Q. A Parliamentary System of Government is one in which

  • all political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government
  • the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it
  • the Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them
  • the Government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before completion of a fixed term

Answer: (b) the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it

Notes:
  • The Constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government (the executive is responsible to the legislature for its policies and acts), both at the Centre and in the states.
  • It is also known as the Cabinet government/ Responsible government/ Westminster model of government and is prevalent in Britain, Japan, Canada, and India, among others.
  • Articles for Parliamentary system:
    • Center: Article: 74 & 75.
    • States: Article: 163 & 164.
  • Unlike in the Presidential system, the executives in this system sit in the legislature because they are members of the legislature.
  • Executives can exercise power and stay in office as long as they have the support of the lower house of the legislature.
Features of the Indian Parliamentary System  
  • Nominal And Real Executives  
    • The nominal executive officer is the president, while the actual executive officer is the prime minister (de facto executive officer).  
    • As a result, the president serves as the head of state, while the prime minister serves as the head of government.  
    • Article 74 establishes a Council of Ministers led by the Prime Minister to assist and advise the President in carrying out his duties. The President is bound by the proposal made in this manner.  
  • The close connection between legislative and executive power  
    • The prime minister and the Council of Ministers serve as the executive body, while the parliament serves as the legislative body.  
    • The prime minister and ministers are elected from among members of parliament, implying that the legislature wields executive power.  
  • Collective Responsibility  
    • This is the fundamental tenet of parliamentary government.  
    • Ministers are collectively accountable to the entire parliament, particularly the People’s Chamber (Article 75). They sink and swim together as a group.  
  • Political Homogeneity  
    • Members of the Council of Ministers generally belong to the same political party and thus share the same political ideology.  
    • The ministers in a coalition government are bound by consensus.  
  • Dual Membership  
    • Ministers are members of both the legislative and executive branches of government.  
    • This means that if a person is not a member of Parliament, he cannot be a minister.  
    • The constitution states that ministers will lose their positions if they do not serve as members of Parliament for six months in a row. 
  • The Prime Minister’s Leadership  
    • The Prime Minister is the most powerful person in this government system. He is the leader of the Council of Ministers, the parliament, and the ruling party.  
    • Among these capabilities, it plays a critical role in the government’s operation.  
  • Dissolution Of The Lok Sabha  
    • On the Prime Minister’s recommendation, the President may dissolve the House of Commons (Lok Sabha).  
    • In other words, the Prime Minister can recommend to the President that the People’s Chamber be dissolved and a new election be held before the end of his term.  
    • This means that the executive branch has the authority to dissolve the legislature and convert the country to a parliamentary system.  
  • Secrecy  
    • Ministers are bound by the principle of procedure confidentiality and are not permitted to reveal information about their procedures, policies, or decisions.  
    • Before entering your office, they swore an oath of secrecy. The president administers the ministers’ oath of secrecy.