State Government
Indian Polity – For Delhi Police & SSC Exams
1. Overview
India's federal system divides power between the Union and the States. Each State has its own Executive and Legislature, modeled on the Parliamentary System — where the Governor is the nominal head and the Chief Minister is the real executive head.
A. GOVERNOR (Articles 153–162)
Appointment & Tenure
| Appointed By | President of India |
| Tenure | 5 years (can be removed earlier by President) |
| Qualifications | Citizen of India, 35+ years old |
| Oath By | Chief Justice of High Court |
| Can Govern >1 State | Yes (e.g., Assam & Nagaland) |
Powers and Functions
| Executive | Appoints CM, Ministers, Advocate General, State PSC members |
| Legislative | Summons, prorogues, dissolves State Legislature; gives assent to bills |
| Judicial | Can grant pardons (under State laws) |
| Discretionary | Acts independently in specific situations (e.g., hung assembly) |
Special Role
- Sends reports to President under Article 356 (President’s Rule)
- Can reserve bills for President’s consideration
B. CHIEF MINISTER & COUNCIL OF MINISTERS (Articles 163–167)
Chief Minister
| Appointed By | Governor |
| Must Be | Member of the State Legislature |
| Tenure | 5 years (or till enjoying majority support) |
| Collective Responsibility | Council is collectively responsible to Vidhan Sabha |
Powers of the Chief Minister
| Leader of Council | Heads the Council of Ministers |
| Policy Maker | Frames and implements State policies |
| Adviser to Governor | Communicates all State matters |
| Crisis Leader | Manages emergencies in the State |
| Party Head | Leads majority party in the Legislature |
Council of Ministers
| Cabinet Ministers | Head major departments |
| Ministers of State | Assist Cabinet Ministers |
| Deputy Ministers | Subordinate duties |
C. STATE LEGISLATURE
Structure
State Legislature may be:
- Unicameral – Only Vidhan Sabha
- Bicameral – Vidhan Sabha + Vidhan Parishad
Vidhan Sabha (Legislative Assembly)
| Members | 60 to 500 (elected by people) |
| Term | 5 years (can be dissolved early) |
| Presiding Officer | Speaker |
| Minimum Age | 25 years |
| Special Powers | Controls Council of Ministers, initiates Money Bills |
Vidhan Parishad (Legislative Council)
| Nature | Permanent House (not subject to dissolution) |
| Term | 6 years; 1/3rd retires every 2 years |
| Members | Elected indirectly by MLAs, teachers, graduates, local bodies |
| Minimum Age | 30 years |
Comparison: Vidhan Sabha vs Vidhan Parishad
| Aspect | Vidhan Sabha | Vidhan Parishad |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Lower House | Upper House |
| Election | Direct | Indirect |
| Tenure | 5 years | 6 years |
| Dissolution | Yes | No |
| Money Bill Power | Full | Advisory |
| Minimum Age | 25 years | 30 years |
D. SPEAKER OF STATE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY
Election and Tenure
| Elected By | Members of Vidhan Sabha |
| Tenure | 5 years (till dissolution of Assembly) |
| Resignation | To Deputy Speaker |
| Removal | By majority of Assembly members |
Powers and Functions
| Presiding | Conducts meetings and maintains order |
| Administrative | Decides Money Bills |
| Judicial | Disqualification under Anti-Defection Law |
| Representative | Represents Assembly to Governor/outside |
E. PYQs (Delhi Police + SSC + State Exams)
The Governor of a State is appointed by —
A) President of India B) Chief Minister C) Prime Minister D) Vice-President
Category: Appointment
Show Answer
A) President of India
The real executive head of a State is —
A) Governor B) Chief Minister C) Speaker D) High Court Judge
Category: Executive Head
Show Answer
B) Chief Minister
Which Article of the Constitution mentions the appointment of a Governor?
A) 152 B) 153 C) 154 D) 155
Category: Articles
Show Answer
B) 153
The Chief Minister holds office during the pleasure of —
A) President B) Governor C) Prime Minister D) State Legislature
Category: Tenure
Show Answer
B) Governor
The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to —
A) Governor B) Vidhan Parishad C) Vidhan Sabha D) President
Category: Responsibility
Show Answer
C) Vidhan Sabha
The minimum age for becoming a member of the Legislative Assembly is —
A) 21 years B) 25 years C) 30 years D) 35 years
Category: Minimum Age
Show Answer
B) 25 years
The upper house of the State Legislature is called —
A) Vidhan Sabha B) Rajya Sabha C) Vidhan Parishad D) Lok Sabha
Category: Legislature
Show Answer
C) Vidhan Parishad
Who presides over the meetings of the State Legislative Assembly?
A) Chief Minister B) Governor C) Speaker D) Deputy Speaker
Category: Assembly Presiding Officer
Show Answer
C) Speaker
The Legislative Council in a State can be created or abolished by —
A) President alone B) Governor C) Parliament on State’s request D) Chief Minister
Category: Legislature Creation
Show Answer
C) Parliament on State’s request
The maximum term of the State Legislative Assembly is —
A) 4 years B) 5 years C) 6 years D) 3 years
Category: Assembly Term
Show Answer
B) 5 years
F. Quick Summary Chart
| Institution | Articles | Head | Tenure | Nature |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Governor | 153–162 | Governor | 5 years | Nominal Head |
| Chief Minister | 163–167 | CM | 5 years | Real Executive |
| Vidhan Sabha | 168–212 | Speaker | 5 years | Elected House |
| Vidhan Parishad | 168–212 | Chairman | 6 years | Permanent House |
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