Summary
Chapter 3 of the Class 7 Civics NCERT textbook (Social and Political Life II), "How the State Government Works", explains how state governments work in India — how MLAs are elected from constituencies, how the ruling party forms the government, and how the Legislative Assembly debates issues and authorises decisions, illustrated through a health crisis in Patalpuram.
- From voters to a state government — The chapter traces how each constituency elects an MLA, how a party winning a majority becomes the ruling party while others form the opposition, and how the Chief Minister and ministers are then chosen to run the state.
- The Legislative Assembly as a place of accountability — It shows the Assembly as where ruling and opposition MLAs debate, question ministers, and authorise decisions, making the point that an elected executive must answer to the people's representatives for its actions.
- Turning debate into government action — Using the Patalpuram health crisis, the chapter connects assembly discussion to real work — departments like Health and Public Works implementing policy — and shows citizens influencing government through media, meetings, and press conferences.
Key points & formulas
- 01Every state in India has a Legislative Assembly; each state is divided into constituencies, and voters in each constituency elect one MLA.
- 02A political party that wins more than half the total constituencies gains a majority and becomes the ruling party; all other elected members form the opposition.
- 03In Himachal Pradesh's 2017 assembly elections, the BJP won 44 of 68 seats, gained majority, and formed the ruling party; Shri Jairam Thakur was chosen as Chief Minister by BJP MLAs.
- 04The Governor is the Head of the State, appointed by the Central Government to ensure the state government works within the Constitution.
- 05MLAs from both the ruling party and opposition meet in the Legislative Assembly to debate issues, ask questions of ministers, and authorise government decisions — ministers must answer to the Assembly.
- 06The Executive (Chief Minister and ministers) runs government departments such as Health, Public Works, Agriculture, and School Education to implement policies.
- 07State laws are made in the Legislative Assembly; laws for the entire country are made in Parliament.
- 08In a democracy, people can also voice opinions through public meetings, the media, and press conferences — as seen when the health minister held a press conference during the Patalpuram diarrhoea epidemic.
Frequently asked questions
01Who is an MLA and how is one elected?
An MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) is elected by the people from a specific area called a constituency. Each constituency elects one representative who becomes an MLA and thus represents the people of that area.
02What is a constituency?
A constituency is a particular area from which all the voters living there choose their representative. For example, the state of Himachal Pradesh is divided into 68 assembly constituencies, each electing one MLA.
03How does a political party gain majority in the Legislative Assembly?
A political party gains majority when it wins more than half the total number of constituencies. In Himachal Pradesh, with 68 constituencies, a party needed more than 34 MLAs to have majority.
04What is the difference between the ruling party and the opposition?
The political party that has majority is called the ruling party and forms the government. All other elected MLAs are called the opposition; they question government decisions and raise issues in the Assembly.
05How does someone become Chief Minister?
After elections, the MLAs of the ruling party elect their leader, who becomes the Chief Minister. The Governor of the state then formally appoints the Chief Minister and other ministers.
06What is the role of the Governor of a state?
The Governor is the Head of the State, appointed by the Central Government. The Governor ensures that the State Government works within the rules and regulations of the Constitution, and formally appoints the Chief Minister and other ministers.
07What happens in the Legislative Assembly?
The Legislative Assembly is where all MLAs — from the ruling party and the opposition — meet to debate current issues, ask questions, decide where money should be spent, and authorise government decisions. Ministers must answer questions raised there.
08What is the difference between the Legislature and the Executive?
The Legislature consists of all MLAs assembled in the Legislative Assembly; they have the main authority and supervise the government. The Executive (commonly called 'the government') refers to the Chief Minister and ministers who run various government departments and ministries.
09How are laws made at the state level?
Laws for a state are made in that state's Legislative Assembly. For example, the government can make laws on sanitation or health facilities. Laws for the entire country, by contrast, are made in Parliament.
10What is a press conference and why is it held?
A press conference is a gathering of journalists from the media who are invited to hear about and ask questions on a particular issue. They then report on it to the larger public. In the chapter, the health minister held a press conference to explain steps taken during the Patalpuram diarrhoea epidemic.
11What is a coalition government?
At times the ruling party may not be a single party but a group of parties working together. This is called a coalition.
12Can I download the Class 7 Social Science Social and Political Life II Chapter 3 PDF for free?
Yes — the NCERT PDF for this chapter is available free on CBSEPrepMaster with no sign-up required.
More chapters in Social and Political Life - II
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