COMPARISION B/W INDIA-USAs POLITICAL SYSTEMS.

FEATURES

INDIA

USA

Type of
system

Quasi-federal
state/Unitary State with
Federal features
Nominal Head

Federal State

President

Real Head

INFERENCES(if any)

While in Indian president is a rubber

stamp of govt, US president is Chiefexecutive of govt.

ViceYes
President
Prime
Real Head
Minister/Ot
her

Yes

Polity
Form of
Governme
nt
Lower
House
Upper
House
Civil &
Political
Rights
Judiciary

Democratic Republic
Parliamentary system

Democratic Republic
Presidential system

Lok Sabha

House of Representative

Rajya Sabha

Senate

Lok Sabha>House of Representatives,

in its functions
Senate>Rajya Sabha, in its functions.

Yes, through PART III of

Indian Constitution

Yes, through Constitutional

provisions and Civil Rights
Act.
The Supreme Court of US is
independent of Executive
interference. Judicial

SC of India subordinates all High

Courts but SC of US exercise lesser
control over State Supreme Courts.

Supreme Court is
independent of Executive
interference. Judicial

No

PM in parliamentary democracy with

majority in both houses can be more
powerful (can do whatever he wants)
than US president.

Constituen
t States

Review is exercised by
Supreme Court & High
Court

Supremacy is followed.

Indian states are semiautonomous with ability

In US, Each state has its own

written constitution, and code
of laws. The 10th Amendment
to the US Constitution
prohibits the federal
government from exercising
any power not delegated to it
by the States in the
Constitution (fully
autonomous).
Politically neutral institution

make independent laws

with regard to state list and concurrent
limit all this Union govt
Governors, Art.249, 250
Civil
Service
Party
Systems

Politically neutral
officially
Multi-Party System

SSC are the final authority on the

interpretation of the applicable
state's laws and state's Constitution
(dual sovereignty).

Though not provided in the

Constitution, in practice TwoParty System prevails, with
some other parties with
relatively minor
representation.

COMPARISION B/W INDIA-UKs POLITICAL SYSTEMS.

FEATURES

INDIA

UK

Type of system

Quasi-federal state/Unitary
State with Federal features
Nominal Head

Unitary State with Constitutional

Monarchy
Nominal Head

Yes
Real Head

No
Real Head

Democratic Republic
Parliamentary system

Democratic Monarchy
Parliamentary system

Lower House

Lok Sabha

House of Commons

Upper House

Rajya Sabha

House of Lords

Civil & Political

Rights
Judiciary

Yes, through PART III of

Indian Constitution
Supreme Court is
independent of Executive

Yes, through Rule of Law

President/Monarc
h
Vice-President
Prime
Minister/Other
Polity
Government

SC of UK doesnt exercise judicial

review over the law passed by

INFERENCES(if any)

Speaker of House of
Commons is much more
powerful and efficient in
maintaining order in the
house than Lok Sabha
Speaker.
UK being a unitary state,
House of Commons >
Lok Sabha, in its
functions.
Rajya Sabha = House of
Lords, regarding
financial bills in some
respects but Rajya
Sabha > House of Lords
regarding non-money
bills.
SC of India > SC of UK,
in its functions.

interference. Judicial Review

is exercised by Supreme
Court & High Court
Indian states are semiautonomous with ability to
make independent laws with
regard to state list and
concurrent list BUT to limit
all this Union govt has
Governors, Art.249, 250 &
356.

parliament

Civil Service

Politically neutral officially

Party Systems

Multi-Party System

a permanent politically neutral

organisation
Two-Party System

Constituent
States

In UK, devolution of powers has

taken place, but Legislation creating
devolved parliaments or assemblies
can be repealed or amended by
central government in the same way
as any ordinary statute.

COMPARISION B/W INDIA-FRANCEs POLITICAL SYSTEMS.

FEATURES
Type of system

INDIA

FRANCE

INFERENCES(if any)

Quasi-federal
Unitary Republic
state/Unitary
State
with
Federal
features
President
Nominal Head
Real
Head
unless While in India pres. is a rubber stamp of govt,
Cohabitation.
French pres. is effective head of govt.
Vice-President
Yes
No
Prime Minister
Real Head
Nominal Head unless Indian PM>French PM, in its functions.
Cohabitation.
Polity
Democratic
Democratic Republic
Republic
Elections
Parliamentary
Semi-Presidential
system
system
Lower House
Lok Sabha
National Assembly
Upper House
Rajya Sabha
French Senate
Civil & Political Yes,
through Yes, through the 1789
Rights
PART
III
of Declaration
of
the
Indian
Rights of Man and of
Constitution
the Citizen
Judiciary
Supreme Court Divided into 2 streams:
is independent
judicial
and
of Executive
administrativeinterference.
independent
of
Judicial Review
Executive
and
is exercised by legislative interference.
Supreme Court Judicial
Review
is
& High Court
exercised
by
Constitutional Council
of France.
Constituent
Indian
states Administrative
Units
States
are
semi- are semi-autonomous
autonomous
with ability to
make
independent
laws
with
regard to state
list
and

COMPARISION B/W INDIA-GERMANYs POLITICAL SYSTEMS.

