Working of Institutions
A Government Order:
An order announces a major policy decision taken by the government for immediate implementation.
The Decision Makers
1. President is the head of the state and is the highest formal authority in the country.
2. Prime Minister is the head of the government and actually exercises all governmental powers. He takes most of the decisions in the Cabinet meetings.
3. Parliament consists of two Houses,Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. The parliament makes important laws to be followed by everyone.
A long chain of events before the passing of Government Order for OBC reservation.
1. The Government of India had appointed the Second Backward Classes Commission in 1979. It was headed by B.P. Mandal. Hence it waspopularly called the Mandal Commission.
2. The Commission gave its Report in 1980 and made many recommendations. One of these was that 27 per cent of government jobs be reserved for the socially andeconomically backward classes.
3. For several years, many parliamentarians and parties keptdemanding the implementation of theCommission’s recommendations.
4. Then came the LokSabha electionof 1989. In its election manifesto, theJanata Dal promised that if voted topower, it would implement theMandal Commission report.
5. TheJanata Dal did form the governmentafter this election. Its leader V. P.Singh became the Prime Ministerand he implemented it.
Involvement of several political institutions in implementing OBC reservation (Mondal Commission recommendations):
1. The President of India in hisaddress to the Parliamentannounced the intention of thegovernment to implement therecommendations of the MandalCommission.
2. On 6 August 1990, the UnionCabinet took a formal decision toimplement the recommendations.
3. Next day Prime Minister V.P. Singhinformed the Parliament aboutthis decision through a statementin both the Houses of Parliament.
4. The decision of the Cabinet wassent to the Department of Personneland Training. The senior officers ofthe Department drafted an order inline with the Cabinet decision andtook the minister’s approval.
5. Anofficer signed the order on behalf ofthe Union Government. This washow OBC reservation bill wasborn on August 13, 1990. Many approached the Supreme Court and the Supreme Court judgesin 1992 declared that this order of the Government of India was valid.
What are political Institutions? Need for Political Institutions in India
Several arrangements to provide social security, education, health and basic needs are made inall modern democracies. Sucharrangements are called institutions.A democracy works well whenthese institutions perform functionsassigned to them.
1. The Parliament makes important laws foe the entire nation.
2. The Prime Minister and theCabinet are institutions that takeall important policy decisions.
3. The Civil Servants, workingtogether, are responsible for takingsteps to implement the ministers’decisions.
4. Supreme Court is an institutionwhere disputes between citizensand the government are finallysettled.
What is Parliament?Why do we need a Parliament?
An assembly ofelected representatives which exercisessupreme political authority onbehalf of the people. In India such anational assembly of electedrepresentatives is called Parliament.
1. Parliament is the final authority formaking laws in any country.Parliamentsall over the world can make newlaws, change existing laws, orabolish existing laws and makenew ones in their place.
2. Parliaments all over the worldexercise some control over thosewho run the government. In somecountries like India this control isdirect and full.
3. Parliaments control all the moneythat governments have. In mostcountries the public moneycan be spent only when theParliament sanctions it.
4. Parliament is the highest forum ofdiscussion and debate on publicissues and national policy in anycountry. Parliament can seekinformation about any matter.
Two Houses of Parliament
1. In our country, the Parliamentconsists of two Houses. The twoHouses are known as the Council ofStates (RajyaSabha) and the Houseof the People (LokSabha).
2. The total number of elected members of LokSabha is 543+2 Anglo Indian nominated members.The total number of members of RajyaSabha is 238+12 nominated members.
3. Members of LokSabha are electedby the people. Members of RajyaSabha are elected by the MLAs and MPs.
4. The length of the term of LokSabha members is 5 years.The length of the term of RajyaSabha members is 6 years
5. LokSabha can be dissolved but Raya Sabha is permanent and only the members retire.
How does LokSabha exercise supreme power than RajyaSabha?
1. Any ordinary law needs to bepassed by both the Houses. But ifthere is a difference between thetwo Houses, the final decision istaken in a joint session in whichthe view ofthe LokSabha is likely to prevail.
2. LokSabha exercises more powersin money matters. Once the LokSabha passes the budget of thegovernment or any other moneyrelated law, the RajyaSabhacannot reject but can only delay it by 14 days.
3. Most importantly, the LokSabha controls the Council of Ministers. Only a person who enjoys the support of the majority of the members in the LokSabha is appointed the Prime Minister.
4. If the majority of the LokSabha members say they have ‘no confidence’ in the Council of Ministers, all ministers including the Prime Minister, have to quit. theRajyaSabha does nothave this power.
Executive
At different levels of anygovernment we find functionarieswho take day-to-day decisions and implement those decisions onbehalf of the people. All thosefunctionaries are collectively knownas the executive.
Political and Permanent Executive
1. Politician who is elected by the people for a specific period is called thepolitical executive. Political leaderswho take the big decisions fall in thiscategory.
2. Officers who are appointed on a long-term basis based on their qualification and experience. They are called the permanentexecutive or civil servants. They remain in officeeven when the ruling party changes.
Why does the political executive have more power than the non-political executive? OR
Why is the minister more powerful than the civil servant?
1. In a democracy the will of the people is supreme. The minister is elected by the people and thus empowered to exercise the will of the people on their behalf.
2. The Minister is finallyanswerable to the people for all theconsequences of her decision. Thatis why the minister takes all the finaldecisions.
3. The minister decides theoverall framework and objectives inwhich decisions on policy should bemade.
4. The minister is notexpected to be an expert in thematters of her ministry. The ministertakes the advice of experts on alltechnical matters.
5. The experts can tell the route, but the minister with a larger view decidesthe destination.
Council of Ministers and Types of ministers:
Council of Ministers is the officialname for the body that includes allthe Ministers. It usually has 60 to80 Ministers of different ranks.
1. Cabinet Ministers are usually top-level leaders of the ruling party or parties who are in charge of themajor ministries. Usually theCabinet Ministers meet to takedecisions in the name of theCouncil of Ministers.
2. Ministers of State with independentcharge are usually in-chargeof smaller Ministries. Theyparticipate in the Cabinet meetingsonly when specially invited.
3. Ministers of State or Deputy ministersare attachedto and required to assist CabinetMinisters in their work.
