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Executive, State Legislature and Checks Class 8

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Social ScienceCBSE Class 8 · The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive

The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances: Class 8 Notes and Questions

Updated 17 October 2026 · Fact-checked

The President is head of state and nominal head of the Union Executive; the Prime Minister, supported by a Lok Sabha majority, is the de facto executive authority, and the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. States mirror this: Governor, Chief Minister and Vidhan Sabha. The legislature, executive and judiciary check one another so that no organ becomes too powerful.

Understand The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances

The President. Head of State and the nominal head of the Executive. The President appoints the Prime Minister and other ministers, summons Parliament and gives assent to bills. The Council of Ministers aids and advises the President. In specific circumstances, such as a political crisis when no party holds a clear majority in a Lok Sabha election, the President can use discretionary powers.

Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister is the de facto executive authority. The President appoints the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Lok Sabha as Prime Minister, who serves with the support of the majority of Lok Sabha MPs. Key functions: leading the Council of Ministers, coordinating the work of ministries, advising the President and shaping national policy. They take decisions and run the government and are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. Most bills are initiated by the government. Civil servants (administrators or bureaucrats) work under ministers' direction to implement laws. NCERT's example of moral responsibility: in 1956 Railway Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned after a train accident, though he was not blamed for it.

Legislature versus executive (NCERT table).

  • Composition: the legislature is the President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha; the executive is the President, Vice President and Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister.
  • Role: legislature makes laws and oversees the executive; the executive enforces laws.
  • Bills: the legislature can introduce some bills; most bills come from the executive.
  • Checks: the legislature questions and seeks explanations; the executive provides information and explanations.
  • Money: the legislature sanctions government expenses; the executive prepares and implements the budget passed by Parliament.
  • Committees: the legislature consults them; the executive can work independently day-to-day and may consult committees.

The judiciary: checks and balances. The judiciary interprets and applies laws and resolves disputes; it is the custodian of the Constitution and can check that laws made by Parliament, and actions of the executive, do not violate the Constitution. This is the separation of powers and system of checks and balances: no organ becomes too powerful.

State level. Each state has its own legislature and executive. MLAs make laws on the State List and the Concurrent List. The Constitution has three lists: Union List (Union exclusively legislates), State List (states exclusively), Concurrent List (both). If the Union legislates on a Concurrent List subject, the state is bound; RTE applies all over India although education is in the Concurrent List.

Parallel structure (NCERT table).

  • Constitutional head: President (elected by an electoral college) versus Governor (appointed by the President); both five-year term.
  • Executive head: Prime Minister versus Chief Minister (de facto).
  • Selection: leader of the majority in the Lok Sabha versus in the Vidhan Sabha; Council of Ministers selected by the PM or CM.
  • Responsibility: collectively to the Lok Sabha versus the Vidhan Sabha.
  • Legislature: Union bicameral; state unicameral (Vidhan Sabha) or bicameral (with Vidhan Parishad).
  • Lower house term five years; presiding officer is the Speaker in both.
  • Laws: Union List and Concurrent List versus State List and Concurrent List.
  • Money bills originate only in the Lok Sabha / only in the Vidhan Sabha.

Bicameral states: Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana and Uttar Pradesh; the others are unicameral (per NCERT).

Challenges. NCERT lists absenteeism, non-cooperative conduct, reduced quality of debate, disruption of Question Hour and lost sitting time. Parliament typically meets in three sessions: Budget, Monsoon and Winter, sitting about six hours a day. Productivity means hours actually worked compared with those scheduled; NCERT quotes the Rajya Sabha chairman (2021) that Rajya Sabha productivity was about 78 per cent in 2004-14 and about 65 per cent since, with a low of 35.75 per cent in 2018. NCERT also notes concerns that a substantial proportion of Lok Sabha members have criminal cases against them and that some debates are angry or biased. Remedy: informed and engaged citizens, public debate, constructive engagement with representatives.

The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances: key facts

President versus Prime Minister
President: head of state, nominal executive | Prime Minister: de facto executive, leader of Lok Sabha majority
Nominal versus real power.
Three lists
Union ListUnion only
State Liststates only
Concurrent Listboth, Union law prevails
Education is in the Concurrent List.
State equivalents
  • Governor (appointed by the President)
  • Chief Minister
  • Vidhan Sabha
  • Vidhan Parishad in some states
Mirror of the Union.
Bicameral states
  • Andhra Pradesh
  • Bihar
  • Karnataka
  • Maharashtra
  • Telangana
  • Uttar Pradesh
All others unicameral.
Three organs
  • Legislature makes laws
  • Executive implements laws
  • Judiciary interprets laws and guards the Constitution
Checks and balances.

How to answer The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances questions

Questions ask for differences between legislature and executive, the real position of President and Prime Minister, the Union and State parallels, and why checks and balances matter.

  1. 1Use a two-column table for legislature versus executive and a three-column table for Union versus State.
  2. 2State clearly who is nominal and who is de facto head.
  3. 3For lists, give a one-line meaning and an example (RTE on the Concurrent List).
  4. 4For checks and balances, give one check each between pairs of organs.
  5. 5For challenges, give three problems and one citizen-based remedy.

