State government structure in India
The state government follows the parliamentary system of government like the central government. Some states have a Bicameral legislature and some states have a Unicameral legislature. The state executive or the state government may consist of:
- Governor
- Chief Minister
- Council of Ministers.
These three executives form the basic structure of government in the states. Kindly check the Constitution of India (Articles 152-162).
Here’s a table summarizing the structure of State Government in India as per the Indian polity:
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Governor | The constitutional head of the state; appointed by the President of India. Acts on the advice of the Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister. |
| Chief Minister (CM) | The real executive authority of the state. Elected leader of the majority party or coalition in the Legislative Assembly. |
| Council of Ministers | Comprises cabinet ministers, ministers of state, and deputy ministers. Aids and advises the Governor; collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly. |
| State Legislature | Either unicameral (Legislative Assembly) or bicameral (Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council, in some states). Responsible for making laws for the state. |
| Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) | The lower house in a bicameral or sole house in a unicameral system. Members (MLAs) are directly elected by the people. |
| Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | The upper house (exists in a few states). Members are partially elected by MLAs, local bodies, graduates, teachers, and nominated by the Governor. |
| Judiciary (High Court) | The apex judicial body at the state level. Oversees state legal matters and ensures the constitutionality of laws and actions. |
| State Public Service Commission (SPSC) | Independent body responsible for conducting examinations and advising the state government on matters of recruitment and service of civil servants. |
This structure illustrates how the state government functions, combining executive, legislative, and judicial components to administer state affairs.
Unicameral Legislature
The states having a Unicameral Legislature will have only a Legislative Assembly. Example: Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, etc has a Unicameral Legislature.
Unicameral states in India
India has 28 states and out of which 24 states have Unicameral Structure. They are:
Here is a table summarizing unicameral states in India with respect to Indian polity:
| State Name | Legislature Type | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Unicameral | Initially bicameral, Andhra Pradesh transitioned to a unicameral system in 1985. Restored bicameral in 2007. |
| Arunachal Pradesh | Unicameral | Single-house legislature, Legislative Assembly, comprising directly elected representatives. |
| Assam | Unicameral | Legislative Assembly is the sole house, responsible for state legislation. |
| Chhattisgarh | Unicameral | Operates with a single-house legislature (Vidhan Sabha). |
| Goa | Unicameral | Has a single-house legislature (Legislative Assembly). |
| Gujarat | Unicameral | State legislative processes are conducted solely in the Legislative Assembly. |
| Haryana | Unicameral | A single-house legislature exists in the form of Vidhan Sabha. |
| Himachal Pradesh | Unicameral | Legislative Assembly forms the only house of the legislature. |
| Jharkhand | Unicameral | Governance and law-making occur solely through the Legislative Assembly. |
| Kerala | Unicameral | Legislative Assembly is the only house of the state legislature. |
| Madhya Pradesh | Unicameral | Functions with a Legislative Assembly as the sole house. |
| Manipur | Unicameral | Operates with a single-house legislature (Vidhan Sabha). |
| Meghalaya | Unicameral | Legislative Assembly serves as the only legislative body in the state. |
| Mizoram | Unicameral | Governance and law-making occur through the Legislative Assembly. |
| Nagaland | Unicameral | Functions with a Legislative Assembly as its sole house. |
| Odisha | Unicameral | Has a single-house legislature (Legislative Assembly). |
| Punjab | Unicameral | Legislative Assembly is the sole house responsible for state legislation. |
| Rajasthan | Unicameral | Governance and law-making are conducted through a single-house legislature. |
| Sikkim | Unicameral | Operates with a Legislative Assembly as its sole house. |
| Tamil Nadu | Unicameral | Has a Legislative Assembly responsible for state legislative functions. |
| Tripura | Unicameral | Functions with a Legislative Assembly as its only house. |
| Uttarakhand | Unicameral | Operates with a Legislative Assembly as the sole house of the legislature. |
| West Bengal | Unicameral | Legislative Assembly is the only legislative body in the state. |
Bicameral Legislature in India
Bicameral legislature in India meaning
This is just like centre, the state will have Legislative Council and Legislative Assembly.
In India, six states have a Bicameral Legislature. The bicameral legislature states are Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.
In the states having Bicameral legislatures, the governor nominates one-sixth of members of the legislative council. Those are a person who has special knowledge or experience in literature, science, art, cooperative movement, or social service.
The governor also nominates a person from the Anglo-Indian community to the legislative assembly.
