Indian Polity and Governance - Topics

 POLITY & GOVERNANCE

Constitutional Framework

Historical Background: Evolution of The Constitution

• The Company Rule (1773-1858)
• Regulating Act, 1773 
• Amending Act, 1781 
• Pitt’s India Act, 1784 
• Amending Act of 1786 
• Charter Act, 1793 
• Charter Act, 1813 
• Charter Act, 1833 
• Charter Act, 1853 

The Crown Rule (1858-1947)

• Government of India Act, 1858 
• Indian Councils Act, 1861 
• Indian Councils Act, 1892 
• Indian Councils Act, 1909 
• Government of India Act, 1919 
• Simon Commission 
• Government of India Act, 1935 
• Indian Independence Act, 1947 

Making of Indian Constitution

• Sources
• Significance of the Constitution
• Objective of Constitution
• Demand for Constituent Assembly (CA)
• Important Committees of the Constituent Assembly 
• Working of the Constituent Assembly
• Objective Resolution
• Changes by the Independence Act, 1947
• Functions Performed by Constituent Assembly 
• Drafting Committee
• Enactment and enforcement of the Constitution
• Important Facts about Indian Constitution
• Criticism of Constituent Assembly and The Constitution

Salient Features of Indian Constitution

Constitution and Types

• Types of Constitution 
• Functions of the Constitution 
• Historical evolution of the Constitution 

Types of Political System

• Types of Political System 
• Constitutional Government 
• Parliamentary form of government 
• Distinction between Indian and British Models
• Features of the Presidential System 
• Features of Semi-Presidential System 

Preamble and Values in the Constitution

• Objectives as per the Preamble 

Ideals (as mentioned in the Preamble) 

Amendment of the Constitution

Types of Majorities 

Evolution of Basic Structure Doctrine

Important Doctrines and Concepts

Other Constitutional Dimensions

• Schedules and Subjects 
• Official Languages

Union and Its Territory (Article: 1 - 4)

• Committee/commission for State Re-organization
• The State Reorganization Commission (SRC) 1953
• Delimitation Commission

Citizenship (Article: 6 - 11)

• Constitutional Provisions 
• Constitutional provisions of citizenship 
• Citizenship Act, 1955 
• The Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2016 
• Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019
• Methodology of Acquisition of Citizenship 
• Modes of Losing the Citizenship of India 
• Comparison between NRI, PIO, and OCI Cardholder

Indian Diaspora

• Pravasi Bhartiya Divas 
• Non-Resident Indians

Fundamental Rights (Article: 12- 35)

FR

• Meaning 
• Objectives 
• Evolution
• Importance 
• Reasonable Restriction on Fundamental Rights 
• Definition of state 
• Laws Inconsistent with 
• Concept of Judicial Review

Equality Rights

• Concept of Rule of Law
• Due Process of Law
• Procedure Established by Law 

Right to Freedom

Legal, Constitutional and Fundamental Rights: Right to Property, Right to Vote etc.

Right against Exploitation

Right to Freedom of Religion

Cultural and Educational Rights

Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32)

Other Dimensions of FR’s

Directive Principles of State Policy (DPSP) (Article: 36- 51)

Evolution, objectives, and features

• Basics and Background 
• Influences on the Constitutional Makers behind sanctions of DPSP
• Purpose of the DPSP
• Different Types of Principles
• Reasons for Non-Justiciable in Nature
• Criticism of DPSP
• Implementation 
• Difference between FR & DPSP
• Impotence of DPSP for Citizen
• Significance of DPSP

Socialistic Principles 

• Article: 38
• Article: 39
• Article: 39A
• Article: 41
• Article: 42 
• Article: 43
• Article: 43A
• Article: 47

Gandhian Principles 

• Article: 40
• Article: 43
• Article: 46
• Article: 47
• Article: 48

Liberal-Intellectual Principles 

• Article: 44
• Article: 45
• Article: 48
• Article: 48A
• Article: 49
• Article: 50
• Article: 51

Directive Principle Outside Part - IV

• Article: 335 in Part - XVI
• Article: 350 in Part - XVII 
• Article: 351 in Part - XVII