The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances in real life

The idea, met in an everyday situation. Answer the question in your own words, then compare with the model answer. The one-line hook is what to remember.

Nominal head and de facto head

Suppose a school club has a patron, the principal, who formally approves the club's decisions and signs its records, while the elected club captain, supported by most members, actually plans and runs activities.

Which constitutional pair does this resemble, and which person is the de facto head?

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. The patron has formal authority but acts on the advice of the team.
  2. The captain, backed by the majority, actually runs things.

Answer: It resembles the President and the Prime Minister. The President is the nominal head who formally appoints and gives assent, but the Prime Minister, who has the support of the majority in the Lok Sabha, is the de facto executive authority. The same applies to the Governor and the Chief Minister.

Memory hook: Signs versus steers.

Tricks to remember The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances

Short memory aids. Say each one aloud once, then use it on a question the same day.

  • Nominal / de facto

    President and Governor sign; PM and CM steer.

    Use it when: Heads of Union and state executive.

  • U-S-C

    Union, State, Concurrent: 'Union alone, State alone, Concurrent together'.

    Use it when: Three lists.

  • BMW sessions

    Budget, Monsoon, Winter.

    Use it when: Three annual sessions of Parliament.

The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances: solved examples

Ordered from board level to HOTS. Try each one before you open the solution.

Example 1: Who appoints the Governor? · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

The Governor of a state is:
(a) elected by the state's voters
(b) appointed by the President
(c) chosen by the Chief Minister
(d) elected by the Rajya Sabha

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. NCERT's table: the Governor is appointed by the President (1 mark).

Answer: (b) appointed by the President

Example 2: Three lists (3 marks) · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

Explain the Union List, State List and Concurrent List. What happens if the Union makes a law on a Concurrent List subject? (3 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Union List: subjects on which only the Union can legislate; State List: only states (1 mark).
  2. Concurrent List: both Union and states can legislate (1 mark).
  3. If the Union legislates on it, the state government is bound to follow; RTE example (1 mark).

Answer: The Union List contains subjects on which only the Union government can make laws, and the State List those on which only state governments can. The Concurrent List contains subjects on which both can legislate. If the Union government legislates on a Concurrent List subject, state governments are bound to follow it; for example, the RTE Act applies all over India even though education is in the Concurrent List.

Example 3: Assertion-reason: collective responsibility · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

Assertion (A): The Prime Minister is the de facto executive authority although the President is the nominal head.
Reason (R): The Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party or coalition in the Lok Sabha and serves with the support of the majority of MPs.
(a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
(b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
(c) A is true, but R is false.
(d) A is false, but R is true.

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. NCERT states both; the majority support explains real authority (1 mark).

Answer: (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

Example 4: Legislature versus executive (5 marks) · 5 marks · Long answerHarder board level

Distinguish between the legislature and the executive on composition, main role, introduction of bills, money matters and relation with committees. (5 marks)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. Composition: President, Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha versus President, Vice President, Council of Ministers headed by the PM (1 mark).
  2. Main role: make laws and oversee versus enforce laws (1 mark).
  3. Bills: some bills versus most bills (1 mark).
  4. Money: sanctions expenses versus prepares and implements the approved budget (1 mark).
  5. Committees: consults them versus may consult when required (1 mark).

Answer: The legislature, Parliament, is made up of the President, Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha, while the executive consists of the President, Vice President and the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. The legislature makes laws and oversees the executive; the executive enforces the laws. The legislature can introduce some bills, but most bills are introduced by the executive. The legislature sanctions all government expenses, while the executive prepares and implements the budget that Parliament approves. The legislature consults parliamentary committees, whereas the executive can function independently in day-to-day matters and may consult committees when required.

Example 5: Case: productivity figures · 4 marks · Case-basedHOTS / competency

Read the case and answer.

NCERT quotes a former chairman of the Rajya Sabha (2021): the Rajya Sabha's productivity during 2004-14 was about 78 per cent and fell to about 65 per cent after that; during 2018 it recorded its lowest ever productivity of 35.75 per cent because of disruptions. NCERT defines productivity as the hours a House actually functioned against the scheduled time.

(i) What is meant by productivity of a House? (1)
(ii) By how many percentage points did the productivity fall from the 2004-14 figure to the later figure? (1)
(iii) Explain two effects of low productivity on democracy. (2)

Try it first, then show the solutionSolution
  1. (i) Hours the House actually worked compared with the hours scheduled (1 mark).
  2. (ii) 78 - 65 = 13 percentage points (1 mark).
  3. (iii) Fewer laws are properly debated and the executive is less questioned; some bills take years; trust in representatives suffers (2 marks).

Answer: (i) The number of hours the House actually functioned compared with the hours scheduled. (ii) 78 - 65 = 13 percentage points. (iii) When time is lost, laws get less debate and the executive is less thoroughly questioned, and some bills take years to pass. Repeated disruptions can also lower the public's trust in their representatives.

