GIST of India Year Book 2024

Chapter-3  : Polity

Short Notes or Revision Notes 

The Indian Republic: A Sovereign Democracy

Nature of the Republic

• Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a parliamentary system.
• Constitution adopted in 1949 and enforced in 1950.

Executive Structure

• Federal:President as head, real power with Council of Ministers (Prime Minister and cabinet).
• States:Similar structure with Governor and Chief Minister.

Territorial Organization

• 28 states and 8 union territories (as of Oct 31, 2019, J&K reorganized).

Citizenship

• Single citizenship for all of India.
• Citizenship Act, 1955 governs acquisition, determination, and termination.
• Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 grants citizenship to specific religious minorities from neighboring countries.

Fundamental Rights and Duties

• Rights (Part III):Individual and collective freedoms, including equality, speech, and religion (justiciable).
• Duties (42nd Amendment):Responsibilities like upholding the Constitution, defending the nation, promoting harmony (not justiciable).

Directive Principles of State Policy

• Non-justiciable but fundamental principles guiding governance.
• Aim for welfare, social order, economic equality, and environmental protection.

Government Structure

• Union Executive:President, Vice-President, Council of Ministers (headed by Prime Minister).
• Legislature (Parliament):President, Rajya Sabha (upper house), Lok Sabha (lower house).
• Lok Sabha:Members directly elected by the people.
• Rajya Sabha:Members indirectly elected.
• Functions:Lawmaking, oversight, budget approval, grievance redressal.

Membership Qualifications

• Indian citizen with specific age requirements.
• Additional qualifications may be set by Parliament.

Parliamentary Powers

• Impeachment of President.
• Removal of judges, Chief Election Commissioner, Comptroller and Auditor General.

The Functioning of the Indian Parliament

Lawmaking and Oversight

• Bills require approval from both houses (Lok Sabha has more power in money bills).
• Parliament reviews delegated legislation.
• Parliament initiates constitutional amendments.

Committees

• Standing Committees:(Permanent)
  • Financial Committees (scrutinize government spending).
  • Department-related Committees (examine budgets, bills, reports).
  • Other Committees (petitions, privileges, rules, etc.).
• Ad Hoc Committees:(Temporary)
  • Formed for specific inquiries or bills.

Leaders of the Opposition

• Officially recognized in both houses (since 1977).

Government Business

• Coordinated by the Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.
• Maintains communication with presiding officers and party leaders.

Promoting Parliamentary Democracy

• Youth Parliament Competition:Instills democratic values in youth (introduced in 1966).
• All India Whips’ Conference:Strengthens cooperation among parties (established in 1952).

Raising Issues in Parliament

• Rule 377 (Lok Sabha) & Special Mentions (Rajya Sabha):MPs raise concerns with the government.
• OAMS (Online Assurance Monitoring System):Tracks follow-up on ministerial assurances.

Consultation and Transparency

• Consultative Committees:Informal discussions between MPs, Ministers, and officials.
• National e-Vidhan Application (NeVA):Promotes paperless functioning and easy access to documents.

International Relations

• Goodwill Delegations:MPs visit other countries to foster understanding.

 

Women’s Representation

• 73rd Amendment mandates 1/3rd reservation for women in Parliament, state assemblies, and Delhi’s legislative assembly.
• Seats rotate after delimitation to ensure diverse representation.

Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG)

• Ensures accountability of the executive to the legislature.
• Audits finances of Union, state governments, and autonomous bodies.
• Current CAG: Shri Girish Chandra Murmu.

Legal Advisors

• Attorney General:Advises the Government of India, appointed by the President.
• Solicitor General:Assists the Attorney General and represents the government in court.

Administrative Structure

• Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961:Allocates government business among ministries.
• Cabinet Secretariat:Assists in decision-making, coordinates ministries, and ensures adherence to rules.

Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT)

• Launched in 2013 for cash transfers under government schemes to beneficiaries.
• Universalized for central government schemes.
• States set up DBT Cells for coordination and customization.

Ministries and Departments

• Government functions through various ministries and departments.
• Numbers and focus areas vary based on needs and priorities.
  • Examples: Ministry of Agriculture, Ministry of Culture, etc.

Chemical Weapons Convention

• CWC prohibits the development, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons.
• Overseen by the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW).

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• India’s National Authority for CWC liaises with OPCW and fulfills treaty obligations.

 

 

 

Disaster Management and Grievance Redressal

• National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA):
  • Established after the 1999 Gujarat earthquake.
  • Lays down policies and plans for disaster management.
  • Headed by the Prime Minister, with state-level SDMAs.
• Directorate of Public Grievances (DPG):
  • Established in 1988 under the Cabinet Secretariat.
  • Handles grievances after failed redressal attempts at ministries.
  • Uses the Public Grievance Redress and Monitoring System (PGRAMS).

Government Recruitment and Personnel Management

• Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT):
  • Formulates policies for government recruitment and personnel management.
  • Cadre controlling authority for IAS and central secretariat services.
  • Operates Central Staffing Scheme and coordinates training policies.
• Recruitment Agencies:
  • UPSC:Conducts exams for higher civil services.
  • SSC:Recruits subordinate staff and uses computer-based exams.
• National Recruitment Agency (NRA):
  • Conducts Common Eligibility Test (CET) for various government posts.
  • Aims for equity and inclusiveness in recruitment, especially in rural areas.
  • Uses online Tier-I exams.
• Rozgar Mela:
  • An initiative to fill central government vacancies and provide employment.
  • Coordinated by DoPT with a target of 10 lakh youth recruited.

Transparency and Accountability

• Right to Information Act (RTI), 2005:
  • Empowers citizens to request information from government bodies.
• Department of Administrative Reforms and Public Grievances (DARPG):
  • Nodal agency for administrative reforms and public grievances.
  • Oversees collaboration with states for better public service delivery.
  • Utilizes AI/Machine Learning for grievance management.
• Centralized Public Grievances Redress and Monitoring System (CPGRAMS):
  • Enables online filing and monitoring of grievances.

Language and Inter-governmental Cooperation

• Official Language Policy:
  • Promotes Hindi and English for official purposes.
  • Department of Official Language oversees compliance and Hindi promotion.
• Inter-State Council and Zonal Councils:
  • Facilitate coordination between states and the center on common interests.

State Level Governance

• Structure mirrors the central government with:
  • Executive headed by Governor and Chief Minister.
  • Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council (where applicable).

Election and Local Governance

• Election Commission of India (ECI):
  • Conducts national and state elections, supervises for fairness.
• Local Government:
  • Panchayats (rural) and Municipalities (urban) empowered by constitutional amendments (73rd & 74th).