Introduction - Indian polity & Constitution

Introduction - Indian polity & Constitution

Political Science and Politics

Origin of the Term

• The term Political Science is intimately related to the word "Politics". Which itself is derived from the Greek word - "Polis" - that means a city-state, the general form of political organization in ancient Greece.

Early Thinkers

• The Sophists (the wandering teachers of wisdom), particularly Protagoras and Gorgias in Athens, were the first to expound a political theory.

• Later on, Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle continued to conduct the scientific study of the various problems concerning the state and the government.

Aristotle – Father of Political Science

• Aristotle, the world-famous Greek philosopher, however, excelled his teacher, Plato, and his teacher's teacher, Socrates.

• Now Aristotle is regarded as the father of the science of Politics in the West, while Manu is considered to be the first political thinker of India. His famous book "Manusmriti" is regarded as the first book of law in India.

Indian Political Thought

• Later on, it was Kautilya (Chanakya) who formed and formulated thinking and gave it a concrete form in the shape of a book named "Arthashastra", a well-known book of Indian Polity.

Aristotle’s Famous Quote

• In his famous book, "Politics", Aristotle has asserted:

"Man is by nature a political animal, and he, who by nature and not by mere accident is without state, is either above humanity or below it."

Republic of India

Introduction

• INDIA, a union of states, is a Sovereign Socialist Secular Democratic Republic with a parliamentary system of government.

• The Republic is governed in terms of the Constitution, which was adopted by the Constituent Assembly on November 26, 194,9, and came into force on January 26, 1950.

Federal Structure with Unitary Features

• The Constitution, which envisages a parliamentary form of government, is federal in structure with unitary features.

• The President of India is the constitutional head of the executive of the Union.

Council of Ministers

• Article 74(1) of the Constitution provides that there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as its head to aid and advise the President, who shall, in the exercise of his functions, act per such advice.

• The real executive power thus vests in the Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as its head.

• The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

• Similarly, in states, the Governor is the head of the executive, but it is the Council of Ministers, with the Chief Minister as its head, in whom real executive power vests.

• The Council of Ministers of a state is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the state.

• The Constitution distributes legislative power between Parliament and State Legislatures and provides for the vesting of residual powers in Parliament.

• The power to amend the Constitution also vests in Parliament.

Independence of Institutions

• The Constitution has provisions for the independence of the judiciary, the Comptroller and Auditor-General, Public Service Commissions, and the Chief Election Commission.

Government of India

Source: India.gov.in

Constitution

Definition

• Constitution is the foundational law of a country, which ordains the fundamental principles on which the government (or the governance) of that country is based.

Purpose

• It lays down the framework and principal functions of various organs of the government as well as the modalities of interaction between the government and its citizens.

Global Context

• Except for the United Kingdom (U.K.), almost all democratic countries possess a written constitution.

• India also possesses an elaborate written constitution, which was enacted by a constituent assembly specifically set up for the purpose.

Final Thoughts

The study of Political Science helps us understand the origins of governance, power, and law, tracing its roots from ancient thinkers like Socrates, Plato, and Aristotle to Indian scholars like Manu and Kautilya.

The Constitution of India, adopted in 1950, serves as the foundation of governance, ensuring a balance between rights, duties, and institutions. With a parliamentary system of government, India functions as a Sovereign, Socialist, Secular, Democratic Republic.

The separation of powers between the Executive, Legislature, and Judiciary ensures accountability and stability. At the same time, independent institutions like the Election Commission and CAG safeguard transparency. Overall, the Constitution is not just a legal document but a living framework that guides the nation’s democratic journey and preserves justice, equality, and liberty for its citizens.