The politics of India is characterized by a multi-party system, where numerous political parties compete for power at both national and state levels. The country is a federal parliamentary democratic republic, meaning that the President of India is the head of state, while the Prime Minister, usually the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha, is the head of government. Elections are held regularly, with the Election Commission of India overseeing the process to ensure fairness. Major political parties include the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Indian National Congress (INC), which have historically dominated the political landscape.