Karnataka Government and Politics



Karnataka Government and Politics

The government of Karnataka is headed by a Governor. In this democratic form of government, the Chief Minister as well as the council of ministers is appointed by the Governor. Most of the legislative powers are vested in them. Although the governor remains the head of the state, most of the day-to-day duties of the government are taken care of by the chief minister and his council of ministers.

Karnataka government is divided into the following administrative divisions:
  • Revenue circles: 745
  • Revenue divisions: 4
  • Sub-divisions: 49
  • Taluks: 175
  • Towns: 281
  • Districts: 31
  • Municipal corporations: 7


Form of Legislature in Karnataka

The State Legislature of Karnataka comprises the Legislative Council (Vidhan Parishad) and the Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) and is bi-cameral in nature.

  1. Legislative Assembly: The assembly is a seat of total of 224 members. Each of these members of the Legislative Assembly can hold office for 5 years.

  2. Legislative Council: This is a permanent part of the government, where one-third of the members retire every 2 years. Every member of this council is allowed to hold office for 6 years though.

Who forms the Ministry of Karnataka?

Headed by Vajubhai Rudabhai Vala, the present Governor of Karnataka, the ministry of the state is formed by K. Siddaramaiah, the current Chief Minister of the state, and his Cabinet of Ministers. The below-mentioned table provides an overview of the Cabinet of Ministers of Karnataka:
  • Department of Cabinet Affairs
  • Department of Personnel and Administrative Reforms
  • Department of Finance including Institutional Finance and excluding Excise
  • Intelligence Wing from Home Department
  • Mines and Geology from Commerce & Industries Department
  • Minority Welfare from Social Welfare Department
  • Revenue Department
  • Rural Development and Panchayat Raj
  • Transport Department
  • Home Department
  • Water Resources Department
  • Kannada and Culture Department
  • Law, Justice and Human Rights, Parliamentary Affairs and Legislature Department
  • Urban Development Department
  • Primary and Secondary Education Department
  • Agriculture Department.
  • Major and Medium Irrigation from Water Resources Department.
  • Large and Medium Scale Industries from C&I Department.
  • Housing Department
  • Labour Department
  • Sericulture from Horticulture Department
  • Sugar from Commerce & Industries Department
  • Horticulture Department
  • Mass Education and Public Libraries from Education Department
  • Small Savings and Lotteries from Finance Department
  • Animal Husbandry & Fisheries Department
  • Municipalities and Local Bodies (CMCs, TMCs and TPs) From Urban
  • Development DepartmentDepartment of Public Enterprises
  • Karnataka Urban Infrastructure Development and Finance Corporation
  • Karnataka Urban Water Supply and Drainage Board
  • Medical Education Department
  • Science and Technology Department
  • Social Welfare Department
  • Prisons from Home Department
  • Textile From Commerce & Industries Department
  • Ecology and Environment Department
  • Planning Department
  • Statistics Department.
  • Higher Education Department.
  • Food and Civil Supplies Department
  • Co-operation Department.
  • Health and Family Welfare Department
  • Women and Child Development Department
  • Youth Services and Sports Department

Who forms the Executive form of government in Karnataka?

A District Magistrate or a Deputy Commissioner heads this form of state government and is supported by the officers of the civil services and the other state services of Karnataka. Some of the most important officials belonging to this form of government are the Deputy Commissioner of Police, who is responsible for the law and order of the state, and the Deputy Conservator of Forests, who looks after forest lands of the state. The district head of the varied departments looks after the sectoral development.

Who forms the judiciary form of government in Karnataka?

Karnataka High Court is the main component of the state s judiciary. The Advocate General of the state is also Karnataka's Chief Legal Advisor. The same person is designated as Chief Magistrate in the metropolitan areas of the state. Some of the other important positions included in the judiciary system of the state are:
  • Chief Judicial Magistrate
  • Judicial Magistrate
  • Civil Judges
  • District Judges
  • Session Judges

The Political parties in Karnataka at a glance:

In Karnataka, the two major national parties are the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC), making up a significant presence with active involvement in Karnataka's political landscape.

Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP):

  • The BJP is a right-wing political party and has enjoyed significant success in Karnataka. The party has formed the government in the state multiple times.
  • Prominent BJP leaders in Karnataka include B.S. Yediyurappa, who served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka until July 2021. He was succeeded by Basavaraj Bommai. The BJP has a strong base in the coastal and northern regions of Karnataka.
Indian National Congress (INC):

  • The Indian National Congress is a center-left political party and has historically been one of the dominant political forces in Karnataka.
  • The INC has had periods of ruling the state government and has produced several Chief Ministers in Karnataka.
  • Prominent INC leaders in Karnataka include Siddaramaiah, who served as the Chief Minister of Karnataka from 2013 to 2018 and is again chosen as the newly elected CM after the 2023 legislative assembly elections.
Apart from these two major national parties, there are also regional parties that have a presence in Karnataka:

Janata Dal (Secular) (JD(S)):

  • The JD(S) is a regional party in Karnataka. It has had alliances with both the BJP and INC in the past.
  • The party has its stronghold in the southern parts of Karnataka, particularly in the Old Mysore region.
  • Prominent leaders of JD(S) include H.D. Deve Gowda and his son H.D. Kumaraswamy, both of whom have served as Chief Ministers of Karnataka.
Karnataka Administrative Service

The Karnataka Administrative Services (KAS) holds an important and prestigious position in the general administration of this southern state of India.

KAS, under the authorization of Karnataka Public Service Commission, was formulated by the constitution of India in the year 1951. Earlier to that, the appointments to the KAS and the related functions were carried out by the state government.

To facilitate the smooth functioning of administrative services in the state, Karnataka has been divided into a number of sub-divisions and districts. Each sub-division is handled by an IAS officer who is helped out in the job by a team of officers belonging to the Karnataka Administrative Services.

KAS operates out of the office building called Park House which is situated in Vidhan Soudha in Bangalore. Prior to 1951, the administrative services were conducted at the United India building in Bangalore City.

One of the most important functions of KAS is to conduct and regularise the entrance examinations for the recruitment of administrative officers. Competitive examination, personal test and interview are held to recruit the officers.

This commission is headed by a chairman, a secretary and the board of members who assist the chairman in his day-to-day office affairs. It is the responsibility of this body to run the administration of the state smoothly and efficiently.



Last Updated on : May 25, 2023

  Government and Politics