Editing Politics of India (section)

== Union Government ==
{{main|Government of India}}
The Government of India is modelled after the [[Westminster system]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=2014-06-16 |title=A prime ministerial form of government |url=https://www.thehindu.com/opinion/op-ed/a-prime-ministerial-form-of-government/article6120400.ece |access-date=2024-05-25 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref> The Union government (also called as the Central government) is mainly composed of the [[Executive (government)|executive]], the [[legislature]], and the [[judiciary]], and powers are vested by the [[Constitution of India|constitution]] in the [[Prime Minister of India|prime minister]], [[Parliament of India|parliament]], and the [[Supreme Court of India|supreme court]], respectively. The [[president of India]] is the [[head of state]] and the [[commander-in-chief]] of the [[Indian Armed Forces]], while the [[Elections in India|elected]] [[Prime Minister of India|prime minister]] acts as the head of the executive and is responsible for running the Union government.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Government of India, Structure of Government of India |url=https://www.elections.in/government// |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=Elections in India}}</ref> The parliament is [[bicameral]] in nature, with the [[Lok Sabha]] being the [[lower house]], and the [[Rajya Sabha]] the [[upper house]]. The judiciary systematically contains an apex [[Supreme Court of India|supreme court]], 25 [[High Courts of India|high courts]], and 688 [[District Courts of India|district courts]], all inferior to the supreme court.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-11-11 |title=Constitution of India {{!}} National Portal of India |url=https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/constitution-india |access-date=2024-05-25 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191111125035/https://www.india.gov.in/my-government/constitution-india |archive-date=11 November 2019 }}</ref>

The basic [[Civil law (common law)|civil]] and criminal laws governing the citizens of India are set down in major parliamentary legislation, such as the [[Code of Civil Procedure (India)|civil procedure code]], the [[Indian Penal Code|penal code]], and the [[Code of Criminal Procedure (India)|criminal procedure code]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=Criminal Laws - Evidence Act, Criminal procedure Code,Indian Penal Code, Criminal Lawyer |url=https://www.legalserviceindia.com/Criminallaws/criminal_law.htm |access-date=2024-05-25 |website=www.legalserviceindia.com}}</ref> Similar to the Union government, individual state governments each consist of executive, legislative and judiciary branches. The legal system as applicable to the Union and individual state governments is based on the [[Common Law|English common]] and [[Statutory Law]].  The term ''New Delhi'' is commonly used as a [[metonym]] for the Union government, as the seat of the central government is in [[New Delhi]].

=== Lok Sabha ===
{{main|Lok Sabha}}
The '''Lok Sabha''', constitutionally the '''House of the People''', is the [[lower house]] of [[India]]'s [[Bicameralism|bicameral]] [[Parliament of India|Parliament]]. [[Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha|Members of the Lok Sabha]] are elected by an adult [[universal suffrage]] and a [[first-past-the-post]] system to represent their respective [[List of constituencies of the Lok Sabha|constituencies]], and they hold their seats for five years or until the body is dissolved by the [[President of India|President]] on the advice of the [[Union Council of Ministers|council of ministers]]. The house meets in the Lok Sabha Chambers of the [[New Parliament House, New Delhi|Parliament House]], New Delhi.

The maximum membership of the House allotted by the [[Constitution of India]] is 552 (Initially, in 1950, it was 500.) Currently, the house has 543 seats which are filed by the election of up to 543 elected members. The new parliament has a seating capacity of 888 for Lok Sabha. A total of 131 seats (24.03%) are reserved for representatives of [[Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes|Scheduled Castes (84) and Scheduled Tribes (47)]]. The quorum for the House is 10% of the total membership. 

The Lok Sabha, unless sooner dissolved, continues to operate for five years from the date appointed for its first meeting. However, while a [[State of Emergency in India|proclamation of emergency]] is in operation, this period may be extended by [[Parliament of India|Parliament]] by law or decree.

Members of Lok Sabha (House of the People) or the lower house of India's Parliament are elected by being voted upon by all adult citizens of India, who crossed 18 years from a set of candidates who stand in their respective constituencies. Every adult citizen of India can vote only in their constituency.

==== Office of the Prime Minister ====
{{main|Prime Minister of India}}
The Prime Minister of India is the [[head of government]] of the [[Republic of India]]. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Council of Ministers, despite the [[president of India]] being the nominal head of the executive. The prime minister has to be a member of one of the houses of bicameral [[Parliament of India]], alongside heading the respective house. The prime minister and their cabinet are at all times responsible to the Lok Sabha.

The prime minister is appointed by the [[president of India]]; however, the prime minister has to enjoy the confidence of the majority of Lok Sabha members, who are directly elected [[Elections in India#Parliamentary general elections (Lok Sabha)|every five years]], lest the prime minister shall resign. The prime minister can be a member of the Lok Sabha or of the [[Rajya Sabha]], the upper house of the parliament. The prime minister controls the selection and dismissal of members of the [[Union Council of Ministers]]; and allocation of posts to members within the government.

