How the State Government Works
Governor, CM, Vidhan Sabha, MLA, Opposition, Union/State/Concurrent Lists.
How the State Government Works
How Does the State Government Work?
What you'll learn
- Structure of state government: Governor, Chief Minister, Council of Ministers, Vidhan Sabha.
- How MLAs are elected and what they do.
- Role of the Opposition in democracy.
- State's relationship with the Central government.
- Difference between state and central subjects (Union List, State List, Concurrent List).
Key concepts
Structure of state government
| Role | Person/Body | Appointment |
|---|---|---|
| Governor | Constitutional head of state | Appointed by President; acts on advice of CM |
| Chief Minister (CM) | Real executive head | Leader of majority party in Vidhan Sabha |
| Council of Ministers | Cabinet; runs state departments | Appointed by Governor on CM's advice |
| Vidhan Sabha | State legislature (Lower House) | Elected by citizens every 5 years |
| Vidhan Parishad | Upper House (only in 6 states: UP, Bihar, MH, AP, Telangana, Karnataka) | Partly elected, partly nominated |
MLA — Member of Legislative Assembly
- Each state divided into constituencies; each elects one MLA.
- MLA represents constituency: raises local issues in Vidhan Sabha, passes state laws, approves state budget.
- Majority party = party with most MLAs → forms government; its leader becomes CM.
How a state government makes laws
- Minister or MLA introduces a Bill in Vidhan Sabha.
- Debated and voted on; simple majority needed.
- Sent to Vidhan Parishad (if it exists).
- Governor gives assent (or withholds and sends back).
- Bill becomes Act (state law).
The Opposition
- Party/parties that did NOT form the government.
- Essential in democracy: questions government decisions, prevents misuse of power.
- Leader of Opposition is officially recognised; holds a cabinet-rank position.
- Without opposition → democracy weakens (no check on ruling party).
Division of powers — Three Lists (7th Schedule)
| List | Controlled by | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Union List (97 subjects) | Centre only | Defence, foreign affairs, currency, railways, nuclear energy |
| State List (66 subjects) | State only | Police, agriculture, health, local government, land |
| Concurrent List (47 subjects) | Both Centre and State | Education, marriage/divorce, forests, labour |
Residuary powers (subjects not in any list) → go to Centre.
If Centre and State laws conflict on Concurrent List → Centre's law prevails.
Role of Governor
- Ceremonial head; acts on advice of CM (like President at national level).
- Key powers: summons/prorogues Vidhan Sabha, gives assent to bills, can impose President's Rule (Article 356) if state government fails.
- President's Rule: Central government takes over state administration when no stable government can be formed.
Quick check
- Who is the real executive head of a state government?
- What does an MLA do? How is one elected?
- What is the role of the Opposition in a democracy?
- Name the three lists in the 7th Schedule. Give two examples from each.
- What is President's Rule? Under which Article is it imposed?
Open the Practice tab for graded questions on State Government.
Key Takeaways (TL;DR)
- What you'll learn
- Key concepts
- Quick check
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