Where students lose marks in The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances

The slips examiners see most often, and what to write instead.

  • Mistake: Saying the President runs the government

    Reading titles literally.

    Wrong working

    The President is the real executive authority in daily matters.

    Right working

    The President is the nominal head; the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers run the government.

    Do this: Write nominal versus de facto.

    Usually costs: 1-2 marks.

  • Mistake: Wrong appointing authority

    Assuming state parallels with the Union.

    Wrong working

    The Governor is elected by the state's MLAs.

    Right working

    The Governor is appointed by the President.

    Do this: Learn the contrast with the President's election.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

  • Mistake: Reversing lists

    Similar names.

    Wrong working

    Education is on the State List only.

    Right working

    Education is on the Concurrent List, per NCERT's RTE example.

    Do this: Link RTE to Concurrent.

    Usually costs: 1 mark.

Exam tips

  • Use the pair 'nominal head, de facto head' in every question about President, Governor, PM and CM.
  • Quote the three sessions and the six-hour sitting from NCERT if asked about the working of Parliament.
  • In 5-mark answers on checks and balances, give one check per pair of organs.
  • Mention the remedy in challenge questions: informed citizens, public debate and constructive engagement.

Practice questions on The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances

Write each answer on paper first. Open the hint only if you are stuck, and the answer only when you have finished.

  1. Q1 · 1 mark · MCQBoard level

    Which of the following states has a bicameral legislature?
    (a) Kerala
    (b) Bihar
    (c) Punjab
    (d) Assam

    Hint

    Think of the six states named by NCERT.

    Answer

    (b) Bihar

  2. Q2 · 2 marks · Very short answerBoard level

    Name any two functions of the Prime Minister. (2 marks)

    Hint

    Council of Ministers, ministries, President, policy.

    Answer

    The Prime Minister leads the Council of Ministers and coordinates the work of the different ministries. The Prime Minister also advises the President and shapes national policies.

  3. Q3 · 3 marks · Short answerHarder board level

    How does the judiciary check the legislature and the executive? Why is this important? (3 marks)

    Hint

    Custodian of the Constitution.

    Answer

    The judiciary can check that laws passed by Parliament do not violate the constitutional framework, and can step in if the executive violates the Constitution when implementing laws. It interprets laws, resolves disputes and safeguards fundamental rights. This ensures that no organ of government becomes too powerful and that all work within the Constitution.

  4. Q4 · 1 mark · Assertion-reasonHarder board level

    Assertion (A): A state legislature may be unicameral or bicameral.
    Reason (R): A bicameral state legislature has a Vidhan Sabha and a Vidhan Parishad, while a unicameral one has only the Vidhan Sabha.
    (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.
    (b) Both A and R are true, but R is not the correct explanation of A.
    (c) A is true, but R is false.
    (d) A is false, but R is true.

    Hint

    Does R explain the types?

    Answer

    (a) Both A and R are true, and R is the correct explanation of A.

  5. Q5 · 5 marks · Long answerHOTS / competency

    Lal Bahadur Shastri resigned as Railway Minister in 1956 after a train accident although he was not blamed for it. Using this example and the idea of collective responsibility, explain what accountability of the executive means in a parliamentary democracy. Also give two ways in which the legislature enforces it. (5 marks)

    Hint

    Moral responsibility; Question Hour and committees; confidence of the Lok Sabha.

    Answer

    Accountability means that those who run the government must justify and take responsibility for what happens under them. Shastri believed a minister must accept moral responsibility for anything that happens in the ministry and insisted on resigning even though he was not blamed. In the parliamentary system the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha and depend on the support of the majority of its members. The legislature enforces accountability by asking ministers questions in Question Hour, where they must explain policies and actions, and by committees before which ministries answer questions and explain their policies. It also sanctions expenditure through the budget it approves.

Test your recall

Answer in your head or on paper first, then open the card. Pulling an answer out of memory makes it stick far better than re-reading.

  1. 1.What is the Concurrent List?Show answer

    The list of subjects on which both the Union and the state governments can legislate.

  2. 2.What is a Vidhan Parishad?Show answer

    The legislative council, the upper house in some states.

  3. 3.Which minister resigned in 1956 after a train accident?Show answer

    Lal Bahadur Shastri, then Railway Minister.

  4. 4.Name the three annual sessions of Parliament.Show answer

    Budget, Monsoon and Winter sessions.

  5. 5.What is the term of the Governor, as in NCERT's table?Show answer

    Five years.

The Executive, State Legislatures and Checks and Balances: frequently asked questions

Who is the real executive in India?

The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers at the Centre, and the Chief Minister and council in a state, while the President and Governor are nominal heads.

What is the difference between Vidhan Sabha and Vidhan Parishad?

The Vidhan Sabha is the legislative assembly, the lower house present in every state; the Vidhan Parishad is the upper house, found in some states only.

What are checks and balances?

The arrangement by which the legislature, executive and judiciary limit one another so that no organ becomes too powerful.