RBSE Class 9 Social Science Notes Civics Chapter 4 Working of Institutions

These comprehensive RBSE Class 9 Social Science Notes Civics Chapter 4 Working of Institutions will give a brief overview of all the concepts.

RBSE Class 9 Social Science Notes Civics Chapter 4 Working of Institutions

→ Need for Political Institutions:
To attend all the tasks of government, several arrangements are made in all modem democracies. Such arrangements are called institutions. The Constitution of any country lays down basic rules on the powers and functions of each institution. The three institutions that play a key role in major decisions are legislature, executive and judiciary.

→ Institutions involve rules and regulations. These rules and regulations can bind the hands of leaders. Democratic governments require institutions, so that decisions can be taken accurately. A democracy works well when these institutions perform all the functions assigned to them properly. The constitution of any country lays down basic rules on the powers and functions of each institution.

→ Institutions involve meetings, committees and routines. This often leads to delays and complications. But these are very useful as:-

• They provide an opportunity for a wider set of people to be consulted in any decision.
• Institutions make it difficult to have a good decision taken very quickly. But they also make it equally difficult to rush through a bad decision.

1. Parliament
In all democracies, an assembly of elected representatives exercise supreme political authority on behalf of the people. In India, such a national assembly of elected representatives is called the Parliament. At the state level this is called Legislature or Legislative Assembly. The name may vary in different countries, but such an assembly exists in every democracy.

→ Powers of the Parliament: The Parliament exercises political authority on behalf of the people in many ways:

• Task of law making.
• Control over those who run the government.
• Control over finances.
• Highest forum of discussion and debate.

Two Houses of Parliament: In most of the large countries there are two Houses of Parliament. One House, which is called the lower house, is usually directly elected by the people. The second House, usually the members of the upper house, are elected indirectly. 
The work for the second House is to look after the interests of various states, regions or federal units.

→ In our country, Parliament consists of two Houses.

• Lok Sabha (The Council of States)
• Rajya Sabha (The House of the People)

Rajya Sabha is called the ‘Upper Chamber’ and the Lok Sabha the ‘Lower Chamber’. The President of India is a part of the Parliament. That is why all the laws made in the Houses come into force only after they receive the assent of the President.

→ Lok Sabha v/s Rajya Sabha: Our Constitution does give the Rajya Sabha some special powers over the states. But on most matters, the Lok Sabha exercises supreme power as:

• In any ordinary law if there is a difference between the two Houses, the final decision is taken in a joint session and because of the larger number of members, the view of the Lok Sabha is likely to prevail in such a meeting.
• The Lok Sabha passes the budget of the government or any other money related law and the Rajya Sabha can only delay it by 14 days.
• The Lok Sabha controls the Council of Ministers.

2. Executive:
At different levels of any government, functionaries take day-to-day decisions. All those functionaries are collectively known as the executive. The executives are in charge of the ‘execution’ of the policies of the government.

Political and Permanent Executive: In a democratic country, two categories make up the executive.

1. Political Executive: One that is elected by the people for a specific period, is called the political executive. Political leaders who take the big decisions fall in this category.
2. Permanent Executive: The people are appointed on a long-term basis and help the ministers in making decisions. This is called the permanent executive. Political executive is more influential than permanent executive because the ministers are elected by the public, are answerable to it. The minister takes all the final decisions and is guided by experts on all technical matters.

→ Prime Minister:
Prime Minister is the most important political institution in India. The President appoints the leader of the majority party or the coalition of parties that command a majority in the Lok Sabha, as the Prime Minister. He continues in power as long as he remains the leader of the majority party or coalition. The President appoints other ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. For the post of minister, it is necessary to be a Member of Parliament. Incase a person who is not the member of the parliament is elected as the Minister,then he has to get elected to one of the houses of the Parliament within six months of the appointment as minister.

→ Council of Ministers:
Council of Ministers is the official name for the body that includes all the Ministers Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State with independent charge, Ministers of State. Since it is not practical for all ministers to meet regularly and discuss everything, the decisions are taken in Cabinet meetings. No minister can openly criticise any decision of the government. The Cabinet as a team is assisted by the Cabinet Secretariat in implementing the decisions.

→ Powers of the Prime Minister:

• The Prime Minister appoints other ministers.
• He chairs Cabinet meetings.
• He coordinates and controls the work of different Departments.
• The Prime Minister distributes and redistributes work to the ministers.
• He also has the power to dismiss the ministers.
• When the Prime Minister quits, the entire ministry quits.

→ The President: The President is the head of the State. In India, the head of the State exercises only nominal powers. The elected Members of Parliament (MPs) and the elected Members of the Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) elect the President. All governmental activities take place in the name of the President. All laws and major policy decisions of the government are issued in her name. All major appointments are made in the name of the President. These include the appointment of the Chief Justice of India, the Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts of the states, the Governors of the states, the Election Commissioners, ambassadors to other countries, etc. The President is the supreme commander of the defence forces of India. But the President exercises all these powers only on the advice of the Council of Ministers.

3. The Judiciary:
An independent and powerful judiciary is considered essential for democracies. All the courts at different levels in a country put together are called the judiciary. The Indian judiciary consists of a Supreme Court for the entire nation, High Courts in the states, District Courts and the courts at the local level.

India has an integrated judiciary. In India, Supreme Court can take up any dispute:

• Between the citizens of the country.
• Between the citizens and the government.
• Between two or more state governments.
• Between governments at the union and the state level.

It is the highest court of appeal in civil and criminal cases. It can hear appeals against the decisions of the High Courts.

→ Appointment of Judges of Supreme Court and High Courts:

• The Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and in consultation with the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court.
• In practice the senior Judges of the Supreme Court select the new Judges of the Supreme Court and the High Courts. There is very little scope for interference by the political executive.
• The senior most Judge of the Supreme Court is usually appointed the Chief Justice.
• The Judge of the Supreme Court or the High Court can be removed only by an impeachment motion.