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Class 6 Grassroots Democracy — Part 1: Governance: cheat sheet
CBSE Social Science. What democracy is, the three organs of government and what each does, the central, state and local levels, and how voting and majorities work.
Key ideas
- In a democracy people choose their government by voting, and the government works for them.
- The legislature makes laws, the executive carries them out, and the judiciary settles disputes and interprets laws.
- Keeping these jobs with separate organs (separation of powers) means no single group holds all the power.
- India has three levels of government: central (Union), state and local.
- Parliament has two houses, the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha; most state legislatures are called the Vidhan Sabha.
- Universal adult franchise gives every citizen aged 18 or more the right to vote.
- A majority means more than half of the seats.
Remember
| Legislature | makes laws |
| Executive | carries out laws |
| Judiciary | settles disputes and interprets laws; the Supreme Court is the highest court |
| Head of government | Prime Minister (centre), Chief Minister (state) |
| Voting age | 18 years |
| Lok Sabha elections | normally every five years |
| Majority | more than half: in 100 seats, 51 |
Watch out
- Mixing up the organs: the legislature makes laws, the executive carries them out.
- Taking exactly half as a majority: a majority must be more than half.
- Forgetting the local level when naming the three levels of government.
Worked example
A state assembly has 100 seats. A party wins 65. How many seats are needed for a majority (more than half), and does the party have one?
Working: half of 100 is 50; a majority is 51
Answer: 51 seats; yes
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