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SSC CGL Preparation – Day 11
Polity – Government Structure
🏛️ 1. Indian Government: A Parliamentary System
India follows a Parliamentary form of government modeled on the British system but adapted to suit Indian conditions.
- Type: Federal with a strong unitary bias.
- Governance Structure: Three-tiered – Union Government, State Governments, and Local Governments.
🧩 2. Three Organs of the Government
- Legislature – Makes laws.
- Executive – Implements laws.
- Judiciary – Interprets laws.
🇮🇳 3. Union Government Structure (Central Government)
🔷 I. Executive:
- President: Constitutional head of the state.
- Elected indirectly for 5 years.
- Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.
- Acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
- Vice-President:
- Second-highest constitutional post.
- Ex-officio Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
- Prime Minister:
- Real executive authority.
- Leader of the majority in Lok Sabha.
- Heads the Council of Ministers.
- Council of Ministers:
- Includes Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers.
- Responsible to the Lok Sabha.
🔷 II. Legislature: Parliament
- Bicameral Legislature:
- Rajya Sabha (Upper House): 245 members (indirectly elected).
- Lok Sabha (Lower House): 543 elected members + 2 nominated (Anglo-Indians – now discontinued).
- Main Functions:
- Law-making
- Budget approval
- Checks and balances on the executive
🔷 III. Judiciary:
- Supreme Court of India:
- Apex judicial body.
- Ensures the supremacy of the Constitution.
- Has original, appellate, and advisory jurisdiction.
🏞️ 4. State Government Structure
🔷 I. Executive:
- Governor: Nominal head of the state (appointed by the President).
- Chief Minister: Real executive head at the state level.
- Council of Ministers: Similar structure as the Centre, responsible to the State Legislative Assembly.
🔷 II. Legislature:
- Unicameral or Bicameral:
- Some states have two houses (Legislative Assembly + Legislative Council).
- Most states have only Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha).
🔷 III. High Courts:
- Each state has a High Court.
- Some High Courts serve more than one state (e.g., Punjab & Haryana).
- Below High Courts are District and Session Courts.
🧱 5. Local Government Structure
🟩 Urban Local Bodies:
- Municipal Corporations (large cities)
- Municipal Councils (medium towns)
- Nagar Panchayats (transitional areas)
🟨 Rural Local Bodies:
- Panchayati Raj System (Three tiers):
- Gram Panchayat (Village level)
- Panchayat Samiti (Block level)
- Zila Parishad (District level)
Introduced by the 73rd and 74th Constitutional Amendments (1992) to ensure democratic decentralization.
⚖️ 6. Features of Indian Government Structure
| Feature | Description |
|---|---|
| Federalism | Powers divided between Centre and States |
| Parliamentary System | Executive is accountable to the Legislature |
| Separation of Powers | Each organ has distinct powers and responsibilities |
| Judicial Independence | Judiciary is independent and impartial |
| Democratic Decentralization | Through Panchayati Raj and Urban Local Bodies |
📝 7. Important Constitutional Articles
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| Article 74-75 | Union Executive (President, PM, Ministers) |
| Article 79-122 | Parliament |
| Article 124-147 | Supreme Court |
| Article 153-167 | State Executive |
| Article 214-237 | High Courts |
| Article 243-243O | Panchayats |
| Article 243P-243ZG | Municipalities |
✅ Quick Revision Points
- India is a quasi-federal country with a unitary tilt.
- The President is the nominal head, while the PM is the real head of the Union Government.
- Legislature is bicameral at the Centre, mostly unicameral in States.
- Judiciary is integrated and independent.
- Local self-governments are empowered through the 73rd and 74th Amendments.
