THE UNION
EXECUTIVE
PRESIDENT
Name the three branches of the Indian
government.
The three branches of the
Indian government are Legislative, Executive and the Judiciary.
Why does the executive branch require a
large task force?
The Executive branch performs
the task of enforcing the laws made by the legislative branch of the Indian
Government.
Hence it needs a large workforce to carry out this work.
What is the composition of the Executive?
The Union Executive consists
of the President, the Vice-President, the Prime Minister, Council of Ministers
and agencies such as the police force to ensure that citizens follow the law.
The Council of Ministers is the most
powerful unit of the Executive. Comment
The Council of Ministers is
the most powerful unit of the Executive as it is headed by the Prime Minister
and consists of the Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, Parliamentary
Secretaries.
Who are the Cabinet Ministers?
The Cabinet Ministers form
the inner core of the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister allots a
particular department or portfolio to each Cabinet Minister.
What is Portfolio?
Portfolio is particular area
of responsibility of a government for example defence, transport etc.
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PARLIAMENTARY
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
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PRESIDENTIAL
FORM OF GOVERNMENT
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President is the nominal head of the state
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President is the head of the State
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The actual power is with the Prime minister and his Council of
Ministers
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There is no Prime Minister
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List the qualifications for the post of the
President of India.
To qualify for the post of
the President, a candidate must:
· Be a citizen of India.
· Be at least 35 years of age
· Have all the qualifications necessary to be a member of the Lok
Sabha
· Not hold an office of profit under the central, the state or the
local government.
· Not be members of the central or state Legislature.
What is the salary and entitlements of the President
of India?
The monthly salary of the
President of India is one lakh rupees and he or she is entitled to the
rent-free use of the official residence, the Rashtrapati Bhavan. After
retirement, he or she is entitled to a pension.
What is the term of
the President? To whom does he submit his resignation?
The President is elected for
a period of 5 years. He or she can be re-elected after his or her term.
He or she can submit a
resignation in writing, addressed to the Vice President of India.
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De jure means according to
law.
The president is the de jure head, i.e., only according to the
law.
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De facto means in actual fact,
even though it may not be legally accepted.
The Prime Minister in India has de facto powers, i.e., the
real power.
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Explain the term Electoral
College.
An Electoral College elects
the President. The Electoral College consists of the following members:
· The elected members of both Houses of Parliament
·
The elected members of the
State Legislative Assemblies
How is the President
elected?
The
President is elected indirectly by the elected members of the Legislature as he
or she is a nominal (de jure) and not the de facto head.
An Electoral College elects
the President. The Electoral College consists of the following members:
·
The elected members of both
Houses of Parliament
·
The elected members of the
State Legislative Assemblies
Explain the term
impeachment. On what grounds can the President be impeached?
Impeachment is a procedure
defined by the Constitution by which the Parliament can remove a President if
he or she is found guilty of violating the Constitution, of treason or of
corruption.
The President can be
impeached on grounds of violating the Constitution, treason or of corruption.
The President can be
impeached by the Parliament on grounds of violating the constitution, of
treason or of corruption.
· Charges against the President can be initiated in either House.
· The resolution to impeach the President has to be passed by a
two third majority of that House.
· The other House has to investigate the charges and ratify them
by a two third majority of that House.
State the executive powers
of the President.
·
The President appoints the Prime
Minister who is the leader of the majority party or coalition
parties or single largest party in the Lok Sabha.
·
The President appoints the
Union Ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister.
·
The President appoints the
State Governors, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Attorney General,
members of the Union Public Service Commission and Chief Commissioners of the
Union Territories.
·
The President appoints the
judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts and the Ambassadors to other
countries.
Name any five officials
appointed by the President.
The President appoints the
State Governors, the Comptroller and Auditor General, the Attorney General,
members of the Union Public Service Commission and Chief Commissioners of the
Union Territories.
List the military powers
of the President of India.
·
The President is the Supreme
Commander of the Defence Forces.
· He or she can declare war or conclude peace.
· All important treaties and contracts are made in the President’s
name.
· The President can summon, adjourn or prorogue the
Parliament. He or she addresses the opening session of the Parliament every
year.
· The President can also dissolve the Lok Sabha and order
fresh elections.
· He or She or she can call a joint session of both Houses
of Parliament if there is a deadlock regarding a Bill.
