UNION GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE: India has a PARLIAMENTARY system of government where the President is the nominal/constitutional head and the Prime Minister is the real/executive head. This is borrowed from the British Westminster model. The PRESIDENT is elected by an Electoral College consisting of elected members of both Houses of Parliament + elected members of State Legislative Assemblies (NOT nominated members or MLCs). Term: 5 years, can be re-elected. Emergency powers: Article 352 (National Emergency — on grounds of war, external aggression, or armed rebellion), Article 356 (President's Rule in states — failure of constitutional machinery), Article 360 (Financial Emergency — never invoked till date). The President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers (Art 74). VICE-PRESIDENT: Chairman of Rajya Sabha. Elected by members of BOTH Houses (Electoral College for VP is different from President's).

PARLIAMENT: Consists of President + Rajya Sabha (Council of States) + Lok Sabha (House of the People). LOK SABHA: Maximum 552 members (530 from states + 20 from UTs + 2 nominated Anglo-Indians, currently discontinued by 104th Amendment 2020). Current effective strength: 543. Term: 5 years (can be dissolved earlier). Speaker presides. Money Bills can ONLY be introduced in Lok Sabha. RAJYA SABHA: Maximum 250 members (238 elected by state MLAs through proportional representation + 12 nominated by President for expertise in literature, science, art, social service). NOT subject to dissolution — 1/3 members retire every 2 years. Term of each member: 6 years. Vice-President is the ex-officio Chairman. LEGISLATIVE PROCESS: Bill → Introduction → Committee stage → Debate → Voting → Sent to other House → Presidential assent. In case of deadlock between Houses, President can summon a JOINT SESSION (Article 108) — Speaker of Lok Sabha presides.

STATE GOVERNMENT: GOVERNOR — Constitutional head of the state, APPOINTED by President (not elected). Serves at the 'pleasure of the President'. Can reserve state bills for President's consideration. Has power to recommend President's Rule (Art 356). CHIEF MINISTER — Real executive, leader of majority party in State Legislative Assembly. Council of Ministers aids and advises Governor. RAJASTHAN SPECIFICS: Rajasthan has a UNICAMERAL legislature (only Vidhan Sabha, no Vidhan Parishad). 200 assembly seats. First Governor: Gulab Chand Bhargava. First Chief Minister: Hiralal Shastri. First elected CM: Tika Ram Paliwal. Rajasthan was the FIRST state to implement PANCHAYATI RAJ (2 October 1959, Nagaur — PM Nehru inaugurated).

JUDICIARY: SUPREME COURT (Art 124): Guardian and interpreter of the Constitution. Chief Justice + other judges (currently 34, including CJI). Original, Appellate, and Advisory jurisdiction. Judicial Review power — can strike down laws violating Fundamental Rights. HIGH COURTS (Art 214-231): One for each state (some shared). RAJASTHAN HIGH COURT — Principal bench at JODHPUR (NOT Jaipur — one of the most asked REET traps). Bench at Jaipur. Established: 21 June 1949 (initially at Jodhpur). First Chief Justice: KAMAL KANT VERMA (Q.136 PQR). Art 214 establishes High Courts (NOT Art 224 — another trap; Art 224 deals with appointment of additional/acting judges). Judges of SC/HC can be removed ONLY through IMPEACHMENT by Parliament on grounds of proved misbehavior or incapacity — requires special majority in BOTH houses.

PANCHAYATI RAJ (LOCAL SELF GOVERNMENT): Three-tier structure: (1) GRAM PANCHAYAT (village level) — headed by Sarpanch. (2) PANCHAYAT SAMITI (block/tehsil level) — headed by Pradhan. (3) ZILA PARISHAD (district level) — headed by Zila Pramukh. 73RD AMENDMENT (1992) — gave constitutional status to Panchayati Raj (inserted Part IX, Articles 243-243O). 11th SCHEDULE — lists 29 subjects for Panchayats. Article 243D — RESERVATION: At least 1/3 of total seats reserved for WOMEN (later increased to 50% in many states including Rajasthan). Proportional reservation for SC/ST. IMPORTANT COMMITTEES ON PANCHAYATI RAJ (chronological — the most asked sequence): BALWANT RAI MEHTA (1957) — RECOMMENDED 3-tier system. Implemented first in RAJASTHAN on 2 October 1959 (Nagaur). PM Nehru inaugurated. SADIQ ALI COMMITTEE (1964). ASHOK MEHTA (1977) — recommended 2-tier system (Mandal Panchayat + Zila Parishad), open participation of political parties. GVK RAO (1985) — recommended strengthening district planning. L.M. SINGHVI (1986) — recommended CONSTITUTIONAL STATUS for PRIs (which was later implemented through 73rd Amendment).

74TH AMENDMENT (1992): Constitutional status to MUNICIPALITIES/Urban Local Bodies. Part IXA, Articles 243P-243ZG. 12th Schedule — 18 subjects for municipalities. Three types: Nagar Panchayat (transitional area), Municipal Council (smaller urban), Municipal Corporation (larger urban). RAJASTHAN MUNICIPALITIES: Rajasthan has 6 Municipal Corporations: Jaipur (Greater), Jodhpur (North & South), Kota, Bikaner, Ajmer. Multiple Municipal Councils and Nagar Panchayats. 106TH CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT (2023): NARI SHAKTI VANDAN ADHINIYAM — 33% reservation for women in Lok Sabha and State Legislative Assemblies. To be implemented after delimitation exercise based on the first Census conducted after this amendment. This is a landmark amendment for women's political representation.

REET EXAM TIPS (10-12 questions): (1) Rajasthan HC at JODHPUR not Jaipur — appears in every paper. (2) First Chief Justice: Kamal Kant Verma. (3) Article numbers: 14=Equality, 19=Freedoms, 21A=Education, 32=Remedies, 243D=Women reservation, 352/356/360=Emergencies. (4) Panchayati Raj committee ORDER: Balwant Rai Mehta(1957)→Sadiq Ali(1964)→Ashok Mehta(1977)→GVK Rao(1985)→LM Singhvi(1986). (5) Rajasthan = FIRST state for Panchayati Raj (2 Oct 1959, Nagaur). (6) 73rd=Panchayati Raj, 74th=Municipalities, 106th=33% women. (7) Art 214=HC establishment (NOT 224). TRAPS: 'President elected by all MPs and MLAs' — FALSE (only ELECTED members). 'Rajya Sabha can be dissolved' — FALSE (permanent). 'Financial Emergency has been declared once' — FALSE (never). 'Ashok Mehta recommended 3-tier' — FALSE (2-tier). 'Singhvi committee was in 1992' — FALSE (1986; 73rd Amendment was 1992).