
  • State List (List -II) and
  • Concurrent List (List -III).
• This threefold division of legislative subjects has been taken from the Government of India Act of 1935.
• The Parliament has exclusive power to make laws with respect to any matter enumerated in Union List. It has 100 subjects (originally 97). Some of the subjects are – Post office saving bank, defence, banking, foreign affairs etc.
• The state legislature has in normal circumstances exclusive powers to make laws with respect to any of the matters enumerated in the State List. It has 61 subjects (originally 67 subjects). Some of the subjects are – Health, Agriculture, Police, etc.
• Both the Parliament and state legislatures have concurrent powers to make laws with respect to any matter mentioned in the Concurrent List. It has 52 subjects (originally 47 subjects). Some of the subjects are – Bankruptcy and Insolvency, Forests, Protection of wild animals and birds, Electricity etc.
• Inter-state trade and commerce is a Union subject (Entry 42). Agriculture with all its associated, ancillary and subsidiary enterprises – including education and research, livestock, fisheries, irrigation etc – is a state subject. ‘Markets and fairs’ are also a state subject (Entry 28 of the state list). Even trade and commerce within a state is also a state subject (Entry 27). However, it is subject to Entry 33 of the concurrent list which has been put to use by the Centre to bring the three Farm Bills.
• Trade and commerce in, and the production, supply and distribution of the products of any industry where the control of such industry by the Union is declared by Parliament by law to be expedient in the public interest, and imported goods of the same kind as such products; foodstuffs, including edible oilseeds and oils; cattle fodder, including oilcake and other concentrates; raw cotton whether ginned or unginned, and cotton seeds; and raw jute.”

Recent news about 7th schedule

The high-level group (HLG) formed for the health sector by the 15th Finance Commission has said that the subject of ‘health’ must be transferred to the Concurrent List of the Indian Constitution from the State List. Also, many of the subjects were in news due to the Farmer’s Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion & Facilitation) Bill and the Farmer’s (Empowerment & Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and the Farm Services Bill.