Concise Encyclopedia of Indian Polity and Governance

The principles and structure of»lndia's polity are unique in many ways, l built as they are around a combination of important foundational principles laid down in the Constitution, the Indian people's aspirations, and the counltry's ethos and history. This pioneering work of reference contains more than 350 alphabetically arranged entries on subjects spanning India's political system - and how it works in practice. The topics covered include the structure and inter-relationships between institutions and organs of the Indian state, the legislature,the executive and the judiciary, the structure and functioning of the government and administration from the national level right down to the level of village panchayats, the manner in which India's political rulers are elected, how government: are formed and political decisions taken, how laws are made and implemented, and much else. In addition, the author's Introduction provides a succinct overview both of India's political system and its evolution, as well as a clear eyed critique of its working and some important suggestions for its improvement.