Polity & Governance (Executive, Judiciary, Legislature (Mains))

• Functions and responsibilities of the Union and the States
• Issues and challenges pertaining to the federal structure
• Devolution of powers and finances up to local levels and challenges therein.
• Parliament and State Legislatures - structure, functioning, conduct of business, powers & privileges and issues arising out of these.
• Structure, organization and functioning of the Executive
• Ministries and Departments of the Government
• Structure, organization and functioning of the Judiciary
• Dispute redressal mechanisms and institutions

• Union and its territory
  • Formation of state and Altercation of boundaries
• Nature of Federal System
• Peculiar features of Indian federalism
• A Critique of the Federal System
  • Challenges of Nation building
  • Challenges Of Special Status State And Problems
• Demand for New states: Gorkhaland, Nagalim, Vidharbha, Purvanchal etc.
• Era of One-Party dominance
• Regional aspirations
• Emergency Provisions
  • Imposition of President Rule
  • Fundamental Rights during Emergency
• Conversion of state to UT unilateraly by centre-A constitutional question

• President
  • President of India – Discretionary Powers- Imposition of President’s rule
  • Is President a mere Rubber Stamp
• Vice President
• Prime Minister
• Central Council of Ministers
• Cabinet Committees

• Governor
  • Provisions related to removal of Governor (Article 156)
  • Discretionary Powers
  • Politicization of the Post of Governor
• Chief Minister
• State Council of Ministers

• Parliament
  • Sessions of Parliament: Adjournment, Prorogation, Dissolution etc.
  • Lacunas in Parliamentary Functioning in India
  • When Does a Bill Lapse in Indian Parliament?
  • Types of Majorities Used in the Indian
  • Election to Rajya Sabha: The Procedure.
  • Relevance of Rajya Sabha
  • Government Budgeting: Indian Budget for
  • Budget Documents Made Simple: Key to Budget Documents.
  • Cut Motions: Policy Cut, Economy Cut, and Token Cut.
  • Misuse of Ordinance promulgation power
  • Office of the Speaker: Powers and Issues
  • Issue related to office of profit
  • Breach Of Privilege: Special privileges   to MP’s and its implications
• Parliamentary Committees
  • Parliamentary Committees in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.
  • Diminishing importance of parliamentary committees

• State Legislature
  • Full statehood to Delhi: Should it be granted or not?
  • Relevance of Council of State    

7^th Schedule

• Power Sharing
• Centre-State Relations
  • Inter-State Council vs National Development Council.
  • Separate State Flag in Karnataka
  • NITI Aayog: The new ‘think-tank’ to replace Planning Commission.
• Foreign Policy
• States demand a say in Foreign Policy?

• Inter-State Relations
  • Inter-state River Water Dispute
  • Inter-state Councils
• Parliamentary Forums
• Parliamentary Groups
• Administrative Tribunals
• National Integration

• Local Governments
  • Nagaland Reservation in Urban Bodies
  • Education Qualification made mandatory for contesting Local Government Elections
• Panchayati Raj and PESA 1996
• Municipalities
  • in Municipalities in Sync with Urban Development Missions

• Higher Judiciary Appointments
  • Collegium system and issues.
  • Collegium Vs. NJAC
  • CJI removal
• Judicial Review
• Judicial Activism
  • Judicial activism and judicial Overreach
  • Judicial Accountability & RTI Act
• Public Interest Litigation
  • Advocates (Amendment) Bill, 2017 Controversy
  • National Litigation Policy
• Other Judicial Issues
  • All India Judicial Services
  • Proposal for National Court of Appeal
  • Judicial Pendency
  • Judicial Reforms
  • Problems with Tribunals, Problems arising out of sidestepping the HC
  • Alternate Dispute Redressal (ADR)
• Major Judgements of Supreme Court
  • RIGHT TO CONVERT-the Supreme Court’s judgement regarding a person’s right to choose a religion, Issue of Religious  Conversion in India,
  • Reservation in promotion, Argument in favour of reservation in promotion, Argument against the reservation in  promotions
  • Supreme Court judgement on Caste, Religion in Polls
  • Validity of Aadhaar but with certain caveats
  • Cauvery River Verdict
  • Concept of Defamation in India
  • Should the SC proceedings be live streamed?