Editing Politics of India (section)

=== 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.