Parliamentary System

The constitution of India provides for a parliamentary form of government, both at the Centre and in the states. Articles 74 and 75 deal with the parliamentary system at the Centre and Articles 163 and 164 in the states.

Modern democratic governments are classified into parliamentary and presidential on the basis of nature f relations between the executive and the organs of the government. The parliamentary systems of government is the one in which the executive is responsible to the legislature for its policies and acts. The presidential system of government, on the other hand, 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 government is also known as cabinet government of responsible government or Westminster model of government v and is prevalent in Britain, Japan, Canada, and India among others. The presidential government, on the other hand, is also known as non-responsible of non-parliamentary or fixed executive system of government and is prevalent in USA, Brazil, Russia, Sri Lanka among other.

Ivor Jennings called the parliamentary system as cabinet system’ because the cabinet is the nucleus of power in a parliamentary system. The parliamentary government is also known as ‘responsible government’ as the cabinet (the real executive) is accountable to the parliament and stays in office so long as it enjoys the latter’s confidence. It is described as ‘Westminster model of government’ after the location of the British parliament, where the parliamentary system originated.

In the past, the British constitutional and political experts described the prime Minister as’ primus inter pares’ (first among equals) in relation to the cabinet. In the recent period, the Prime Minister’s powers, in fluence and position have increased significantly vis-à-vis the cabinet. He has come to play a dominant role in the British politico-administrative system. Hence, the later political analysts like cross –man, mackintosh and others have described the British system of government as ‘prime ministerial government’. The same description holds good in the Indian context too.