Indian Polity and Governance

Transparency and accountability: RTI Act 2005

  1. The Right to Information (RTI) Act, enacted in 2005, empowers citizens to seek information from public authorities.
  2. It aims to promote transparency and accountability in the working of every public authority.
  3. The Act is a cornerstone of good governance in India, ensuring that citizens have access to government information.
  4. Section 2(f) of the Act defines "information" as any material in any form, including records, documents, and emails.
  5. It mandates the establishment of Public In

Good governance: Meaning and principles

  1. Good governance refers to the effective, efficient, and ethical management of a country’s resources and affairs.
  2. It is based on the principles of accountability, transparency, participation, and rule of law.
  3. Promotes a government that is responsive to the needs of its citizens.
  4. Transparency ensures that decisions and actions of the government are open and accessible to the public.
  5. Accountability implies that government officials are answerable for their actions and decis

Anti-defection law (10th Schedule)

  1. The Anti-Defection Law is contained in the 10th Schedule of the Constitution of India.
  2. It was added by the 52nd Amendment Act of 1985 to address the problem of political defection.
  3. Defection refers to the act of a legislator switching parties after being elected on a party ticket.
  4. The law aims to ensure stability in governments by discouraging legislators from changing their political allegiance.
  5. It applies to both the Parliament and the State Legislatures

Political parties: National and regional

  1. Political parties are essential for the functioning of a democratic system.
  2. India has a multi-party system with a mix of national and regional parties.
  3. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is responsible for recognizing political parties.
  4. A National Party must fulfill specific criteria such as obtaining at least 6% of the valid votes in at least four states and winning a minimum of four seats in the Lok Sabha.
  5. A Regional (State) Party is recognized if it secures at lea

Electoral reforms and challenges

  1. Electoral reforms aim to ensure free, fair, and transparent elections in a democratic system.
  2. The introduction of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) has reduced instances of ballot tampering and improved efficiency.
  3. The Model Code of Conduct ensures that political parties and candidates follow ethical practices during elections.
  4. The NOTA (None of the Above) option empowers voters to reject all candidates on the ballot.
  5. Implementation of Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT)

Election Commission of India: Structure, powers, and functions

  1. The Election Commission of India (ECI) is an autonomous constitutional authority responsible for conducting elections in India.
  2. Established under Article 324 of the Indian Constitution.
  3. The ECI is responsible for elections to the Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative Assemblies, and offices of the President and Vice President.
  4. The Commission consists of a Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) and a variable number of Election Commissioners.
  5. Initially, the ECI was a single-member body, bu

Fifth and Sixth Schedules for tribal areas

  1. The Fifth Schedule of the Indian Constitution deals with the administration and control of Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes in states other than the northeastern states.
  2. The Sixth Schedule pertains to the administration of tribal areas in the northeastern states of Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura, and Mizoram.
  3. Both Schedules aim to provide special governance and protect the rights of tribal communities.
  4. The Fifth Schedule empowers the President to declare areas as

Special status of Jammu & Kashmir and its recent changes

  1. Jammu & Kashmir (J&K) was granted special status under Article 370 of the Indian Constitution.
  2. Article 370 allowed J&K to have its own Constitution and autonomy over internal matters except for defense, foreign affairs, communications, and ancillary matters.
  3. Article 35A, incorporated via a Presidential Order in 1954, empowered the J&K legislature to define "permanent residents" and grant them special rights and privileges.
  4. The special status meant that Indian laws were not direct

Administration of Union Territories

  1. Union Territories (UTs) are directly administered by the Central Government, unlike states which have their own governments.
  2. There are 8 Union Territories in India: Andaman & Nicobar Islands, Chandigarh, Dadra & Nagar Haveli and Daman & Diu, Delhi, Lakshadweep, Puducherry, Jammu & Kashmir, and Ladakh.
  3. The administration of UTs is governed by Articles 239 to 241 of the Constitution of India.
  4. Article 239: Provides for the administration of UTs by the President thro

Issues in local governance

  1. Inadequate financial resources: Local bodies often lack sufficient funds to implement developmental programs effectively.
  2. Dependence on state governments: Local bodies heavily rely on state government grants, undermining their autonomy.
  3. Limited devolution of powers: Many state governments are reluctant to transfer sufficient power to local governments.
  4. Political interference: Local governance is often affected by undue political intervention, leading to inefficiency and corruption.
Indian Polity and Governance