Karnataka operates under a parliamentary system of representative democracy, consistent with other Indian states. The executive authority is vested in the Governor, who is appointed by the President of India. However, de facto executive power lies with the Chief Minister and their Council of Ministers, who are responsible to the state legislature.
Karnataka is one of the few Indian states with a bicameral legislature, consisting of the Legislative Assembly (Vidhana Sabha) as the lower house, and the Legislative Council (Vidhana Parishad) as the upper house.
For administrative purposes, the state is divided into 31 districts, grouped into four revenue divisions: Bengaluru, Belagavi, Kalaburagi, and Mysuru. Local governance is managed through city corporations (like the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike), municipal councils, and village-level Panchayats.