ASKiIMAN™ ARCHIVE / INDIAN POLITY
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Salient Features

The Unique Architecture of the Indian State

PART I — STRUCTURAL & SYSTEMIC IDENTITY

SUB-REALM 05.1

Lengthiest Written Constitution

  • 395 Articles originally
  • Elephantine in size
  • Geographical vastness factor
  • Detailed administrative provisions
SUB-REALM 05.2

Drawn From Various Sources

  • Structural: 1935 Act
  • Philosophical: USA & Ireland
  • Political: UK model
  • Ransacking known constitutions
SUB-REALM 05.3

Blend of Rigidity & Flexibility

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  • Special majority required
  • Ordinary legislative process
  • Avoids extreme rigidity
  • Avoids extreme flexibility
SUB-REALM 05.4

Federal System with Unitary Bias

  • Federal traits
  • Unitary bias
  • Strong Centre
  • Quasi-Federal

PART II — INSTITUTIONAL BALANCES

SUB-REALM 05.5

Parliamentary Form of Government

  • Westminster model
  • Nominal & real executives
  • Collective responsibility
  • Prime Ministerial leadership
SUB-REALM 05.6

Synthesis: Sovereignty & Supremacy

  • Parliamentary Sovereignty
  • Judicial Supremacy
  • Judicial Review
  • Constitutional amendment power
SUB-REALM 05.7

Integrated & Independent Judiciary

  • Single system of courts
  • Enforces all laws
  • Security of tenure
  • Independent operations
SUB-REALM 05.8

Independent Bodies

ECI
CAG
  • Democratic bulwarks
  • Election Commission
  • CAG
  • UPSC & SPSC

PART III — CITIZEN-CENTRIC FRAMEWORK

SUB-REALM 05.9

Fundamental Rights & Duties

↔
  • Justiciable rights
  • Political democracy
  • Non-justiciable duties
  • Moral obligations
SUB-REALM 05.10

Directive Principles (DPSP)

  • Social & economic democracy
  • Welfare State
  • Non-justiciable
  • Fundamental in governance
SUB-REALM 05.11

A Secular State

  • No official religion
  • Positive Secularism
  • Equal respect
  • Distinct from West
SUB-REALM 05.12

Universal Adult Franchise

  • Voting rights for all
  • Age reduced to 18
  • 61st Amendment Act
  • Political equality
SUB-REALM 05.13

Single Citizenship

  • No separate state citizenship
  • Uniform rights
  • Builds fraternity
  • United Indian nation
SUB-REALM 05.14

Emergency Provisions

  • Tackle extraordinary situations
  • National, State, Financial
  • Converts to Unitary
  • No formal amendment
SUB-REALM 05.15

Three-Tier Government

LCL
STATE
UNION
  • 73rd & 74th Amendments
  • Local Government
  • Panchayats & Municipalities
  • Unique federal feature
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