A government is not just a group of people making decisions; it is a system of institutions that work together to run the country. In a democracy, the government is organised into different organs — the legislature, the executive, and the judiciary — each with its own powers and functions. These institutions make laws, implement them, and settle disputes, and their smooth working is essential for the functioning of a democracy.
In India, the major political institutions are the Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, and the judiciary, headed by the Supreme Court. This chapter explains how these institutions work, how decisions are made in the government, and how the different organs of the government are related to each other. The chapter uses real examples to show how institutions function in practice.
The Parliament is the supreme legislative body of the country. It makes laws, controls the finances of the government, and represents the interests of the people. The Parliament of India is the supreme law-making body, and it is also called the legislature. It consists of the President, the Lok Sabha (House of the People), and the Rajya Sabha (Council of States).
The Lok Sabha is the Lower House of the Parliament, whose members are directly elected by the people. The Rajya Sabha is the Upper House, whose members are elected by the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies. The Lok Sabha has a maximum strength of 552 members, and the Rajya Sabha has a maximum of 250 members. The money bills can only be introduced in the Lok Sabha, and if there is a conflict between the two houses, the decision of the Lok Sabha prevails.
The Parliament makes laws on all matters mentioned in the Union List and the Concurrent List, exercises control over the executive through questions and debates, and approves the budget and the expenditure of the government. The Parliament can also amend the Constitution.
The executive is the organ of the government that implements the laws made by the legislature. In India, the executive comprises the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, the Council of Ministers, and the civil servants. The real executive power rests with the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, who are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
After the elections, the leader of the majority party or the coalition in the Lok Sabha is appointed as the Prime Minister by the President. The President then appoints the other ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. The Council of Ministers consists of the Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers. The Cabinet is the inner ring of the Council of Ministers, and it takes the most important decisions.
The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers, and he/she coordinates the work of the different departments. The Prime Minister allocates the portfolios to the ministers, presides over the meetings of the Cabinet, and is the chief spokesperson of the government. In the parliamentary system, the Prime Minister is the most powerful person in the government.
The judiciary is the organ of the government that settles disputes and interprets the laws. It is the most important part of the government because it protects the rights of the citizens and keeps a check on the other organs of the government. The judiciary in India is independent, which means that the judges are not controlled by the legislature or the executive.
The judiciary in India has a hierarchical structure. At the top is the Supreme Court of India, followed by the High Courts at the state level and the subordinate courts at the district level. The Supreme Court is the highest court of appeal, and it has the power of judicial review, which means that it can declare any law of the legislature or the executive as unconstitutional if it goes against the Constitution.
The judiciary settles disputes between the citizens, between the citizens and the government, between the states, and between the Centre and the states. The judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are appointed by the President of India, and they can be removed only on the grounds of misbehaviour or incapacity, through a difficult process of impeachment.
The working of institutions can be understood with a real example. When a policy is made, such as a new law or an economic policy, it involves many institutions. The proposal is first discussed in the Parliament, then it is approved by the legislature, then it is implemented by the executive, and if there is any dispute, it is settled by the judiciary. This shows how the different organs of the government are related and how they work together.
The institutions of the government — the Parliament, the executive, and the judiciary — are the machinery of democracy. They make democracy function by ensuring that decisions are made in a transparent and accountable manner, that the rights of the citizens are protected, and that no single person or organ of the government becomes too powerful.
| Organ | Institution | Main Function |
|---|---|---|
| Legislature | Parliament (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha) | Makes laws |
| Executive | President, PM, Council of Ministers | Implements laws |
| Judiciary | Supreme Court, High Courts | Interprets laws, settles disputes |
| Feature | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
| Also known as | House of the People | Council of States |
| Members | Directly elected | Indirectly elected |
| Maximum strength | 552 | 250 |
| Money bills | Can be introduced | Cannot introduce money bills |
| Powers | More powerful in money matters | Reviews laws made by Lok Sabha |
| Term | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Legislature | The law-making organ of the government |
| Executive | The organ that implements laws |
| Judiciary | The organ that interprets laws and settles disputes |
| Judicial review | Power of the courts to declare laws unconstitutional |
| Cabinet | The inner ring of the Council of Ministers |
| Impeachment | Process of removing judges for misbehaviour |
The working of institutions is the practical face of democracy. The Parliament makes laws, the executive implements them, and the judiciary interprets them and settles disputes, with each organ checking the powers of the others. In India, the Parliament consists of the President, the Lok Sabha, and the Rajya Sabha; the executive is led by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers; and the judiciary is headed by the Supreme Court. These institutions work together to ensure that the government is accountable, transparent, and protective of the rights of the citizens. Understanding how these institutions work helps citizens appreciate the machinery of democracy and participate in it more effectively. The strength of Indian democracy lies not only in its ideals but in the smooth and independent working of its institutions.