Parliamentary vs Presidential Government
Elaboration
- Parliamentary system (Westminster model): The executive is drawn from and responsible to the legislature. The head of state (President/Monarch) is nominal, while the real executive is the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers. Provisions: Art 74 (Council of Ministers aids and advises the President), Art 75(3) (collective responsibility to Lok Sabha), Art 75(5) (ministers must be members of Parliament within 6 months), Art 163 for states.
- Presidential system (USA): The President is head of state and government, elected directly (via electoral college) for a fixed term; strict separation of powers; executive is not responsible to Congress; cabinet members are not legislators; impeachment is the only removal route.
- Features of Indian parliamentary system: Nominal and real executive, majority party rule, collective responsibility, political homogeneity, double membership (legislator-minister), leadership of the PM, dissolution of the Lok Sabha, secrecy.
- Merits of parliamentary: responsible government, harmony between legislature and executive, wider representation, flexible, prevents dictatorship. Demerits: instability, no separation of powers, rule of amateurs, possible dominance of the executive.
- Why India chose it: Familiarity with British system, need for responsibility over stability (Ambedkar's argument), and the aim to avoid executive-legislative conflict.
- Differences from the British model: India is a republic (elected head) vs British monarchy; Parliament is not sovereign (written constitution + judicial review); PM need not be from Lok Sabha (can be from Rajya Sabha: e.g., Indira Gandhi first entered Parliament via RS; Manmohan Singh); UK has no fundamental rights guaranteed by constitution; Indian ministers can be non-members for 6 months.
Key points to remember
- Collective responsibility (Art 75(3)) = defining feature. Individual responsibility also exists (at the pleasure of President, Art 75(2)).
- India adopted the Westminster model, but with constitutional supremacy, not parliamentary supremacy.
- Under the 44th Amendment (1978), President may send advice back once for reconsideration (Art 74(1)) but must act on the reconsidered advice.
- Ambedkar: parliamentary system gives "daily assessment of responsibility" while presidential gives "periodic assessment".
PYQ / MCQ
1. The principle of collective responsibility under Art 75 means:
a) Ministers are answerable to President
(b) The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha
(c) Ministers are answerable to Rajya Sabha
(d) Ministers are individually answerable only
Answer: (b)
2. Which is NOT a feature of the parliamentary system?
(a) Nominal executive
(b) Collective responsibility
(c) Fixed tenure of executive
(d) Dual membership
Answer: (c)
3. How does the Indian parliamentary system differ from the British?
(a) India has a republican head of state
(b) India has no cabinet
(c) India has no Prime Minister
(d) India has a unicameral legislature
Answer: (a)