Parliamentary Form of Government at the Union and State Levels
Indian Polity › Systems of Government · Topic 12.1
India has a parliamentary system at the Union and state levels (Articles 74, 75, 163, 164) in which a nominal head acts on the advice of a council of ministers collectively responsible to the lower house, which can remove it by a no-confidence vote.
5 min read · UPSC Prelims · Polity · Systems of Government
At a Glance
- What it is A system in which the executive is responsible to the legislature
- Articles Articles 74 and 75 (Union); Articles 163 and 164 (states)
- Also called Cabinet government, responsible government, Westminster model
- Other examples Britain, Japan, Canada
- Exam link UPSC Prelims, Polity: Systems of Government
Where Does It Fit?
This is the first topic of the category on Systems of Government. The Constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government both at the Centre and in the states. Governments are classified as parliamentary or presidential on the basis of the relations between the executive and the legislature.
Parliamentary and Presidential Systems
The parliamentary system of government is one in which the executive is responsible to the legislature for its policies and acts. The presidential system is one in which the executive is not responsible to the legislature for its policies and acts, and is constitutionally independent of the legislature in respect of its term of office. The parliamentary system is also called cabinet government, responsible government or the Westminster model, and is found in Britain, Japan, Canada and India. The presidential system, also called non-responsible or fixed executive government, is found in the USA, Brazil, Russia and Sri Lanka. Ivor Jennings called the parliamentary system the cabinet system because the cabinet is the nucleus of power, and it is called responsible government because the cabinet, the real executive, is accountable to Parliament and stays in office as long as it enjoys its confidence. The name Westminster model comes from the location of the British Parliament, where the system originated.
Features of Parliamentary Government in India
| Feature | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Nominal and real executives | The President is the nominal executive (head of State); the Prime Minister is the real executive (head of government). Under Article 74 the council of ministers headed by the Prime Minister aids and advises the President, and the advice is binding |
| Majority party rule | The party with a majority in the Lok Sabha forms the government; the President appoints its leader as Prime Minister; if no party has a majority a coalition may be invited |
| Collective responsibility | The bedrock principle: ministers are collectively responsible to Parliament, especially the Lok Sabha (Article 75); the Lok Sabha can remove the ministry by a vote of no confidence |
| Political homogeneity | Ministers usually belong to the same party and share an ideology; in a coalition they are bound by consensus |
| Double membership | Ministers are members of both legislature and executive; a minister who is not a member of Parliament for six consecutive months ceases to be a minister |
| Leadership of the Prime Minister | Leader of the council of ministers, of Parliament and of the party in power |
| Dissolution of the lower house | The President can dissolve the Lok Sabha on the Prime Minister’s recommendation |
| Secrecy | Ministers take an oath of secrecy administered by the President |
The Position of the Prime Minister
British constitutional experts once described the Prime Minister as primus inter pares, first among equals, in the cabinet. In recent times the Prime Minister’s power, influence and position have increased significantly vis-a-vis the cabinet, and later analysts such as Crossman and Mackintosh have described the British system as prime ministerial government. The same description holds good in the Indian context. At the state level the same pattern operates: the Governor is the nominal head, the Chief Minister is the real executive, and the state council of ministers is collectively responsible to the legislative assembly under Articles 163 and 164.
Merits and Demerits
| Merits | Demerits |
|---|---|
| Harmony between legislature and executive | Unstable government |
| Responsible government, with Parliament controlling ministers through question hour, discussions, adjournment motion and no-confidence motion | No continuity of policies |
| Prevents despotism, since power is vested in a group of ministers | Dictatorship of the cabinet when the ruling party has an absolute majority |
| Ready alternative government without fresh elections | Against separation of powers; there is a fusion of powers |
| Wide representation of sections and regions | Government by amateurs, as ministers are not experts |
Examples of instability cited include the governments headed by Morarji Desai, Charan Singh, V.P. Singh, Chandra Shekhar, Deve Gowda and I.K. Gujral. Examples of reversal of policies cited include the Janata government in 1977 and the Congress government after 1980. H.J. Laski said the parliamentary system gives the executive an opportunity for tyranny, and Bagehot called the cabinet a hyphen that joins and a buckle that binds the executive and legislative departments.
Why Is This Topic Important?
- Core concept Feature lists are asked in Prelims and Mains
- Link to the executive chapters Basis for the President, PM and ministers topics
- Comparison questions Leads to 12.3
What Came Next?
The next topic covers the federal system of government in India.
Key People and Terms
- De jure executive Nominal head, the President
- De facto executive Real head, the Prime Minister
- Collective responsibility Team sinks or swims together
- Westminster model Parliamentary system
- Primus inter pares First among equals
Exam Corner
Points to Remember
- Articles 74 and 75 (Union); 163 and 164 (states).
- Collective responsibility to the Lok Sabha.
- A non-member can be a minister for six months.
- Dissolution of Lok Sabha on the PM’s advice.
Do Not Confuse With
- Head of State and head of government President versus Prime Minister
- Presidential and parliamentary systems Fixed executive versus responsible executive
- Collective and individual responsibility Collective to the House; individual to the President
Memory Hook
Nominal head, real head, one team, responsible to the House: the cabinet government.
Mains Angle
Questions on this topic usually ask about merits and demerits. Use these points to add depth.
- Harmony versus stability Responsible but sometimes unstable
- Fusion of powers Cabinet is the hyphen between executive and legislature
- Prime ministerial government Concentration in the PM
- Accountability tools Question hour and no-confidence motion
A Question You May Face
An original practice question, not a past paper question.
“Examine the features, merits and demerits of the parliamentary system of government in India.”
How to Answer
- Introduction Definition and Articles.
- Features Eight features.
- Evaluation Merits and demerits.
- Conclusion Why it was preferred.
GS Relevance
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the parliamentary system of government?
The parliamentary system is one in which the executive is responsible to the legislature for its policies and acts. It is also called cabinet government, responsible government or the Westminster model, and India follows it at both the Centre and the states.
Which Articles provide for parliamentary government?
Articles 74 and 75 deal with the parliamentary system at the Centre, providing for a council of ministers headed by the Prime Minister and its responsibility to Lok Sabha. Articles 163 and 164 provide for the same system in the states.
What is collective responsibility?
Collective responsibility, laid down in Article 75, means the ministers are collectively responsible to Parliament in general and the Lok Sabha in particular. They act as a team, and the Lok Sabha can remove the entire ministry by passing a vote of no confidence.
Can a non-member of Parliament become a minister?
Yes, but only temporarily. A person who is not a member of Parliament can be appointed a minister, but a minister who is not a member of either House for a period of six consecutive months ceases to be a minister.
Why did the framers prefer the parliamentary system?
They preferred it because of familiarity with it under British rule, a preference for responsibility over stability as Dr Ambedkar explained, the need to avoid legislative-executive conflict, and the nature of Indian society, which is plural and heterogeneous.
PYQ Practice — Statement Analysis
1 Article 75 deals with collective responsibility of the council of ministers.
To the Lok Sabha.
2 In a parliamentary system the executive is independent of the legislature in its term.
That is the presidential system.
3 A minister who is not an MP can continue for any period.
Maximum six months.
4 The President is the real executive in India.
He is the nominal executive.
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