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of co-operation and co-ordination between the 7. In Britain, the Prime Minister selects and
legislative and executive organs and limits the assigns portfolios to the ministers, whereas
scope of conflicts between the two while the the same is done by the President in India
presidential system is based on the doctrine of as per the Article 75.
separation of powers between the two, organs. 8. The President always acts upon the advice
The parliamentary system ensures greater of the Prime Minister. However, before the
responsibility and answerability and that is what 42nd and 44th amendment, it was not
our forefathers had hoped for. obligatory on the President to act upon the

To say that presidential form is more effective advice of the Prime Minister.
than parliamentary system would again be 9. The ministers of Britain are invariably
wrong. It certainly makes the President more selected among the members of the parlia-
powerful, high-handed and his government more ment, whereas in India, any one can hold
stable but if that means that the government is the position of minister at the pleasure of
more effective, it is certainly not. In the presiden- the president, with due qualification as per
tial system, responsibility, answerability and law, even if he is not a member of both the
transparency suffer. houses. But, he has to get elected within six

Difference between the Indian and the British months to either of the houses.
Models 10. In the United Kingdom, the cabinet serves
1. In Britain, the head of the state is either as a unit before the Parliament and
King or Queen of the royal family while in Sovereign. Its views are placed by the
India, the head of the state or president is cabinet as a single whole before the
elected after every 5 years. Parliament and Sovereign as if they are
2. In Britain, the Prime Minister should be a views of one man. In India, the President
member of the Lower House, while in can ask the Prime Minister to place a
India, the Prime Minister can be a member subject before the council of ministers if it is
of the Lower House (Lok Sabha) or Upper not discussed and decided by the Cabinet.
House (Rajya Sabha).
11. The President of India can demoralise the
3. In Britain, ministers should be Members of cabinet by resorting to frequent exercise of
Parliament (MPs) while In India, it is not
suspensive veto and the Council Ministers
necessary for a Minister to be an MP, but
can hardly take any action on this, except
this is only for a period of 6 months.
through impeachment which is a laborious
4. In Britain, the opposition forms a ‘shadow and time-consuming process.
cabinet’ in contrast to the ruling party’s
INSTITUTIONS OF PARLIAMENTARY
cabinet and prepare their minister for future
DEMOCRACY: INDIAN PARLIAMENT
ministerial office. In India, there is no such
Legislature of the Indian Union is called the
concept.
Parliament. It consists of the President and the
5. In Britain, the ministers are legally bound to
two houses, called the Council of States (Rajya
their responsibility, while in India, there is
no such legal limitation for ministers. Sabha) which is the upper house and the House
of the People (Lok Sabha) which is the lower
6. In Britain, the Parliament is supreme, but in
house.
India, the Parliament is not supreme and
has limited powers.

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