India's Political System: A Guide to the World's Largest Democracy

India's political system is a cornerstone of its identity. As a federal parliamentary democratic republic, its governance structure is defined by the Constitution of India, which came into effect in 1950. Understanding this framework is key to understanding the nation's stability and policy-making processes.

The Three Branches of Government

• The Executive Branch: The President of India is the ceremonial Head of State, while the Prime Minister is the Head of Government, holding the real executive power. The Prime Minister leads the Council of Ministers, which is responsible for the administration of the country.
• The Legislative Branch (The Parliament): India has a bicameral (two-house) Parliament. The lower house is the Lok Sabha (House of the People), whose members are directly elected by the citizens. The upper house is the Rajya Sabha (Council of States), whose members are elected by state legislative assemblies.
• The Judicial Branch: The judiciary is independent of the other two branches. The Supreme Court of India is the apex court, with the power of judicial review. It presides over a hierarchy of High Courts (at the state level) and lower subordinate courts.

The Election Process

General elections to elect members of the Lok Sabha are held every five years. This is the largest electoral exercise in the world, often involving close to a billion eligible voters. The process is managed by the independent Election Commission of India, which is widely respected for conducting free and fair elections on such a massive scale.

Major National Political Parties

While India has a multi-party system, national politics has often been dominated by a few major parties. The two largest are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC). Coalition governments, where multiple parties come together to form a majority, are a common feature of Indian politics, requiring negotiation and consensus-building.