India, a union of states, is a
Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a
Parliamentary system of Government. The Republic is governed in
terms of the Constitution, which was adopted by Constituent
Assembly on 26 November 1949 and came into force on 26 November
1950.
Sovereignty is shared between the
central government and the states, but the national government is
given greater powers. The President is the constitutional head of
Executive of the Union. Real executive power vests in a Council of
Ministers with the Prime Minister as head. Article 74(1) of the
Constitution provides that there shall be a Council of Ministers
headed by the Prime Minister to aid and advise the President who
shall, in exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such
advice. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to
the Lok Sabha, the House of the People.
The State government resembles the
federal system. In the states, the Governor is the head of
Executive, but real executive power vests with the Chief Minister
who heads the Council of Ministers. The Council of Ministers of a
state is collectively responsible to the elected legislative
assembly of the state.
The governor of each state is
appointed by the President. The central government exerts greater
control over the union territories than over the states, although
some territories have gained more power to administer their own
affairs.