Parliamentary vs Presidential Accountability
Notes
India follows the parliamentary (Westminster) model, where the executive is drawn from and responsible to the legislature. The United States follows the presidential model, with a strict separation of powers. Dr. Ambedkar defended the parliamentary choice in the Constituent Assembly: it ensures daily assessment of responsibility, while the presidential system offers only periodic assessment, and he preferred responsibility over stability.
Basis | Parliamentary (India) | Presidential (USA) |
|---|---|---|
Executive | Council of Ministers drawn from the legislature | President is separately elected |
Head of State and Government | Separate (President and PM) | Same person |
Tenure | Depends on majority in Lok Sabha | Fixed term (four years) |
Accountability | Collective responsibility to the Lok Sabha (Art. 75(3)); no-confidence motion | Not responsible to Congress; removal only by impeachment |
Separation of powers | Fusion; executive sits in Parliament | Strict separation; checks and balances |
Day-to-day scrutiny | Question Hour, Zero Hour, motions, committees | Congressional committees, hearings, Senate confirmation |
Risk | Instability of governments; executive dominance with a majority | Deadlock between President and Congress |
Accountability tools in India: Question Hour and Zero Hour; calling attention, adjournment, no-confidence and censure motions; debates on the Budget and the President's Address; parliamentary committees (PAC, DRSCs); the CAG; the Lokpal; the courts; and the RTI Act. The State executive is similarly responsible to the Assembly (Art. 164(2)).
Concerns in India: executive dominance when the ruling party has a large majority, declining parliamentary time and scrutiny, anti-defection law limiting free voting, and ordinance-making.
Key Points
- Parliamentary: collective responsibility (Art. 75(3)); presidential: separation of powers.
- Ambedkar preferred responsibility over stability.
- India's PM has no fixed term; US President has a fixed four-year term.
- Accountability tools: questions, motions, committees, CAG, courts.
- Risks: instability (parliamentary) vs deadlock (presidential).
MCQs
Q1. Who preferred the parliamentary system for its "responsibility" over "stability" in the Constituent Assembly? (a) Nehru (b) B.R. Ambedkar (c) K.M. Munshi (d) Patel Ans: (b).
Q2. In a parliamentary system, the executive is: (a) Independent of the legislature (b) Responsible to the legislature (c) Elected directly (d) Fixed for a term Ans: (b).
Q3. Collective responsibility in India is enshrined in: (a) Art. 74 (b) Art. 75(3) (c) Art. 78 (d) Art. 88 Ans: (b).