FEATURES

INDIA

Type of system

Quasi-federal
Federal State
state/Unitary
State
with
Federal
features
Nominal Head
Nominal Head

President

Vice-President
Prime
Minister/Other
Polity
Elections
Lower House
Upper House

Yes
Real Head
Democratic
Republic
Parliamentary
System
Lok Sabha
Rajya Sabha

GERMANY

No
ChancellorRe
al head.
Democratic
Republic
Parliamentary
system
Bundestag
Bundesrat

INFERENCES(if
any)

Both Indian &

German
presidents
are
rubber stamp of
govt.

While members
of Rajya Sabha
are
elected
through
Single
Transferable Vote
System,
the
deputies
of

Bundesrat
are
sent by govts of
the states.
Civil & Political Yes,
through
Rights
PART
III
of
Indian
Constitution
Judiciary
Supreme Court
is independent
of Executive
interference.
Judicial Review
is exercised by
Supreme Court
& High Court
Constituent
States

Yes,
through
Constitutional
provisions-eter
nity clause
Courts
are
independent of
Executive
&
legislative
interference.
Judicial Review
is exercised by
the
Federal
Constitutional
Court
Indian
states Lander are fully
are
semi- autonomous
autonomous
within
their
with ability to legislative
&
make
executive
independent
sphere.
laws
with
regard to state
list
and
concurrent list
BUT to limit all
this Union govt
has Governors,
Art.249, 250 &
356.

Civil Service

Politically
neutral
officially
Multi-Party
System

Politically
neutral
institution
Multi-Party
System

FEATURES

INDIA

SWITZERLAND

Type of system

Quasi-federal
state/Unitary
State with
Federal
features
Nominal Head

Federal State

Vice-President
Prime
Minister/Other

Yes
Real Head

Yes
Federal Council
is Real Head

Polity

Democratic
Republic

Democratic
Republic

Party Systems

President

INFERENCES(if
any)

Nominal Head
Administrative
power is
exercised by
whole of council
collectively and
not by one
person as in
India.

Elections
Lower House

Parliamentary
system
Lok Sabha

Parliamentary
system
National
Council

Upper House

Rajya Sabha

Civil & Political

Rights

Yes, through
PART III of
Indian
Constitution
Supreme Court
is independent
of Executive
interference.
Judicial Review
is exercised by
Supreme Court
& High Court

Council of
States
Title 2 of the
Constitution

Judiciary

Constituent
States

Indian states
are semi-

Federal
Supreme Court
of Switzerland
is independent
of Executive
interference,
but not
empowers to
judge the
constitutionality
of a federal law
as this right is
exercised by
common man
through
referendum.
Cantons are
sovereign

Both houses
National Council
and Council of
States, have
equal powers.

Civil Service
Party Systems

autonomous
with ability to
make
independent
laws with
regard to state
list and
concurrent list
BUT to limit all
this Union govt
has Governors,
Art.249, 250 &
356.
Politically
neutral
officially
Multi-Party
System

insofar as their
sovereignty is
not limited by
the Federal
Constitution,
they exercise
all rights which
are not
transferred to
the
Confederation
Politically
neutral
institution
Multi-Party
System

COMPARISION B/W INDIA-CHINAs POLITICAL SYSTEMS.

FEATURES

INDIA

CHINA

INFERENCES(if any)

Type of system

Quasi-federal state/Unitary
State with Federal features
Nominal Head
Yes
Real Head

Real Head(in practice)

Yes
Premier

Democratic Republic
Parliamentary system
Lok Sabha

Socialist Republic
Communist system
National People Congress

Upper House
Civil & Political
Rights

Rajya Sabha
Yes, through PART III of Indian
Constitution

Judiciary

Supreme Court is
independent of Executive
interference. Judicial Review
is exercised by Supreme
Court & High Court
Indian states are semiautonomous with ability to
make independent laws with
regard to state list and
concurrent list BUT to limit all
this Union govt has
Governors, Art.249, 250 &
356.
Politically neutral officially
Multi-Party System

No
Very Limited, right to life and
property are allowed in 1982
Constitution but not freedom of
speech and association, even
Press is controlled.
The Supreme People's Court is
under the NPC..

President
Vice-President
Prime
Minister/Other
Polity
Government
Lower House

Constituent
States

Civil Service
Party Systems

Unitary State

Except Special Administrative

Regions (SARs) such as Hong
Kong and Macau, no autonomy.

Politically controlled institution

Chinese constitution allows

Indian President < Chinese President

Indian PM > Chinese Premier

NPC is the maai-baap in Chinese

constitutional structure.
India won.

Supreme Court of India > Supreme

People's Court, in its functions.

Indian state govts are more

independent than Chinese provincial
govts as the latter are appointed by
the central government

Multi-Party System but in reality

Dominant One Party System
exists.