There is a Parliamentary System of Government in India because the
Contents12
- ALok Sabha is elected directly by the people
- BParliament can amend the Constitution
- CRajya Sabha cannot be dissolved
- DCouncil of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha
Show answer
Answer: (D) Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha
As per Laxmikant (4th Edition, pg 149):
The defining feature of a Parliamentary System (as opposed to a Presidential System) is that the executive is responsible to the legislature.
In India, this is expressed through Article 75:
'The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha).'
This means:
(1) The Council of Ministers stays in power only as long as it enjoys the confidence (majority support) of the Lok Sabha.
(2) If the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the Council of Ministers, the entire ministry must resign.
(3) Individual ministers are also responsible — they must defend their actions before Parliament.
This principle of COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY to the lower house is the bedrock of the parliamentary system.
It is what makes India parliamentary and not presidential.
Why are the other options not the defining reason?
(a) 'Lok Sabha is elected directly by the people' — direct election of the lower house exists in presidential systems too (e.g., the US House of Representatives). So this alone does not make a system parliamentary.
(b) 'Parliament can amend the Constitution' — many countries with different systems can amend their constitutions. This is not unique to parliamentary systems.
(c) 'Rajya Sabha cannot be dissolved' — this is a feature of the Indian system, but it does not define the parliamentary nature. Even in the UK (the original parliamentary model), the House of Lords is permanent.
Answer: (d).
Key distinction:
Parliamentary system = executive responsible to legislature.
Presidential system = executive independent of legislature.
The parliamentary system's defining feature is executive responsibility to the legislature, specifically that the Council of Ministers must resign if they lose majority support in the Lok Sabha.
UPSC is testing whether students can distinguish between features that exist in many democracies (direct elections, constitutional amendments) versus the unique characteristic that makes a system parliamentary rather than presidential.
Parliamentary vs Presidential Systems
Indian Polity Parliamentary System Council of Ministers responsible to the Lok Sabha
Parliamentary vs Presidential Systems: Key Distinguishing Features
Parliamentary System: Executive is responsible to and derives power from the legislature
Presidential System: Executive is independent of legislature with separate mandate
India follows Parliamentary System due to Article 75 - Council of Ministers collectively responsible to Lok Sabha
Collective Responsibility means entire ministry resigns if Lok Sabha passes no-confidence motion
The Defining Difference
The executive-legislature relationship is what separates parliamentary from presidential systems. In parliamentary systems, the executive derives its legitimacy from legislative confidence, while presidential systems feature independent executives elected separately.
Parliamentary vs Presidential Systems
Feature | Parliamentary System | Presidential System |
|---|---|---|
Executive Source | Derives power from legislature | Directly elected, independent mandate |
Executive Tenure | Depends on legislative confidence | Fixed term, cannot be easily removed |
Responsibility | Collectively responsible to legislature | Responsible to constitution/people |
Head of Government | Prime Minister (from legislature) | President (outside legislature) |
Example | India, UK, Canada | USA, Brazil, France |
India's Parliamentary Features
Article 75: Council of Ministers collectively responsible to Lok Sabha - the constitutional foundation
No-confidence motion: If passed, entire ministry must resign immediately
Individual responsibility: Ministers must defend their actions before Parliament
Prime Minister: Leader of majority party/coalition in Lok Sabha becomes head of government
Trap: Direct election of Lok Sabha does NOT define parliamentary system - presidential systems also have directly elected lower houses
Trap: Constitutional amendment power exists in both systems - not a parliamentary system identifier
Trap: Permanent upper house (Rajya Sabha) is not what makes India parliamentary - UK House of Lords is also permanent
Key Test: Always look for executive accountability to legislature as the parliamentary system marker
Collective Responsibility Principle
Indian Polity Council of Ministers collectively responsible Lok Sabha
Collective Responsibility: The Heart of Parliamentary Government
Article 75: Constitutional basis for collective responsibility of Council of Ministers to Lok Sabha
No-confidence motion: If passed by Lok Sabha, entire ministry must resign
Cabinet solidarity: All ministers must publicly support government decisions
Constitutional Foundation
Article 75 establishes that the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha). This means the executive's survival depends entirely on maintaining majority support in the lower house.
How Collective Responsibility Works
%%{init: {"flowchart": {"wrappingWidth": 460}}}%%
flowchart TD
s1["`**Government Formation**
Party/coalition with Lok Sabha majority forms government`"]
s2["`**Policy Decision**
Cabinet takes collective decisions on policy matters`"]
s3["`**Parliamentary Defense**
All ministers defend government policy in Parliament`"]
s4["`**Confidence Test**
Lok Sabha can test government's confidence through motions`"]
s5["`**Collective Fate**
If confidence lost, entire ministry resigns together`"]
s1 --> s2
s2 --> s3
s3 --> s4
s4 --> s5Key Implications
Cabinet solidarity: No minister can publicly disagree with government policy
Joint responsibility: Individual ministerial failures can bring down entire government
Continuous accountability: Government must maintain Lok Sabha confidence throughout its term
Democratic control: Legislature exercises control over executive through this mechanism
Trap: Responsibility is to Lok Sabha only, not to Rajya Sabha or President
Trap: Individual responsibility exists BUT collective responsibility is the defining parliamentary feature
Trap: Council of Ministers includes all ministers - not just Cabinet ministers
Indian Parliamentary System Features
Indian Polity Parliamentary System of Government Lok Sabha Rajya Sabha
Indian Parliamentary System: Adaptation of Westminster Model
India adopted Westminster parliamentary model with federal and republican modifications
Lok Sabha: Directly elected, can be dissolved, confidence chamber for government
Rajya Sabha: Indirectly elected, permanent house, represents states
Westminster Model Adaptation
India's parliamentary system is based on the British Westminster model but adapted for a federal republic. The executive is drawn from and accountable to the legislature, but with modifications for India's federal structure and republican character.
Lok Sabha vs Rajya Sabha
Feature | Lok Sabha | Rajya Sabha |
|---|---|---|
Election | Direct election by people | Indirect election by MLAs |
Term | 5 years (can be dissolved) | 6 years (permanent, 1/3rd retire every 2 years) |
Strength | Maximum 552 members | Maximum 250 members |
Representation | Population-based | State-based (federal principle) |
Government Formation | Government accountable to Lok Sabha | No confidence role |
Money Bills | Can originate and pass | Can only suggest amendments |
Unique Indian Features
Federal adaptation: Rajya Sabha represents states, unlike purely unitary UK system
Republican character: President as ceremonial head instead of monarch
Written constitution: Unlike UK's unwritten constitutional conventions
Judicial review: Supreme Court can review parliamentary laws for constitutionality
Trap: Direct election of Lok Sabha exists in presidential systems too - not a parliamentary identifier
Trap: Parliament's amendment power is not unique to parliamentary systems
Trap: Rajya Sabha's permanent nature is about federalism, not parliamentary character