Civics series · File 01 of 05
Org structure — roles only
How India is governed
Two parallel structures. The Union government at the centre, and the same pattern repeated in every state. Elected legislators sit on the right of each half; the executive they sustain sits on the left.
Directly elected MPs, MLAs
Appointed Governor, civil service
Political executive PM, CM, ministers
Permanent executive secretaries, collectors
01
The Union
Parliament, the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers
Legislature
Source of authority
The electorate
General election every five years; universal adult franchise.
Parliament — Lower House
Members directly elected from single-member constituencies. Constitutional ceiling 550. Money bills originate here; the government must hold its confidence.
Parliament — Upper House
233 elected by state legislatures, 12 nominated by the President. Permanent house, a third retiring every two years. Ceiling 250.
Presiding officers and floor roles
Speaker
Lok Sabha, elected by MPs
Chairman
Rajya Sabha — the Vice-President
Deputy Chairman
Rajya Sabha
Leader of the House
Government's floor manager
Leader of the Opposition
Largest non-government party
Chief Whip
Party discipline; defiance can cost the seat
Committees
Standing, departmental, Public Accounts
Executive
Head of State
President of India
Elected by an electoral college of MPs and MLAs. Acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers.
appoints the leader who commands a Lok Sabha majority
Head of Government
Prime Minister
Chairs the Cabinet, allocates portfolios, and answers to the Lok Sabha. Loses office if the House withdraws confidence.
Council of Ministers
All ministers together; capped at 15% of Lok Sabha strength. Three ranks:
RANK 1
Cabinet Minister
Sits in Cabinet, holds a full portfolio.
RANK 2
Minister of State
With independent charge, or assisting a Cabinet Minister.
RANK 3
Deputy Minister
No portfolio of their own; appointed as needed.
The Cabinet — senior ministers, collectively responsible
Home Affairs
Finance
Defence
External Affairs
These four, with the Prime Minister, form the Cabinet Committee on Security. Every other ministry — Railways, Health, Education, Agriculture and the rest — follows the same shape.
Permanent executive
Cabinet Secretary
Senior-most civil servant; head of the Cabinet Secretariat and of the Indian Administrative Service.
Secretaries
One per ministry; the minister's official head
All-India Services
IAS, IPS, IFoS — serve Union and states alike
02
A state
The same pattern, one level down — the Chief Minister's government
Legislature
Source of authority
The state's electorate
State election every five years, held separately from the general election.
Lower House
Legislative Assembly
MLAs
Vidhan Sabha. Members directly elected from constituencies within the state; strength between 60 and 500 depending on population. Sustains or dismisses the Chief Minister.
Upper House — only in six states
Vidhan Parishad. Where it exists, no larger than a third of the Assembly. Members are elected by local bodies, teachers and graduates, by MLAs, or nominated by the Governor.
Presiding officers and floor roles
Speaker
Legislative Assembly
Chairman
Legislative Council, where one exists
Leader of the Opposition
Largest non-government party
Chief Whip
Party discipline in the House
Executive
Head of State (constitutional)
Governor
Appointed by the President, not elected. The Union's link to the state; acts on ministerial advice.
appoints the leader who commands an Assembly majority
Head of Government
Chief Minister
Runs the state government, allocates departments, and answers to the Legislative Assembly.
State Council of Ministers
Capped at 15% of Assembly strength, minimum twelve. The same three ranks:
RANK 1
Cabinet Minister
Full department; sits in the state Cabinet.
RANK 2
Minister of State
Independent charge, or assisting.
RANK 3
Deputy Minister
Assists without a portfolio. Some states also name a Deputy Chief Minister.
Typical state departments
Home & Police
Finance
Revenue
Health & Education
Subjects a state may legislate on are set by the State List; some are shared with the Union on the Concurrent List.
Permanent executive
Chief Secretary
Senior-most civil servant in the state; head of the state administration.
Department Secretaries
One per department
District Collector
Revenue and administration in each district
Solid red box — the office that actually runs the government.
Vertical rule — a line of appointment or accountability, read downward.
Roles only, no officeholders named. Seat counts are the constitutional and current sanctioned strengths.