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Central Government of India

Union Executive & Legislature – For Delhi Police, SSC, and State Exams

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1. Overview

India’s Central Government works under the Parliamentary System, based on separation of powers and collective responsibility.
It consists of three key organs:

  • Executive → President, Vice-President, Prime Minister & Council of Ministers
  • Legislature → Parliament (Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha)
  • Judiciary → Supreme Court (covered later)
E–L–J → Executive, Legislature, Judiciary → India’s Power Triangle.

A. PRESIDENT OF INDIA (Articles 52–62)

Election Process

Aspect Details
Article 54–55
Method Indirect election by Electoral College
Includes Elected MPs (LS + RS) + Elected MLAs of States & UTs
Excludes Nominated members
System Proportional representation by single transferable vote
Tenure 5 years
Minimum Age 35 years
Re-election Allowed
Oath By Chief Justice of India
MP + MLA = Vote, CJI = Oath.

Powers and Functions

Type Key Powers
Executive Appoints PM, Ministers, Governors, Judges, etc.
Legislative Summons & dissolves Parliament, gives assent to bills
Judicial Can pardon, suspend, or commute sentences (Art. 72)
Diplomatic Represents India internationally
Emergency Can declare National, State, or Financial Emergency
E–L–J–D–E → Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Diplomatic, Emergency.

Impeachment of the President

  • Can be impeached for violation of the Constitution (Art. 61)
  • Motion passed by 2/3rd majority in both Houses of Parliament
2 Houses → 2/3rd majority → 1 President out.

B. VICE-PRESIDENT OF INDIA (Articles 63–71)

Aspect Details
Elected By Members of both Houses of Parliament
Tenure 5 years
Minimum Age 35 years
Ex-Officio Role Chairman of Rajya Sabha
Acts As President in absence (for 6 months)
Removal By Rajya Sabha majority & Lok Sabha agreement
Vice-President = Parliament’s Choice + Rajya Sabha’s Voice.

C. PRIME MINISTER & COUNCIL OF MINISTERS (Articles 74–78)

Prime Minister (PM)

  • Real Head of Government (President = Nominal Head)
  • Appointed by President
  • Must be a member of Parliament (MP)
President rules on paper, PM rules in practice.

Powers and Functions of PM

Role Function
Leader of Government Heads Council of Ministers
Policy Maker Directs national & foreign policy
Link Acts as bridge between President & Parliament
Commander-in-Chief (de facto) Heads defence structure
Crisis Manager Leads during emergencies
Leader, Policy, Link, Commander, Crisis – PM’s 5 Roles.

Council of Ministers

Category Role
Cabinet Ministers Head major ministries, make key policies
Ministers of State (Independent) Handle smaller departments
Ministers of State Assist Cabinet Ministers
3C = Cabinet → Core, State → Support, Independent → Solo.

Collective Responsibility (Article 75)

  • Council is collectively responsible to Lok Sabha.
  • If Lok Sabha passes No-Confidence Motion, the entire Council must resign.
All rise, all fall — together.

D. PARLIAMENT OF INDIA (Articles 79–122)

The Supreme Legislative Body of India.
Parliament = People’s Powerhouse.

Structure

House Common Name Maximum Members Presiding Officer
Lok Sabha Lower House / House of People 552 Speaker
Rajya Sabha Upper House / Council of States 250 Vice-President (Chairman)

Lok Sabha

Feature Details
Term 5 years (can be dissolved early)
Elected By People (direct elections)
Min Age 25 years
Leader Prime Minister
Special Powers No-confidence motion, Money Bill passage
Lok = Log (People). Direct Power House.

Rajya Sabha

Feature Details
Term Permanent (1/3rd retires every 2 years)
Elected By State Legislatures
Min Age 30 years
Presiding Officer Vice-President
Special Powers Can allow Parliament to make laws on State List (Art. 249)
Rajya Sabha – States’ Voice, Never Dissolves.

