UPSC Prelims 2020 Q11: Indian Polity – Parliament & State Legislatures
- (a) all political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government
- (b) the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it
- (c) the Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them
- (d) 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
Explanation
Parliamentary System: Defining Characteristic
| Definition Element | Is it the defining characteristic? |
|---|---|
| All parties represented in govt | No - may have single-party majority |
| Govt responsible to Parliament + removable by it | YES - CORE characteristic |
| Govt elected by people + removable by them | No - this is also presidential |
| Govt chosen by Parliament but irremovable | No - this is elective monarchy/fixed term |
Parliamentary system = government accountable to and removable by the legislature. The Executive (PM + Cabinet) derives legitimacy from the Legislature (Parliament), not from direct popular election. If Parliament loses confidence (via no-confidence motion), the government falls immediately.
Contrast: Presidential system = elected by people, fixed term, not removable by legislature.
Answer: (b) The Government is responsible to Parliament and can be removed by it.
Why each option is right or wrong
- (a) Incorrect. Coalition governments represent some parties but not all - not the defining feature.
- (b) CORRECT. Parliamentary system is defined by executive accountability to legislature and removal via no-confidence motion.
- (c) Incorrect. This describes both presidential and parliamentary systems (if elected by people).
- (d) Incorrect. An irremovable government elected by Parliament describes elective monarchy or fixed tenure, not parliamentary system.
Key point
Parliamentary System = Executive responsible to & removable by Legislature. PM + Cabinet hold office so long as they command majority in Parliament. Loss of confidence = immediate fall. India: 22 Prime Ministers; many resigned after losing confidence.
Remember
A Parliamentary System of Government is characterized by the fact that the Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it through a vote of no-confidence, which is the fundamental principle of parliamentary democracy.
Common mistakes
- Confusing parliamentary (legislature-dependent) with presidential (people-dependent) systems.
- Assuming all parties in government = parliamentary. Coalitions occur in both systems.
- Missing that 'responsible to' means answerable for policy; 'removable' means can be voted out anytime.
Exam tip
Parliament vs President: Parliamentary = PM is head of govt (executive answerable to legislature). Presidential = President is head of govt (elected by people, independent of legislature). India = Parliamentary; USA = Presidential; France = Mixed (dual executive).
Sources
- Constitution of India - Articles 75, 88 (Council of Ministers)
- NCERT Class XI Political Theory - Systems of Government