Executive
Topic: State, Government and Governance: Organs, Levels and the Citizen · NCERT: Class 6, Ch 10 "Grassroots Democracy – Part 1: Governance"; Class 7, Ch 9 "From the Rulers to the Ruled: Types of Governments"; Class 7, Ch 6 "The State, the Government, and You"; Class 8, Ch 6 "The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive"
Meaning
The executive is the organ of government that carries out laws and runs the day-to-day administration. It has nominal heads, meaning heads in name only: the President for the Union (Art. 53) and the Governor for each state (appointed under Art. 155). The Prime Minister or Chief Minister, with the council of ministers, holds real power. The President must act on ministers' advice (Art. 74(1)). The executive has two parts: the political executive (elected ministers) and the permanent executive (civil servants).
Example
After Parliament passed the IT Act 2000, the executive enforced it. Cyber police investigated digital payment frauds under the Act, and the courts then convicted the criminals.
Don't confuse with
- Legislature: the legislature makes laws. The executive carries them out.
- Head of state vs head of government: the President is head of state. The Prime Minister is head of government, not head of state.