This document outlines the constitutional framework for policy making in India. It discusses the roles of the legislative, executive, judiciary, bureaucracy, political parties, pressure groups, citizens, and media in the policy process. The executive branch reigns supreme in policy planning and implementation due to its constitutional rights, collective decision making, and parliamentary majority. While the legislature makes laws, in reality the executive introduces most important policies. The judiciary influences policy through judicial review. Bureaucrats advise on policy options due to their expertise and experience. Political parties and pressure groups also sway policy by advocating for certain issues. Citizens can participate through elections, right to information, and public interest litigation.
3. Legislative
● In a parliamentary democracy, legislature is the supreme policy making body.
● The legislature makes laws and thereby legitimise the decisions or policies for
the public.
● Collective responsibility of the executive towards the legislature authorises the
body to raise concerns over the implementation of different policies.
● Legislature authorises taxation and expenditure.
● Legislature puts administrative actions of the executive to criticism and
scrutiny.
● Moreover, parliament acts as the ultimate forum for public grievances.
4. Legislative
Drawbacks
● Legislature only possess power in legal and constitutional sense. While in
reality, it is the executive that makes all important laws.
● Opinions and policy inclinations of the majority party triumps at the
parliament. It is aided by the fact that the Executive emerge from the
legislature.
● Apart from this there is a concern about the lack of skills in the members of
the parliament. Most of the time, the public representatives are not experts in
the technical side of the topics and can’t make effective policy decisions.
5. EXECUTIVE
● In Indian system, the executive consists of the President, the
Prime minister and the Council of Ministers.
● The Bureaucracy forms the administrative executives.
● In the modern democratic systems, it is seen that the executive
branch of the government reigns supreme in policy planning and
implementation.
6. EXECUTIVE
Reasons for Executive’s supremacy in Policy making
● Constitutional Rights: The constitution confers the executive branch
with certain powers on policy formation.
● Collective Body : the cabinet acts as a collective body where the
decision making is essentially an integrated process.
● Cabinet Secretariat : It is the administrative and coordinating body
of the executive. This office is responsible for maintaining records of
cabinet meeting and providing every clerical service necessary for
the smooth functioning of the government.
● Parliamentary Majority : Cabinet enjoys the majority of their party
members in the parliament which helps them to get the policies
passed with ease.
7. Bureaucracy
Since Public Administration is essentially the process of achieving
intended goals in accordance with given policies through public
organisations, it places Bureaucracy at a place of significance.
● In theory, Bureaucracy is less about policy formulation and more
about policy implementation. In a legal sense, Bureaucracy does
not possess any power over policy making.
● However, in recent times, the administrative body has become
more and more involved in the policy making process.
8. Bureaucracy
There are two challenges to involvement of Bureaucrats in policy
making, that is :
1) Politicisation of Bureaucracy : politicians extending their power
over civil servants.
2) Bureaucratisation of politics : Civil servants taking up more role
in political/policy making process.
9. Bureaucracy
Reasons for Civil Servant’s Role in Policy-Making
1) The Administrative Role : Civil servants are bounded by their constitutional
responsibility to advise on policy options. They advise ministers on the
financial and administrative implications of different policy alternatives.
2) Knowledge and Experience : Civil servants are filtered through competitive
examinations and several complex recruitment processes. Moreover, they
undergo training programmes after entering the service. It helps them provide
a clear perspective on the policy process.
3) Permanent :Due to the permanent nature of their job, civil servants spend
more time on each department. It helps them get familiarised with their
responsibilities.
10. JUDICIARY
Judiciary in every democratic nation plays a great role in policy
formation. It is carried out through the exercise of the powers of
Judicial Review (J.R) of Legislation.
● J.R is the power of the judicial courts to determine the
constitutionality of legislative and executive actions.
● The supreme court has the power of J.R against administrative
bodies. So, every public policy action can be scrutinised for its
legitimacy in the court.
● Most importantly, courts decide on matters like Protection of Law,
Propert Ownership, women Empowerment etc. that directly
affects the socio-economic-political conditions of the society.
11. Forces in Policy Making:
Policy Advocacy
Policy Lobbying
Policy engagement
Citizens
Media
Pressure Groups
Political Parties
12. POLITICAL PARTIES
Political parties provide proper support to their leaders in winning
elections.
In this manner, they exert their control over policy process by
influencing the executive.
Political parties have a better understanding of the socio-economic-
political needs of the people and can help these demands reach
higher authorities.
13. PRESSURE GROUPS
Political influence is also exercised by several interest groups in a
democratic system.
They become an important channel of communication for the
ordinary citizens.
They influence and pressurise public offices without any intention of
contesting elections or gaining authority.
Well organised Interest groups have a better chance at influencing
the government than any unorganised group.
14. INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS
Citizens can influence the policy making process through :
1) Participating in elections
2) Voting their representatives
3) Right to Information
4) Public Interest Litigation
