Understanding Indian Polity and the Constitution

• Indian Polity encompasses India's governance framework, laws, and institutions.
• It is based on the Constitution of India, which outlines the structure, functions, powers, and duties of the government and its organs.
• Indian Polity includes the study of political processes, electoral systems, political parties, public policies, and the rights and duties of citizens.

Constitution of India

• The Constitution of India is India’s supreme law.
• It defines fundamental political principles and establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions.
• It sets out fundamental rights, directive principles of state policy, and citizens' duties.
• India is declared a sovereign, socialist, secular, democratic republic, assuring its citizens justice, equality, liberty, and fraternity.
• The Constituent Assembly adopted it on November 26, 1949; it took effect on January 26, 1950.
• The Constitution is a living document with provisions for amendments.
• It is the longest written constitution of any sovereign country.
• The Constitution is divided into Parts, Articles, and Schedules.
• It originally had 395 articles in 22 parts and 8 schedules.
• Currently, there are about 448 articles in 25 parts and 12 schedules.
• The Parts cover aspects of governance, like the Union and the States, Fundamental Rights, Directive Principles, and Emergency Provisions.
• The Articles provide specifics for each provision.
• The Schedules contain supplementary lists and tables.

Fundamental Rights and Duties

• Fundamental Rights are in Part III of the Constitution, Articles 12 to 35.
• They guarantee civil liberties like freedom of speech, assembly, religion, and constitutional remedies.
• These rights are essential for individual development and are enforceable by the courts.
• The six fundamental rights include:
  • Right to Equality (Articles 14-18)
  • Right to Freedom (Articles 19-22)
  • Right against Exploitation (Articles 23-24)
  • Right to Freedom of Religion (Articles 25-28)
  • Cultural and Educational Rights (Articles 29-30)
  • Right to Constitutional Remedies (Article 32)
• Fundamental Duties were added by the 42nd Amendment Act in 1976.
• They are listed in Part IV-A of the Constitution.
• They represent citizens' moral obligations to promote patriotism and uphold India's unity and integrity.
• The original list included ten duties.
• An eleventh duty, added in 2002, mandates that parents/guardians provide education opportunities for children aged six to fourteen.
• Fundamental Duties are not enforceable by law.

Election Process

• The Election Commission of India is responsible for administering elections.
• It conducts elections for President, Vice President, Parliament, State Legislative Assemblies, and State Legislative Councils.
• The Election Commission ensures free, fair, and impartial elections.
• The election process includes:
  • Delimitation of Constituencies: Determining electoral boundaries.
  • Voter Registration: Preparing and updating electoral rolls.
  • Notification of Elections: Announcing the election schedule.
  • Nomination of Candidates: Candidates' filing of nominations.
  • Scrutiny of Nominations: Verification of nomination papers.
  • Withdrawal of Candidatures: Candidates withdrawing nominations.
  • Campaigning: Candidates and parties campaigning for support.
  • Polling: Voting at designated polling stations.
  • Counting of Votes: Counting votes and declaring results.
  • Declaration of Results: Declaring the winning candidate.
• India uses the first-past-the-post (FPTP) system for direct elections to the Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies.
• In FPTP, the candidate with the most votes wins, regardless of securing a majority.
• The Rajya Sabha and State Legislative Councils elections use proportional representation via a single transferable vote.
• Elections are based on universal adult suffrage; every citizen 18+ can vote, without discrimination.
• Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) are used for casting votes.
• Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail (VVPAT) systems are used with EVMs to provide a paper record of each vote.