The Government of India

What type of government system is used in India?

How is power shared in India?

What is the role of the citizen in India?

Government System•The government of India is a federal parliamentary democratic republic.

•Citizens elect representatives to make decisions on their behalf.

•The central or national government has three branches

1. Executive2. Legislative3. Judicial

Executive Branch•The executive branch is composed of the president, vice president prime minister, and the Council of Ministers.

•The president is chief of state.

•The president appoints state governors, members of the Council of Ministers, and the prime minister.

•Most of the president’s duties are ceremonial.

Executive Branch•The prime minister is the head of the government.

•The prime minister is India’s top government official.

•The leader of the political party that receives the most votes becomes the prime minister.

•The prime minister is the head of both the legislative and executive branches of India’s government.

Legislative Branch•The legislative branch is called the Federal Parliament.

•Members of India’s parliament are elected by the people of India.

•The Federal Parliament creates India’s laws.

•India’s president and vice-president are both elected by members of India’s parliament.

Judicial Branch•The judicial branch is composed of India’s Supreme Court.

•26 judges make up the Supreme Court. One of those judges is known as the Chief Justice.

•The judges make sure that the members of the legislative and executive branches follow India’s constitution.

•Judges are appointed by the president at the recommendation of the prime minister.

Indian States•India is made up of 28 states.

•Each state has a governor who is appointed by the President of India.

•The governors are the chief executive of each of his or her state.

•Each state also has a parliament which is elected by the residents of that state.

•The national government has power over the state’s government.

Citizen Participation

•Indian citizens 18 and older can vote.

•Indians vote in both national and local elections.

•India has numerous political parties.

•Parties are based on religious, caste, and language affiliation.