Special Powers Comparison

Subject Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha
Money Bill Exclusive power Only can recommend
No-Confidence Motion Can pass Not applicable
President Election Participates Participates
PM Responsibility To Lok Sabha Not to Rajya Sabha

E. Law-Making Process in Parliament

1. Ordinary Bill

Step Process
Step 1 Introduced in either House
Step 2 Three readings (Discussion, Amendment, Vote)
Step 3 Sent to other House
Step 4 President’s Assent → Becomes Law

2. Money Bill (Article 110)

Feature Description
Introduced Only In Lok Sabha
Certified By Speaker
Rajya Sabha’s Role Can only recommend within 14 days
Examples Income Tax Bill, Budget
Money Bill starts in Lok, ends in President’s pocket.

3. Joint Session (Article 108)

If both Houses disagree → Joint Session called by President (chaired by Speaker).
Used rarely (e.g., Dowry Prohibition Bill 1961, POTA 2002).

F. Speaker of Lok Sabha

Election & Tenure

  • Elected from Lok Sabha members
  • Tenure = 5 years (till Lok Sabha dissolves)
  • Presides over joint sessions

Powers and Functions

Type Description
Presiding Power Maintains order, allows debates
Administrative Decides which bill is a Money Bill
Judicial Disqualifies members under Anti-Defection Law (Tenth Schedule)
Representation Represents Lok Sabha to President and outside world
Speaker Speaks for Democracy.

Removal

  • Can be removed by majority of all members of Lok Sabha
  • Gives resignation to Deputy Speaker

G. PYQs (Delhi Police + SSC + State Exams)

1

The President of India is elected by —

A) People directly B) Parliament alone C) Electoral College of MPs and MLAs D) Supreme Court

Category: President Election

Show Answer

C) Electoral College of MPs and MLAs

2

The President can be impeached for —

A) Corruption B) Violation of the Constitution C) Political failure D) Moral misconduct

Category: Impeachment

Show Answer

B) Violation of the Constitution

3

The Vice-President of India is the —

A) Speaker of Lok Sabha B) Chairman of Rajya Sabha C) Chief Justice of India D) Attorney General

Category: VP Powers

Show Answer

B) Chairman of Rajya Sabha

4

Which Article deals with the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister?

A) Article 72 B) Article 74 C) Article 76 D) Article 78

Category: Articles

Show Answer

B) Article 74

5

The real executive authority in India is exercised by —

A) President B) Prime Minister C) Vice-President D) Cabinet Secretary

Category: PM Role

Show Answer

B) Prime Minister

6

The Money Bill can be introduced —

A) In any House B) Only in Lok Sabha C) Only in Rajya Sabha D) By President directly

Category: Money Bill

Show Answer

B) Only in Lok Sabha

7

The presiding officer of the Lok Sabha is —

A) President B) Prime Minister C) Speaker D) Vice-President

Category: Speaker

Show Answer

C) Speaker

8

The minimum age to be a Rajya Sabha member is —

A) 25 years B) 30 years C) 35 years D) 21 years

Category: RS Age

Show Answer

B) 30 years

9

The Speaker certifies a Bill as a —

A) Financial Bill B) Money Bill C) Constitutional Bill D) Amendment Bill

Category: Speaker's role

Show Answer

B) Money Bill

10

The term of Lok Sabha is —

A) 4 years B) 5 years C) 6 years D) 7 years

Category: Lok Sabha tenure

Show Answer

B) 5 years

H. Quick Revision Table

Body Key Article Range Head Tenure
President 52–62 President 5 years
Vice-President 63–71 Vice-President 5 years
PM & Council 74–78 Prime Minister 5 years (depends on LS majority)
Parliament 79–122 Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha LS – 5 yrs, RS – Permanent
Speaker Art. 93 Speaker Till LS dissolves

I. Mnemonics & Tricks

Trick 1:

E–L–J → Executive, Legislature, Judiciary.

Trick 2:

E–L–J–D–E → Executive, Legislature, Judiciary, Departments, Election Commission.

Trick 3:

PM–CM–Pre–Pro → Prime Minister, Cabinet Minister, President, Pro tem Speaker.

Trick 4:

Art 79–122 → Parliament Articles range.

Trick 5:

Lok Sabha – 545 (Max), Rajya Sabha – 250 (Max).

Trick 6:

Parliament = President + Lok Sabha + Rajya Sabha.

Trick 7:

Simple–Special–Money–Constitutional Amendment Bills classification.

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