A quick-revision summary of this chapter for last-minute exam prep: definitions, numbers, dates and comparison tables. The full detailed notes are available separately.
1 Types of Executive at a Glance
| Type | Identity | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Presidential | President is both Head of State and Head of Government | USA, Brazil |
| Parliamentary | President/monarch formal; PM+Cabinet hold real power | India, UK, Germany, Italy, Japan |
| Semi-presidential | Both President and PM hold real power | France, Russia, Sri Lanka |
2 Numbers Worth Remembering
15%Council of Ministers’ size cap, 91st Amendment (2003)
5 yearsTerm of both the President and the Vice President
6 monthsTime limit to get elected after becoming minister/PM without being an MP
| Number / Date | What it is |
|---|---|
| Article 74(1) | Makes the Council of Ministers’ advice binding on the President |
| 1986 | Postal Bill: real example of the pocket veto (Zail Singh → Venkataraman) |
| 1989 | New coalition government never reintroduced the Bill |
| March 1998 | President Narayanan asked Vajpayee for support letters, 10-day confidence vote |
| 1919 / 1935 | Acts that gave India its prior experience of a parliamentary system |
3 Definitions, Exactly as You Should Write Them
All definitions in one place
ExecutiveThe organ of government that implements the laws and policies made by the legislature and runs the administration
Political executiveHeads of government and ministers, change with elections
Permanent executiveThe bureaucracy, stays in place even when the government changes
Pocket vetoPresident keeps a Bill pending indefinitely without any decision, since no time limit is fixed
Acting PresidentThe Vice President stepping into the President’s role until a new President is elected
Collective responsibilityWhole Council of Ministers is jointly answerable to the Lok Sabha, a no-confidence motion against one minister brings down the whole Council
BureaucracyCivil servants who help frame policy and run administration, expected to stay politically neutral
4 The President’s Three Discretionary Powers
1. Asking for reconsiderationPresident can send the Council’s advice back once, must accept it if it comes back unchanged
2. Veto / pocket vetoCan withhold assent to any Bill except a Money Bill, no time limit fixed
3. Discretion in appointing the PMWhen no leader has a clear majority
5 Prime Minister and the Coalition Era
5.1 Four Effects of the Coalition Era (since 1989)
Before (clear majorities)
- President’s role limited
- PM free to choose ministers
Coalition era
- President’s role grows, more consultation needed
- Restrictions on choosing ministers and on policymaking
Final Recap
- India chose parliamentary over presidential: prior 1919/1935 experience, avoiding personality cult, routine legislative accountability
- Article 74(1): President acts on the Council of Ministers’ binding advice, may ask for reconsideration
- 1986 Postal Bill: real example of the pocket veto; March 1998: real example of discretion in choosing the PM
- Vice President: ex-officio Rajya Sabha Chairman, acting President when needed (e.g. B.D. Jatti)
- 91st Amendment (2003): Council of Ministers capped at 15% of the House
- Begum Aizaz Rasul’s Swiss-system suggestion was never adopted, PM alone chooses ministers
- Bureaucracy: recruited via UPSC/State PSCs, Union control over IAS-IPS discipline, reservation for SC, ST, women, OBC, EWS
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