Fundamental Duties

• Origin and Evolution Of Fundamental Duties
• List of Fundamental Duties 
• Constitutional Provisions
• Swarna Singh Committee Recommendations (1976)
• Co-relation between Fundamental Rights and Duties 
• Criticism of Duties
• and other Recent Developments

Amendment of the Constitution

• Constitutional Provisions: Article 368
• Amending the Constitution
• Why Amendment is necessary. 
• Amendment Procedure 
• Types of Amendment
• Important and Major Constitutional Amendments
• Criticism of the amendment procedure

System of Governance

Centre-State Relations

• Legislative Relations
• Territorial Powers 
• Administrative Relations 
• Financial Relations 
• National Integration Council 

Inter State Relation and Related Issues

• Interstate water dispute 
• Interstate councils 
• Interstate trade and commerce 
• Zonal Councils 

Special Provisions for some States

Types of Emergencies

• National Emergency 
• Constitutional/State Emergency /President’s Rule
• Financial Emergency

Union Executive

President

• Eligibility 
• Conditions of Office 
• Term of Office 
• Election 
• Manner of Election 
• Impeachment of the President 
• Impeachment of the President 
• Vacancy in the Offi ce of President 
• Powers of the President 
• Executive powers (Article 53) 
• Legislative Powers 
• Financial Powers 
• Ordinance Issuing Power (Article 123) 
• Judicial/Pardoning Power 
• Military 
• Diplomatic 
• Emergency Powers 

Vice President

• Qualification
• Conditions of Office
• Term of Office
• Election 
• Removal 
• Vacancy
• Functions of the Vice-President

The Prime Minister

• Appointment 
• Eligibility 
• Powers and Functions of Prime Minister 
• Relationship between the President 
• and the Prime Minister
• Deputy Prime Minister 
• Prime Minister’s Office

Union Council of Minister

• Article 74: Council of Ministers to aid and advice President
• Article 75: Other Provisions as to Ministers 
• Article 77: Conduct of Business of the Government of India
• Article 78: Duties of Prime Minister 
• Nature of advice by Ministers 
• Strength of the Council 
• Appointment of a Non-legislator as a Minister 
• Collective responsibility of the Ministers 
• Individual Responsibility of Ministers  

Role of Bureaucracy

Union Legislature

Organisation of Parliament

• Functions of the Parliament 
• Functioning of the Parliament 
• Sessions of Parliament 
• Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings 
• Parliamentary Privileges and Immunities 
• Collective Privileges of the House 
• Individual Privileges Houses of the Parliament 

Parliament (Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha and President)

• Lok Sabha Composition  
• Rajya Sabha Composition 
• Presiding Officers of the Parliament 
• Speaker 
• Powers & Functions of the speaker 
• Deputy Speaker 
• Panel of Chairpersons of Lok Sabha 
• Speaker Pro Tem 
• Chairman of Rajya Sabha 
• Deputy Chairman of Rajya Sabha 
• Panel of Vice-Chairpersons of Rajya Sabha 
• Chairman and Deputy chairman of the Council of States
• Membership of the Parliament
• Secretariat of Parliament
• Leaders in Parliament and Whip
• Devices of Parliamentary Proceedings
• Comparison between different types of Funds
• Role and powers of Parliament
• Special Power of Rajya Sabha
• Position of Rajya Sabha with respect to Lok Sabha
• Parliamentary Privileges
• Sovereignty of Parliament

Legislative Procedure and Committees of Parliament 

State Executive

Governor

• Powers of Governor 
• Executive power 
• Legislative power 
• Financial Power 
• Judicial Power 
• Discretionary power 
• Recommendations on the office of Governor
• ARC (Administrative Reforms Commission) 
• Sarkaria Commission 
• National Commission to Review the working of the Constitution.

