Administrative divisions: 25 states and 7 union territories*; Andaman
and Nicobar Islands*, Andhra Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar,
Chandigarh*, Dadra and Nagar Haveli*, Daman and Diu*, Delhi*, Goa,
Gujarat, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Karnataka,
Kerala, Lakshadweep*, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Manipur, Meghalaya,
Mizoram, Nagaland, Orissa, Pondicherry*, Punjab, Rajasthan, Sikkim,
Tamil Nadu, Tripura, Uttar Pradesh, West Bengal
Independence: 15 August 1947 (from UK)
National holiday: Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic, 26
January (1950)
Constitution: 26 January 1950
Legal system: based on English common law; limited judicial review of legislative acts; accepts compulsory ICJ jurisdiction, with reservations
Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal
Executive branch: chief of state: President Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN (since NA July 1997); Vice President Krishnan KANT (since NA September 1997) head of government: Prime Minister Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE (since 19 March 1998) cabinet: Council of Ministers appointed by the president on the recommendation of the prime minister elections: president elected by an electoral college consisting of elected members of both houses of Parliament and the legislatures of the states for a five-year term; vice president elected by both houses of Parliament; prime minister elected by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections election results: Kicheril Raman NARAYANAN elected president; percent of electoral college vote-NA; Krishnan KANT elected vice president; percent of Parliament vote - NA; Atal Bihari VAJPAYEE elected prime minister; percent of vote-NA
Legislative branch: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of not more than 250 members, up to 12 of which are appointed by the president, the remainder are chosen by the elected members of the state and territorial assemblies; members serve six-year terms) and the People's Assembly or Lok Sabha (545 seats; 543 elected by popular vote, 2 appointed; members serve five-year terms) elections: People's Assembly-last held 16 February through 7 March 1998 (next to be held NA March 2003) election results: People's Assembly-percent of vote by party-NA; seats by party - NA
Judicial branch: Supreme Court, judges are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65
Political parties and leaders: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Kushabhau
THAKRE, president, L. K. ADVANI, A. B. VAJPAYEE; Congress (I) Party,
Sonia GANDHI, president; Janata Dal Party, Sharad YADAV, president, I.
K. GUJRAL; Janata Dal (Ajit), Ajit SINGH; Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD),
Laloo Prasad YADAV; Communist Party of India/Marxist (CPI/M),
Harkishan Singh SURJEET; Tamil Maanila Congress, G. K. MOOPANAR;
Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (a regional party in Tamil Nadu), M.
KARUNANIDHI; Samajwadi Party (SP), Mulayam Singh YADAV (president), Om
Prakash CHAUTALA, Devi LAL; Telugu Desam (Naidu) (a regional party in
Andhra Pradesh), Chandrababu NAIDU; Communist Party of India (CPI),
Indrajit GUPTA; Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Tridip CHOWDHURY;
Asom Gana Parishad, Prafulla Kumar MAHANTA; Congress (Tiwari), Arjun
SINGH and N. D. TIWARI; All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), Prem Dutta
PALIWAL (chairman), Chitta BASU (general secretary); Muslim League, G.
M. BANATWALA; Madhya Pradesh Vikas Congress, Madhavro SCINDIA;
Karnataka Congress Party, S. BANGARAPPA; Shiv Sena, Bal THACKERAY;
Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), Kanshi RAM; Communist Party of
India/Marxist-Leninist (CPI/ML), Vinod MISHRA; Akali Dal factions
representing Sikh religious community in the Punjab; National
Conference (NC; a regional party in Jammu and Kashmir), Farooq
ABDULLAH; Bihar Peoples Party, Lovely ANAND; Samata Party (formerly
Janata Dal members), George FERNANDES; Indian National League,
Suliaman SAIT; Kerala Congress (Mani faction), K. M. MANI