Class 9 Social Science – Democratic Politics

1. Why Do We Need Institutions?

In a democracy, big decisions are not taken by one person alone. Institutions (organizations that make rules and carry out work for the country) are needed to share power and responsibility .

They help in:

• Making laws (official rules that everyone must follow)

• Implementing (putting into action) government policies

• Interpreting (explaining the true meaning of) laws

• Resolving (settling) disputes

The Prime Minister and the Cabinet are institutions that take important policy (plan of action) decisions. Civil servants (government officials who are appointed, not elected) carry out these decisions. The Supreme Court is the institution where final disputes are settled .

2. A Major Policy Decision: The Mandal Commission Case

This is a real example to show how institutions work together.

What was the Mandal Commission?

• Set up in 1979 by the Janata Party government .

• Led by B.P. Mandal.

• Its job was to find out the social and educational conditions of the Other Backward Classes (OBCs – groups of people who were historically treated unfairly) .

• It recommended 27% reservation (fixed share of seats or jobs kept for a group) in government jobs for OBCs.

How was the decision taken?

• In 1990, Prime Minister V.P. Singh decided to implement the report .

• The Cabinet (group of top ministers) approved it on 6 August 1990.

• The Prime Minister informed Parliament (the law-making body) on 7 August 1990.

• An Office Memorandum (an official government order) was issued on 13 August 1990.

What was the reaction?

• There were big protests (public shows of disagreement) and legal challenges (cases filed in court).

• The Supreme Court heard the case (Indira Sawhney vs Union of India).

• The Court upheld (supported) the order but said that affluent (rich) members of backward classes should not get reservation .

• The Court also fixed a maximum limit of 50% for total reservation .

• A revised (changed) Office Memorandum was issued on 8 September 1993 .

Lesson: The Legislature (Parliament) approved the policy, the Executive (government ministers and officials) implemented it, and the Judiciary (courts) checked whether it was fair and legal. All three worked together.

3. Parliament

Parliament is the final authority (highest power) for making laws. It also controls the government and the money the government spends .

Two Houses of Parliament

India’s Parliament has two Houses:

The President is also part of Parliament, but is not a member of either House .

Why is the Lok Sabha more powerful?

• In case of a disagreement between the two Houses, a joint session (meeting of both Houses together) is held. The Lok Sabha’s view usually wins because it has more members .

• Money matters (budgets and taxes) are controlled mainly by the Lok Sabha.

• The Lok Sabha controls the Council of Ministers (the government). If the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion (a vote to show it no longer supports the government), all ministers must resign (quit) .

4. The Executive

The Executive includes all the people who take day-to-day decisions and carry them out. There are two types:

(a) Political Executive

• Elected by the people for a fixed period.

• They take major decisions (big choices about policy).

• Example: Prime Minister and Ministers .

(b) Permanent Executive

• Appointed on a long-term basis.

• Also called Civil Services.

• They remain in office even when the ruling party changes.

• They assist (help) the political executive and handle daily administration .

Why is the minister more powerful than the civil servant?
In a democracy, the will of the people is supreme. The minister is elected by the people and is answerable (responsible) to them for all decisions. The civil servant is not elected. So the minister takes the final decision, even though the civil servant has more expertise (special knowledge) .

5. Prime Minister and Council of Ministers

Appointment of the Prime Minister

• The President appoints the leader of the majority party (the party with the most seats) or coalition (alliance of parties) in the Lok Sabha as Prime Minister .

• If no party has a majority, the President appoints the person most likely to get majority support.

• The Prime Minister does not have a fixed tenure (time period in office). They stay in power as long as they have majority support.

Powers of the Prime Minister

• Chairs (leads) Cabinet meetings.

• Coordinates (brings together) the work of different departments.

• If departments disagree, the Prime Minister’s decision is final.

• Supervises (oversees) all ministries.

• Distributes and redistributes (gives out and changes) work among ministers.

• Can dismiss (remove) ministers.

• If the Prime Minister quits (resigns), the entire ministry quits .

Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers includes all ministers (usually 60 to 80). They are of three ranks :

Cabinet is the inner ring (small group) of about 20 senior ministers. Most big decisions are taken in Cabinet meetings .

6. The President

The President is the head of the State. However, the President exercises only nominal powers (powers in name only, not real decision-making power) .

How is the President elected?

• Not directly by the people.

• Elected by MPs (Members of Parliament) and MLAs (Members of Legislative Assemblies) .

Powers of the President

• All government activities, laws, and major policy decisions are issued in the President’s name.

• All major appointments (choices for posts) are made in the President’s name — Chief Justice, Judges, Governors, Election Commissioners, Ambassadors .

• All international treaties (official agreements between countries) are made in the President’s name.

• The President is the supreme commander (highest leader) of the defence forces.

• BUT — the President exercises these powers only on the advice (suggestion) of the Council of Ministers .

The President can ask the Council of Ministers to reconsider (think again about) its advice. But if the same advice is given again, the President must accept it.

7. The Judiciary

The Judiciary means all the courts at different levels in the country .

Structure of Courts

• Supreme Court – for the entire nation

• High Courts – in the states

• District Courts and Subordinate Courts – at the local level

The Supreme Court supervises (oversees) all other courts, and its decisions are binding (must be followed) on all courts .

Independence of the Judiciary

This means the judiciary is not under the control of the legislature or the executive . Judges can be removed only through a very difficult process called impeachment (official removal by a special vote), which requires a two-thirds majority in both Houses of Parliament .

Judicial Review

The Supreme Court and High Courts have the power to check whether laws and government actions follow the Constitution (the highest law of the land). If a law goes against the Constitution, the courts can strike it down (cancel it) .

Any citizen whose Fundamental Rights (basic rights guaranteed by the Constitution) are violated can approach the courts for justice.

Key Words to Remember

📞 Contact Dhingra Classes Today!

📍 Address: Plot No 3, XQ3G+H3M Deacon Homes, 301C, opp. Metro Zone, near Guru Govind Sing, Samarth Nagar, Dnyaneshwar Nagar, Pathardi Phata, Nashik, Maharashtra 422009

📱 Phone: 98230 62106

🌐 Website: https://www.dhingraclassesnashik.com/

📧 Email: dhingraclassesnsk@gmail.com