The Chief Minister and the CoM

• Powers and Functions of Chief Minister 
• Other Powers and Functions 
• Composition of the Council of Ministers 
• Responsibility of Ministers 
• Advocate-General for the State

State Legislature

Legislative Assembly

• Powers and Functions 
• Speaker & Deputy Speaker 
• Parliament’s Control over State Legislature 

Legislative Council

• Qualifications 
• Powers and Functions  
• Local Government

Panchayati Raj

• Evolution of the Panchayati Raj Institution (PRI) 
• 73rd Amendment Act of 1992 
• Compulsory and Voluntary Provisions 

Urban Local Government

• 74th Constitutional Amendment Act 
• Types of Urban Governments In India

PESA Act,1996

Union Territories and Special Areas

Union Territories

• Creation of Union Territories 
• Administration of UT’s 
• Special provisions for Delhi 
• Special Category Status

Schedule and Tribal Areas

• Administration of Schedule Areas 
• Administration of Tribal areas
• Fifth Schedule and Sixth Schedule

The Judiciary

The Supreme Court

• Chief Justice of India 
• Acting Chief Justice of India 
• Appointment of Supreme Court Judges 
• Qualifications for Supreme Court Judges 
• Removal of a Supreme Court Judges 
• Process of Impeachment 
• Ad hoc and Retired Judges 
• Salaries and allowances of Supreme Court Judges
• Chief Justices of India (Since 1951) 
• Jurisdiction of the Supreme Court
• Judicial Independence 
• Judiciary Executive Relations 
• Difference between Indian and American Judiciary
• Concurrence Vs Consultation
• Judicial Review and Judicial Activism
• Concept of Public Interest Litigation (PIL)

The High Courts, Subordinate Courts & Lok Adalat

• The High Courts 
• Jurisdiction of the High Courts 
• Subordinate Courts 
• Gram Nyayalayas Act, 2008 
• Alternative dispute Resolution 
• Lok Adalat 
• All India Judicial Service 
• E-governance in Judiciary 
• Judicial Impact Assessment 
• Judges Standards and Accountability Bill, 2010
• National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) 

Constitutional & Extra Constitutional Bodies

• Constitutional Bodies
• Finance Commission 
• Constitution 
• Functions 
• Comptroller And Auditor General of India 
• Attorney-General of India 
• Appointment 
• Functions and Responsibilities 
• Election Commission: Universal Adult 
• Franchise, Right to Vote
• Elections and Electoral System in India 
• Electoral Reforms Since 1988
• All India Services
• Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) 
• State Public Service Commission (SPSC) 
• Joint State public Service Commission (JSPSC)
• National Commission For SCs 
• National Commission For STs 
• Special Officer for Linguistic Minority 
• The Advocate General 

Extra-Constitutional

• Special officer for linguistic Minorities 
• Central Information Commission 
• State Information Commission 
• Lokpal and Lokayukta 
• National Human Rights Commission 
• State Human Right Commission 
• CVC (Central Vigilance Commission) 
• NITI Aayog (National Institution for Transforming India)
• NITI Aayog Vs the Planning Commission

Political Dynamics 

Political Parties and Election

• Salient features of Representation of Peoples Act, 1951
• Criminalization of politics 
• State funding of Election 
• Party System in India 
• 10th Schedule and Anti-defection measures 

Pressure Groups

• Meaning and Techniques
• Types of Pressure Groups in India 
• Role of pressure group in developing countries
• Functions of pressure groups in India 
• Pressure groups methods 
• Criticism of pressure groups 

Governance

• Governing Institutions in India
• Structure of Ministries/departments 
• Functions of attached and subordinate office  
• Other organizations 
• Public sector undertakings 
• The Executive organization 
• Advantages of the separation of secretariat and executive organization.
• Strengths and weaknesses of the existing structure
• Recommendations for improving the Organizational structure

Audit and other Transparency Mechanism

• CVC 
• CAG 
• Lokpal 
• Lokayukta
• Role of SHG, NGOs, Civil Society

Welfare Schemes

• Health: Various Mission and Schemes by Government of India
• Education 
• Vulnerable Sector 
• Social Security 
• Women and Child Development 
• Disability
• Rural and Urban Development: Smart Cities Mission 
• Inclusive growth
• Digital India

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