Conventional Long Form Name: Republic of India
Capital City: New Delhi Type of Government: federal republic Date of Independence: 15 August 1947 (from the UK) National Holiday: Republic Day, 26 January (1950) Chief of State: President Pranab Mukherjee (since 22 July 2012); Vice President Mohammad Hamid Ansari (since 11 August 2007) Head of Government:Prime Minister Manmohan Singh (since 22 May 2004) Executive Branch and Powers: 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 (no term limits); election last held in July 2012; vice president elected by both houses of Parliament for a five-year term; election last held in August 2007 (next to be held in August 2012); prime minister chosen by parliamentary members of the majority party following legislative elections. Legislative Branch and Powers: bicameral Parliament or Sansad consists of the Council of States or Rajya Sabha (a body consisting of 245 seats 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 members elected by popular vote, 2 appointed by the president; members serve five-year terms) Judicial Branch and Powers:.Supreme Court (one chief justice and 25 associate justices are appointed by the president and remain in office until they reach the age of 65 or are removed for "proved misbehavior") Suffrage: 18 years of age; universal India Ambassador to the United State: Ambassador Nirupama Rao India Embassy in the U.S.: 2107 Massachusetts Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008 India Consultates in the U.S.: Chicago, Houston, New York, San Francisco U.S. Ambassador to India: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell U.S Embassy in India: Shantipath, Chanakyapuri, New Delhi 110021 U.S. Consultates in India: Chennai (Madras), Hyderabad; Kolkata (Calcutta), Mumbai (Bombay) India Representative in the U.N.: Hardeep Singh Puri Flag Description: three equal horizontal bands of saffron (subdued orange), white, and green, with a blue chakra (24-spoked wheel) centered in the white band; saffron represents courage, sacrifice, and the spirit of renunciation; white signifies purity and truth; green stands for faith and fertility; the blue chakra symbolizes the wheel of life in movement and death in stagnation National Symbols: Bengal tiger |
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