1. Political Institutions & Parties
Politics of India
Political Institutions & Parties

2. Republic of India
A federal republic with a parliamentary system of government
capital: New Delhi

3. A federal system
26 states and 6 centrally administered Union Territories
2 states are partially claimed by Pakistan and China

4. Federal system Relatively centralized
federal government controls the most essential government functions
defense
foreign policy
taxation
public expenditures
economic (industrial) planning

5. Federal system state governments formally control agriculture
education
law and order within states
dependent on central government for funds

6. Federal system Balance of power between central and state governments
varies by time and place
state power was constrained
during the rule of Nehru and Indira Gandhi
state governments have more room to maneuver
when central government is weak
since 1998

7. Federal system
considerable center-state conflict when ruling political party in a state is different from national ruling party

8. Parallel state structure
Formal political structure of the states parallels that of the national government
national state
President Governor
Prime Minister Chief Minister
Parliament Assembly
Supreme Court High Court

9. The legislature Parliamentary system of government
the executive authority is responsible to the Parliament

10. The legislature bicameral Parliament Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
Lok Sabha (House of the People)

11. Rajya Sabha (Council of States)
The Upper House

12. Upper House Rajya Sabha (Council of States) not more than 250 members
12 are nominated by the President of India
the rest are indirectly elected
by state Legislative Assemblies
The Council of States can not be dissolved
members have terms of 6 years
1/3 members retire at end of every 2nd year

13. Lok Sabha
House of the People

14. Lower House Lok Sabha (House of the People) 545 members
2 are appointed by the President of India
the rest are directly elected from single-member districts
5-year terms unless dissolved
Lok Sabha elects its presiding officer
the Speaker

15. Lok Sabha Elections held at least every 5 years
Prime Minister may call elections earlier
543 single-member districts of roughly equal population
party nomination
1st-past-the-post
winner-take-all
women’s share

16. Elections to Lok Sabha
Vote share of 3 major political parties

17. Current composition 43 parties in the 13th Lok Sabha (1999)
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Indian National Congress (INC)
Communist Party of India (M) 34 43
other political parties
total

18. Indian National Congress
India’s oldest political party
since 1885
India’s premier political party
until 1990s
in 1960s many regional parties started challenging INC’s monopoly on power

19. Indian National Congress
Indira Gandhi
created a top-down structure
party leaders appoint party officials
some limited party elections
left-of-center, pro-poor political platform

20. Indian National Congress
INC moved toward the ideological center
Beginning in 1984
INC today tilts right-of-center
economic efficiency
business interests
limited government spending

21. Indian National Congress
INC has always attracted support from diverse social groups
in the 1990s INC has lost some of its traditional constituencies among the poor and Muslims

22. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
The major political party in India today
right-leaning, Hindu-nationalist party
first major party to mobilize explicitly on the basis of religious identity

23. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
better organized than INC
disciplined party members
carefully selected party cadres
clear and respected authority line within the party

24. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
Traditional supporters
urban, lower-middle-class groups
base of support widened since mid-1980s
Hindu nationalism
north-central India
decline of Indian National Congress
Muslims as convenient scapegoat for frustration

25. BJP’s rapid rise to power
electoral success from 1989 to 1999
difficulty in forming alliance with other parties
break with past traditions
relatively moderate, centrist position
BJP formed governing coalition in 1998
collapsed in 1999
BJP formed a new coalition in 1999
more broadly based than previous coalition

26. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
economic liberalization and stability
privilege the interests of the Hindu majority

27. Prime Minister
Leader of the majority party leader in Lok Sabha becomes the prime minister
prime minister nominates a cabinet
members of Parliament in the ruling coalition
Council of Ministers
effective power is concentrated in the office of the prime minister
where most of the important policies originate

28. Prime Ministers of India
38 years in the Nehru-Gandhi family
more and more rapid turnover

29. The President of India Head of the State
Commander-in-Chief of the armed forces
elected by an electoral college
national Parliament
state legislature
5-year terms
can be reelected

31. The President of India Ceremonial office
symbolize national unity
supposedly above partisan politics
mostly acts on the advice of the prime minister
President plays a significant role when the selection of a prime minister is complex
in 1998 President requested BJP to form govt.

32. The Judiciary Fundamental contradiction in constitution
principle of parliamentary sovereignty
principle of judicial review

33. The Judiciary
judiciary tries to preserve the constitution’s basic structure
to ensure that legislation conforms with the intent of the constitution
parliament tries to assert its right to amend the constitution