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Indiapol
- 1. Politics of India PoliticalInstitutions & 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 • Relativelycentralized • federal government controls the most essential government functions – defense – foreign policy – taxation – public expenditures – economic (industrial) planning
- 5. Federal system • stategovernments formally control – agriculture – education – law and order within states – dependent on central government for funds
- 6. Federal system • Balanceof 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 • considerablecenter-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 • Parliamentarysystem of government – the executive authority is responsible to the Parliament
- 10. The legislature • bicameralParliament – Rajya Sabha (Council of States) – Lok Sabha (House of the People)
- 11. Rajya Sabha (Councilof States) • The Upper House
- 12. Upper House • RajyaSabha (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 • Houseof the People
- 14. Lower House • LokSabha (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 • Electionsheld 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 LokSabha • Vote share of 3 major political parties
- 17. Current composition • 43parties in the 13th Lok Sabha (1999) • 39 parties in the 14th Lok Sabha (2004) • Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) 184 138 • Indian National Congress (INC) 109 145 • Communist Party of India (M) 34 43 • other political parties 218 217 • total 545 543
- 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 riseto 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 • Leaderof 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 ofIndia • 38 years in the Nehru-Gandhi family • more and more rapid turnover
- 29. The President ofIndia • 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 ofIndia • 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 • Fundamentalcontradiction in constitution – principle of parliamentary sovereignty – principle of judicial review
- 33. The Judiciary • judiciarytries 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