Two Parts of Executive: Political Executive & Permanent Executive: Distinction: (I) The Political Executive (Ministers)
Two Parts of Executive: Political Executive & Permanent Executive: Distinction: (I) The Political Executive (Ministers)
Their job is to carry out the laws and policies of the government
without any political consideration. They are specially educated and
trained persons. They are experts and professionals. They give
expert advice and opinion as well as collect, classify and present
data to the political executive on the basis of which the latter takes
all decisions.
2. Appointment-making Functions:
All major appointments are made by the chief executive. As for
example, the President of India appoints the Chief Justice and other
Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. Ambassadors,
Advocate General of India, Members of Union Public Service
Commission, Governors of States etc.
The members of the civil service are also appointed by the Chief
executive. This is, usually, done on the recommendation of a service
recruitment commission. In India, the Union Public Service
Commission annually holds competitive examinations for All India
Services, Central Services and Allied Services.
The executive is the final judge of the nature of the threat to the
security of the country. It has the prime responsibility to take all
such steps as are needed in the interest of the security and integrity
of the state. The chief executive of the state is also the supreme
commander of the armed forces of the state.
The executive formulates the goals of national interest and fixes the
priorities. It first formulates the foreign policy of the nation and
then implements it for securing the defined goals of national
interest. The executive appoints the ambassadors of the state to
other states.
6. Policy-making:
Modern welfare state has to carry out a large number of functions
for securing the socio-economic-cultural development of its people.
It has to formulate policies, prepare short-term and long-term plans
and implement these. All actions of the state are guided by definite
policies and plans.
9. Financial Functions:
It is the legislature which is the custodian of all finances. It has the
power to impose, or reduce or eliminate a tax. However, in actual
practice, the executive exercises a number of financial functions. It
has the responsibility to prepare the budget. It proposes the levy of
new taxes or changes in tax structure and administration. It collects
and spends the money as sanctioned by the legislature.
The executive decides the ways and means through which the
money is to be collected and spent. It formulates all economic
policies and plans. It takes suitable measures for regulating the
production and distribution of goods, money supply, prices and
exports and imports. It contracts foreign loans, negotiates foreign
aid and maintains the financial credibility of the state.
Types of Executive:
1. Nominal/Titular and Real Executives:
The difference between the nominal/titular and real executives is
made only in a parliamentary system of government. In it, the head
of state, the President or the Monarch, is the nominal executive and
the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister is the real
executive. All the powers are legally the powers of the nominal
executive but in practice these are exercised by the real executive.
The nominal executive is not responsible for its actions as these are
performed in its name by the real executive. The real executive is
responsible for all the actions of the nominal executive. The
nominal executive is the ceremonial and dignified part of the
executive, whereas the real executive is its powerful part.