Here’s a table summarizing the states with a bicameral legislature in India:
| State/Union Territory | Legislative Bodies | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | Re-established its bicameral system in 2007 after previously abolishing the Legislative Council in 1985. |
| Bihar | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | One of the original states with a bicameral legislature under the Indian Constitution. |
| Karnataka | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | Legislative Council acts as the upper house; members are partially elected and partially nominated. |
| Maharashtra | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | The upper house plays a key advisory and review role for state legislation. |
| Telangana | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | Retained its bicameral legislature after its separation from Andhra Pradesh in 2014. |
| Uttar Pradesh | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) | Largest state in India by population, having both legislative houses. |
| Jammu & Kashmir (Union Territory)* | Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad)** | Had a bicameral system before Article 370 was revoked. The Council has since been abolished. |
Special Provision Jammu and Kashmir
The Part VI of the Indian Constitution deals with the state government and once it does not apply to Jammu and Kashmir. It enjoyed a special status and had its own constitution by Article 370, until the abolition of Article 370.
Role of Governor
The Governor of the state appoints the leader of the majority party which won in the assembly election as Chief Minister. Also appoints the council of ministers as per the advice of the Chief Minister.
The council of ministers stays in office during the pleasure of the Chief Minister. The governor act on the advice of the chief minister.
Appointment by Governor
- Advocate General of the State – Every state has an advocate general. He/She is an official corresponding to the Attorney-General of India. Also has similar functions for the state. He/She is a person who is qualified to be a judge of a High Court.
- Chairman, and members of State Public Service Commission and influences the promotion and postings,
- appointment of judges of the Sub-Court.
When the governor finds the state government is not in compliance with the Constitution of India, the Governor may recommend the President to proclaim a constitutional emergency as per Article 356.
To Read More above Governor, Read from the link below:
Chief Minister
He/She is the real executive of the state, head of the cabinet, and council of ministers. By Article 164(1), Governor appoints the Chief Minister of the state.
Powers and Functions
Chief Minister is a real executive head, has wide powers, and performs various functions. Important ones are:
Chief Minister has more powers in ministry making and can recommend the appointments of the minister. Also, designate them as ministers of state or deputy ministers and also as cabinet ministers. The Chief Minister also recommends their removal.
The Chief Minister has the power to preside over the meetings of the cabinet and makes policy decisions of the government. The Chief Minister is also the mediator between the governor and council of ministers in making all the cabinet-related decisions such as administrative and legislative proposals.
The CM scrutinizes all bills, resolutions, etc that are placed before the legislature.
And Most importantly, all the major appointments made by the governors are actually made on the advice of the Chief Minister.
The next important part of the state government is the State Council of Ministers.
| Aspect | Details | Relevant Article(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Executive Powers | – Acts as the real executive authority in the state. – Advises the Governor in appointing other ministers. – Allocates and reshuffles portfolios among ministers. | Articles 163, 164 |
| Legislative Powers | – Leader of the Legislative Assembly (or Council, if bicameral). – Proposes bills and policies in the legislature. – Recommends the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly to the Governor. | Articles 164, 174, 175 |
| Administrative Powers | – Acts as a link between the Governor and the Council of Ministers. – Supervises the administration of the state. – Provides guidance to ministers. | Articles 163, 166 |
| Financial Powers | – Advises the Governor on budget presentation. – Oversees state financial planning and policy. – Directs fund allocation for state departments. | Articles 202, 203 |
| Judicial Powers | – Advises the Governor on appointments of key judicial officials (e.g., Advocate General). – Recommends pardons, reprieves, and remissions under state laws. | Articles 161, 165 |
| Party Leadership | – Acts as the leader of the ruling party in the state. – Ensures party discipline and coherence in legislative policies. | Political Practice (Not in Articles) |
| Emergency Functions | – Plays a crucial role during the imposition of President’s Rule in the state. – Advises the Governor on handling emergencies. | Articles 356, 355 |
| Other Functions | – Represents the state at national and international forums. – Addresses public grievances and ensures governance aligns with public welfare. | Political Practice (Not in Articles) |
State Council of Ministers
There shall be a council of ministers headed by the Chief Minister to aid and advise the governor in the exercise of his functions except when he is required by the constitution to act in his discretion.
Article 163(1)
The state council of Ministers is formed similar to the council of ministers at the Union. The Leader of the majority party or coalition of parties is appointed as the chief minister by the governor. And other ministers in the council of ministers are appointed by the governor based on the advice of the chief minister.
Term of Office of the Council of Ministers
They hold the office during the pleasure of the Governor. But in reality, the governor acts on the advice of the chief minister. The council of ministers is individually responsible to the Chief Minister and the council of ministers is collectively responsible to the legislative assembly of the state.
This means the council of ministers shall speak in one voice.
The State Cabinet
The council of ministers is cabinet ministers, ministers of state, and deputy ministers. Of them, cabinet ministers constitute the state cabinet. The cabinet ministers of the state cabinet are the prominent ministers of the council of ministers and are headed by the Chief Minister.
The cabinet takes decisions on behalf of the council of ministers. And all the ministers are bound by the decisions of the cabinet.
Conclusion
State Executive structure consists of the Governor and the Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister as its head.