· Each Bill passed by the Parliament has to receive the President's
assent in order to become a law. The President may send the Bill
back to the Parliament if he or she does not approve, but if it is passed for
the second time, he or she is obliged to sign it and give his or her assent.
· The President nominates twelve members of the Rajya
Sabha.
· When the Parliament is not in session, the President can issue
ordinances (executive orders) Ordinances are like laws and are valid for
six weeks only after the Parliament meets again.
What are the President’s
powers and limitations in making a bill into a law?
Each Bill passed by the
Parliament has to receive the President's assent in order to become a law. The
President may send the Bill back to the Parliament if he or she does not
approve, but if it is passed for the second time, he or she is obliged to sign
it and give his or her assent.
What are ordinances? Who
issues them?
Ordinances are executive
orders issued by the President when the Parliament is not in session.
Ordinances are like laws and
are valid for six weeks only after the Parliament meets again
What is Contingency Fund?
Contingency Fund is the
emergency fund with the President of India from which the President can grant
an advance in case of an unforeseen expenditure.
1.
The budget is presented to
the Parliament in the name of the President.
2.
All Money Bills are
introduced in the Parliament with the President's permission.
3.
The President can grant an
advance from the Contingency Fund in case of an unforeseen expenditure.
List the judicial
functions of the President of India?
1. The President has the power to grant pardon or reduce or suspend
the sentence of a person who has been found guilty He or she can also pardon a
death-sentence.
2. He or she is not answerable to any court of law for his or her
actions, except, if he or she impeached by the Parliament.
Examine the emergency
powers of the President.
The President
can declare an Emergency in the country under the following conditions:
· If the security of the country is threatened by external
aggression or armed rebellion National Emergency is declared.
· If the administrative machinery of a state breaks down. Presidential
Rule is imposed in that state.
· If the financial stability of the country is threatened, financial
Emergency is declared by the President
What is the difference
between National and Financial emergency?
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National Emergency is declared by the
President when the security of the country is threatened by external
aggression or armed rebellion
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Financial Emergency is declared by the
President if the financial stability of the country is threatened.
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The President’s
Rule is an emergency power of the President which can be applied in case of
breakdown of the state machinery.
What are the limitations
with emergency powers of the president?
President cannot declare an
emergency without the approval of the Parliament.
President has a wide, range
of powers; they are all limited and exercised strictly according to the advice
given by the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers.
Prime Minister Indira Gandhi,
upon advice President Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, declared an Emergency in 1975.
What are the discretionary
powers of the President?
When no political
party wins a clear majority in the Lok Sabha, and a coalition cannot be formed,
the President can select a member of his or her choice as Prime Minister.
· First President of India: Dr Rajendra Prasad
· Present President of India: Dr. Pratibha Devi Patil
THE UNION
EXECUTIVE
VICE
PRESIDENT
What are the
qualifications for the post of the Vice President?
·
Be a citizen of India.
· Be at least 35 years of age
· Have all the qualifications necessary to be a member of the
Rajya Sabha.
· Not hold an office of profit under the central, the state or the
local government.
· Not be members of the central or state Legislature.
The qualifications of the
Vice-president are the same as those of the President, except that a
Vice-President should be eligible for membership to the Rajya Sabha.
In which conditions
does the Vice President take over the duties of the President?
The Vice-President takes over
the duties of the President under the following conditions:
· If the President is indisposed
· If the President resigns
· If the President goes abroad
· If the President dies suddenly
What are the functions of
the Vice President?
The functions of the Vice
President of India are:
·
Vice-President is the
Chairperson of the Rajya Sabha.
·
He or she takes over the
functions of the President in his absence. In case of a vacancy in the office
of President, the Vice-President discharges his or her functions till a new
President is elected.
What is the term for the
position of the Vice President? Under what conditions can the term end
prematurely?
The term of the Vice-President
is 5 years.
It may end earlier if he
resigns or is removed by a majority resolution of the Rajya Sabha, agreed upon
by a majority in the Lok Sabha.
Dr. Zakir Hussain became the President of India on 13 May 1967
and he held office till his death on 3 May 1969.
After his death in office,
V.V. Giri, who was Vice-President at that time, became the Acting President
from 3 Maym1969 to20 July 1969.
Another president who died in office was Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed.
B.D. Jetti, who was Vice-President at the time of his death, became the
President for a brief period.
