Introduction:
Power sharing is a vital aspect of modern democracy as it ensures the participation of various sections of society in decision-making processes. It helps to prevent the concentration of power in the hands of a few individuals or groups and promotes inclusivity. There are different forms of power sharing in modern democracies, each with its own characteristics and examples.

Forms of Power Sharing:

1. Horizontal Power Sharing:
- This form of power sharing involves the division of power among different organs or levels of government.
- Examples:
- Separation of powers: In a democratic country like the United States, power is divided among the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of government. Each branch has its own distinct functions and responsibilities, ensuring a system of checks and balances.
- Federalism: In countries like India, power is shared between the central government and the state governments. Both levels of government have their own spheres of authority, allowing for decentralization and regional autonomy.

2. Vertical Power Sharing:
- Vertical power sharing refers to the sharing of power between the national government and local governments or institutions.
- Examples:
- Local self-government: Municipalities, panchayats, or city councils are examples of local self-government. They have the power to make decisions and implement policies at the grassroots level, addressing the specific needs of local communities.
- Devolution: In the United Kingdom, power has been devolved to regional governments in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. These regional governments have their own legislative powers and can make decisions on various issues within their jurisdictions.

3. Consociational Power Sharing:
- Consociational power sharing involves the accommodation of diverse ethnic, religious, or linguistic groups in decision-making processes.
- Examples:
- Belgium: Belgium has a consociational power-sharing model where different linguistic communities (Dutch-speaking Flemish, French-speaking Walloons, and German-speaking) have a share in power at the federal level. It ensures the representation and protection of the interests of different communities.
- Northern Ireland: The power-sharing arrangement known as the Good Friday Agreement ensures that both the Unionist and Nationalist communities have representation in the Northern Ireland Assembly, promoting inclusivity and reconciliation.

4. Social Power Sharing:
- Social power sharing involves the participation of different social groups, such as women, minorities, and marginalized communities, in decision-making processes.
- Examples:
- Reservation policies: In many democracies, reservations are provided for marginalized communities in educational institutions, government jobs, and legislative bodies. This ensures their representation and empowerment.
- Affirmative action: Countries like the United States have implemented affirmative action policies to address historical inequalities and promote equal opportunities for disadvantaged groups.

Conclusion:
Power sharing in modern democracies takes various forms, such as horizontal and vertical power sharing, consociational power sharing, and social power sharing. These forms ensure inclusivity, prevent the concentration of power, and promote representation and participation of diverse sections of society. By accommodating different perspectives and interests, power sharing strengthens democracy and fosters a more equitable society.

In modern democracies power sharing arrangements are in many forms like
(i) Horizontal Distribution of Powers—In this form of power sharing, power is assigned by the constitution among different organs of government such as the Legislative, Executive and Judiciary.
• Distribution ensures separation of powers among the organs at the same level so none of the organs can exercise unlimited power.
• Each organ puts check on others in order to maintain balance of power under the system of check and balance. For example, legislature puts check on executive through no confidence motion, adjournment motion etc.
(ii) Vertical Distribution of Powers
• In this type of power sharing, power is shared at the different levels of government like National level and State level.
• The general government for the country is known, as ‘Union Government’ or ‘Federal Government’ and the government at the constituent units is known as regional or state level government.
• In India and Belgium there are three levels of government, i.e., local and community level government which is uniformly known as the Federal Division of powers.
As this form of power sharing involves sharing of power from higher to lower levels, so, it is known as the vertical division of power sharing.
(iii) Power sharing among different social groups
• In another way power may also be shared among different social groups such as the religious and linguistic groups.
• Among the minorities, the power is shared through the provisi