==== Office of the Council of Ministers ====
{{main|Union Council of Ministers}}
The Union Council of Ministers is the [[Cabinet (government)|principal executive organ]] of the [[Government of India]], which functions as the senior decision-making body of the executive branch. It is chaired by the prime minister and consists of the heads of each of the executive government ministries.

A smaller executive body called the '''Union Cabinet''' is the supreme decision-making body in India; it is a subset of the Union Council of Ministers who hold important portfolios and [[Ministry (government department)|ministries]] of the government.

Pursuant to Article 75, a minister who works at the pleasure of the [[President of India|President]], is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
There are five categories of the council of ministers as given below, in descending order of [[Indian order of precedence|rank]]:

* [[Prime Minister of India|Prime Minister]]: Leader of the Union Council of Ministers.
* [[Deputy Prime Minister of India|Deputy Prime Minister]] (if any): Presides as prime minister in his absence or as the senior most cabinet minister.
* Cabinet Minister: A member of the Union cabinet; leads a [[Ministry (government department)|ministry]].
* Minister of State (Independent charge): Junior minister not reporting to a Cabinet Minister.
* [[Minister of State]] (MoS): Deputy Minister reporting to a Cabinet Minister, usually tasked with a specific responsibility in that ministry.

=== Rajya Sabha ===
{{main|Rajya Sabha}}
The '''Rajya Sabha''', constitutionally the '''Council of States''', is the [[upper house]] of the [[bicameral]] [[Parliament of India]]. It has a maximum membership of 250, of which 238 are elected by the [[State legislative assemblies of India|legislatures]] of the states and union territories using [[Single transferable vote|single transferable votes]] through open ballots, while the [[President of India|president]] can appoint 12 members for their contributions to art, literature, science, and social service. The total allowed capacity is 250 (238 elected, 12 appointed) according to article 80 of the [[Constitution of India|Indian Constitution]]. The current potential seating capacity of the Rajya Sabha is 245 (233 elected, 12 appointed).

Members sit for [[Staggered elections|staggered terms]] lasting six years, with about a third of the 238 designates up for election every two years, in even-numbered years. Unlike the [[Lok Sabha]], the Rajya Sabha is a continuing chamber and hence not subject to dissolution. However, the Rajya Sabha, like the Lok Sabha, can be [[Prorogation|prorogued]] by the president.

The Rajya Sabha has equal footing in legislation with the Lok Sabha, except in the area of [[Loss of supply|supply]], where the latter has overriding powers. In the case of conflicting legislation, a [[Joint Session of Indian Parliament|joint sitting]] of the two houses can be held, where the Lok Sabha would hold a greater influence because of its larger membership. The [[vice president of India]] is the ''[[ex-officio]]'' chairman of the Rajya Sabha, who presides over its sessions. The [[Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha|deputy chairman]], who is elected from amongst the house's members, takes care of the day-to-day matters of the house in the absence of the chairman. 

=== President & Vice-President of India ===

==== Office of the President of India ====
{{main|President of India}}
The President of India is the [[head of state]] of the [[Republic of India]]. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, as well as the [[Commander-in-chief|supreme commander]] of the [[Indian Armed Forces]].  

The new president is chosen by an [[Electoral College (India)|electoral college]] consisting of the elected members of both houses of [[Parliament of India|parliament]] ([[Member of Parliament (India)|MPs]]), the elected members of the State Legislative Assemblies ([[Vidhan Sabha]]) of all States and the elected members of the legislative assemblies ([[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|MLAs]]) of union territories with legislatures, i.e., [[Delhi|National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi]], [[Jammu and Kashmir (union territory)|Jammu and Kashmir]] and [[Puducherry (union territory)|Puducherry]].  

The election process of the president is a more extensive process than of the [[Prime Minister of India|prime minister]] who is also elected indirectly (elected by the members of the majority party (or union) in the [[Lok Sabha]]). Whereas President being the constitutional head with duties to protect, defend and preserve the constitution and [[rule of law]] in a [[constitutional democracy]] with [[Ouster clause|constitutional supremacy]], is elected in an extensive manner by the members of Lok Sabha, [[Rajya Sabha]] and [[Vidhan Sabha|state legislative assemblies]] in a secret ballot procedure. 

==== Office of the Vice-President of India ====
{{main|Vice President of India}}
The Vice President of India is the deputy to the [[head of state]] of the [[Republic of India]], i.e. the [[president of India]]. The office of vice president is the second-highest constitutional office after the president and ranks second in the [[Order of precedence in India|order of precedence]] and first in the line of succession to the [[presidency]]. The vice president is also the ''ex officio'' chairman of the [[Rajya Sabha]].

Article 66 of the [[Constitution of India]] states the manner of election of the vice president. The vice president is elected indirectly by members of an [[Electoral College (India)|electoral college]] consisting of the members of both Houses of Parliament and not the members of state legislative assembly by the system of [[Proportional Representation|proportional representation]] using [[Single transferable vote|single transferable votes]] and the voting is conducted by [[Election Commission of India]] via secret ballot. The vice president also acts as the [[Chancellor (education)|chancellor]] of the Panjab University and Delhi University.