THE UNION
EXECUTIVE
PRIME
MINISTER AND HIS COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
How
is the Council of ministers appointed?
The General Elections to the Lok Sabha take place once every 5
years.
· After the elections, the President appoints the Prime Minister,
· The Prime Minister then selects a number of ministers according
to his or her preference and submits a list to the President.
Explain
the term Coalition Government.
Coalition government means two or more parties agree to work
together and form the government. This happens when there is no single party
holding a majority in the Parliament.
What
is the procedure to be followed if any of the Council Members is not a member
of either house of Parliament?
All ministers of the Council
have to be members of the either House of Parliament. In case an outsider is
selected, he or she has to be elected to either House within six months of the
date of appointment.
Name
the three ranks of the ministers in the Council of ministers.
The three ranks of ministers in the Council of Ministers are:
1.
Cabinet Ministers
2.
Ministers of State
3.
Deputy Ministers
Who are the Cabinet ministers? What are
their functions?
The Cabinet is the inner core
of the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers hold the highest ranks and
have the greatest responsibility.
The Cabinet Ministers hold
the most important portfolios and make the most important decisions and
policies.
The Cabinet holds the real
executive power of the Indian Government and is collectively responsible to the
Lok Sabha.
What is the term of Cabinet Ministers?
The Cabinet can remain in
office as long as it enjoys the confidence of a majority in the Lok Sabha. If a
vote of no-confidence is passed against any one Cabinet Minister, the whole
Council of Ministers has to resign immediately.
The entire Council has to
answer for the shortcomings on the part of any one minister
What is the difference between the Ministers
of State and Deputy Ministers?
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Ministers of State
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Deputy Ministers
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They are second in rank in
the Council of Ministers
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Deputy Ministers hold the
third rank in the Council of Ministers.
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They do not attend Cabinet
meetings
unless specially invited to
do so
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They do not attend the
Cabinet meetings.
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Who are the Deputy Ministers? What are
their functions?
Deputy Ministers hold the third rank in the
Council of Ministers. They do not attend the Cabinet meetings. They usually
answer on behalf of senior ministers in the Parliament and explain the policies
and decisions made by the Cabinet.
Cabinet
The Cabinet is the inner core
of the Council of Ministers. The Cabinet Ministers hold the highest ranks and
have the greatest responsibility.
Allotment of Portfolios
Allotment of portfolios is
when the Prime Minister allots each minister in the Council a separate
department or portfolio to handle. Hence, we have a Minister of Communication,
Agriculture, and Foreign Affairs.
The Prime minister and his
Council of ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Explain.
The Prime Minister and his
Council of Ministers can remain in office as long as it enjoys the confidence
of a majority in the Lok Sabha. If a vote of no-confidence is passed against
any one Cabinet Minister, the whole Council of Ministers has to resign
immediately.
The entire Council has to
answer for the shortcomings on the part of any one minister
The parliamentary form of government makes the prime minister the real de facto. Mention any five reasons to support the statement.
The Parliamentary system of government makes the Prime Minister
the real or de facto head of the Indian government. This is because of the following
reasons:
· The Prime Minister is the elected head of the country.
· The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party or
the largest coalition in the Parliament whose members are directly elected by
the people by adult franchise and secret ballot.
· The Prime Minister selects the Ministers of the Council.
· He or she distributes portfolios among the ministers and
presides over Cabinet meetings.
· He or she decides the order of the business to be carried
out.
· The Prime Minister advises the President in the discharge
of his or her functions and informs him or her about the decisions taken by the
Cabinet.
· The Prime Minister is the link between the President, the people
and the Parliament.
· He or she coordinates the working of the different departments
and is the vital link between the President and the Cabinet.
· He or she can expand the Cabinet and also demand the
resignation of any minister.
Thus, the Prime Minister is
the real head of the nation. He or she has to answer for the success or failure
of the government. The Prime Minister is regarded as the national leader of India.
On Independence Day, the Prime Minister addresses the nation from the Red Fort
in Delhi.
Write a short note on Civil Servants.
Civil servants are government
employees who do not belong to any political parry.
They can be appointed in the
Indian Administrative Service (lAS), Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian
Police Service (IPS), etc.
The civil servants are
employed on the basis of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) examination
and interviews.
Selected candidates are trained and can work
at both Central and State levels.
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