INDIAN POLITY

T.I.M.E.
NEW STATES
26th State CHHATTISGARH Formed by dividing Madhya Pradesh on November 1, 2000.
27th State UTTARAKHAND Formed by dividing Uttar Pradesh on November 9, 2000.
28th State JHARKHAND Formed by dividing Bihar on November 15, 2000.
PRESIDENT
Must be a citizen of India.
Completed 35 years in age.
Eligible to be a member of LOKSABHA.
5 year term.
Appoints PM, Ministers, Chief Justice & Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts, Chairman &
Members of UPSC, Comptroller and Auditor General, Attorney General, Chief Election
Commissioner and other members of Election commission, Governors, Members of Finance
commission, Ambassadors, etc.
Appoints Finance Commission (after every 5 years).
Appoints Chiefs of Army, Navy & Air force.
He is the Supreme Commander of the Defense forces of India.
Can give Resignation to Vice-President before full term.
VICE-PRESIDENT
Citizen of India.
More than 35Yrs age.
Eligible to be a Member of RAJYASABHA.
He is the Ex-Officio Chairman of RAJYA SABHA.
PRIME MINISTER
Real Executive authority.
He is the Ex-Officio Chairman of the Planning Commission, National Development Council,
National Integration Council and Inter State Council.
Appoints the Council of ministers.

PARLIAMENT OF INDIA
LOK SABHA:
Maximum Strength-550+2 nominated members.[530-states/20-Unionn Territories]
Present strength of LOK SABHA-545.
5 year term.

RAJYA SABHA:
Maximum Strength-250(out of these, President nominates 12 members).
Present strength of RAJYA SABHA-245[233 seats for the states and the Union Territories+12
nominated].
MPs are elected for a term of 6years, as 1/3rd members retire every 2 years.
vice-president is the Ex-Officio Chairman of RAJYA SABHA.
NOTE: ZERO HOUR Refers to Question Time in LOK SABHA & RAJYA SABHA.
SUPREME COURT OF INDIA
Stands at the apex of the judicial system of India.
Consists of Chief Justice & 30 Other Judges.
(Qualification)Have been a judge of High Court for 5years OR An advocate of High Court for
10years minimum OR In Presidents view, a distinguished jurist of the country.
The Chief Justice & Other Judges hold office till 65 years of age.
It settles all disputes between Centre-State, State-State, etc.
HIGH COURT
Each State has a High Court; it is the highest judicial organ of the state.
Consists of Chief Justice & Other Judges (doesnt fix any maximum no of judges) as appointed
by the president.
The Chief Justice & Other Judges hold office till 62 years of age.
The Centre has constituted 3 new High Courts in the northeast Meghalaya, Manipur and
Tripura taking the total number of High Courts in the country from 21 to 24.
NOTE:- Oldest High Court in India is Allahabad(UP) Estd. In 1866.

THE GOVERNOR
Nominal executive head in States.
Appointed by the President on the recommendations of Union Council of Ministers.
Normally each state has its own Governor, But sometimes the same person can be
appointed as Governor of one or more States or Lt.Governor of the Union Territory.
Citizen of India.
More than 35Yrs age.
Shouldnt be a member of either House of Parliament or the State Legislature.
Appoints CM, Council of Ministers, Chairman & members of State Public Service Commission,
Advocate General of the State and Election Commissioner of the State.
His usual term of office is 5years but he holds office during the pleasure of the President.

When the Presidents Rule is in Progress ,he becomes the Agent of the Union Govt in the
State. He takes over the reigns of administration directly into his hands and runs the State
with the aid of the Civil Servants.

CHIEF MINISTER
Real executive head of the Govt. at the State level.
Appointed by Governor.Other Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the
CM.
If CM resigns, entire ministry resigns.
Generally, the leader of the majority party is appointed.
A person who is not a member of State Legislature can be appointed,but he has to get himself
elected within 6 months otherwise he is removed.

STATE LEGISLATURE
LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL (Vidhan Parishad):
Also known as Upper House, like Rajya Sabha.
The total strength cannot exceed 1/3rd of the strength of Legislative Assembly,subject to a
minimum of 40 members.
MLCs are elected(By different ways) for a term of 6years,as 1/3rd members retire every 2
years.

Minimum age is 30 years.

The Council elects a Chairman & a Vice-Chairman among its members.

LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (Vidhan Sabha):

Also known as Lower House, like the Lok Sabha.
Consists of not more than 525 members & not less than 60 members.Strength varies
according to the population of the state concerned.
NOTE:- Sikkim has only 32 members.
Consists of directly elected representatives.
Has a term of 5 years.
Minimum age is 25 years.
Participates in the election of the President.
UPSC (UNION PUBLIC SERVICE COMMISSION)
Appointed by the President.
The members of the UPSC are appointed for a term of 6 years, or till they attain 65
years of age.
To conduct exams for appointment to services under the union.

COMPTROLLER & AUDITOR GENERAL OF INDIA (CAG)

Appointed by the President.
Holds office for 6 years or till 65 years of age.

He submits an audit report of the Union to the President Who shall lay it before the
Parliament and the audit reports of the States to the respective Governors Who shall
lay it before the respective State Legislature.
In short the CAG acts as the Custodian & trustee of public money.
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF INDIA
Highest legal officer of the Union Govt.
Appointed by the President.
Appears before the Supreme Court and various High Courts in cases involving the
Govt. of India.
He is assisted by 2 Solicitors-General and 4 Additional Solicitors-General.
ELECTION COMMISSION (EC)
Appointed by the President.
Consists of Chief Election Commissioner(CEC) + 2 Election Commissioners (ECs).
They all enjoy equal powers.
Election Commissioners are appointed for a term of 5 years.
They are not eligible for re-appointment.
(Functions)Preparation of electoral rolls & keeping voters list updated.
Preparation of code of conduct for all political parties.
Recognition of various political parties & allotment of election symbols.
Appointment of election officers to look into disputes concerning election
arrangements.
To examine the returns of election expences filed by the candidate.