GOVERNMENT
The current Constitution describes India as a "sovereign socialist
secular democratic republic. The President of the Republic is officially
head of state. The head of government
is the Prime Minister, and the Prime Minister and all other Ministers must
be elected members of Parliament. There is an Upper House of Parliament
known as the Rajya Sabha or "Council of States," elected indirectly through
the various State legislatures or appointed, and a Lower House of Parliament
known as the Lok Sabha or "Assembly of the People," whose members are directly
elected. The country is a parliamentary democracy with an independent
judiciary and a free press.
In addition to the Union or central
government, India is made up of 28 States
and 7 Union territories. Each State has a Governor, who is appointed
by the President, and an elected Legislative Assembly (and in some States
a Legislative Council as well) with a Chief Minister. The Chief Minister
is the head of administration. Each Union territory is administered
by the President through an appointed administrator. The term of
office for the President as well as popularly elected State and Union representatives
is five years.