Q.3: Differentiate between parliamentary system and presidential system of government. Give reasons why India choose Parliamentary form of government.

Intro:

In a representative democracy or Indirect democracy, the people elect representatives to deliberate and decide on legislation. The representative democracy/government can be classified into two types such as in parliamentary form of government and presidential democracy form of government.

Body:

Parliamentary System of Government

• There are two executives: nominal executives (head of state) and real executives (head of government)
• The nominal executive is the head of state e.g. President while the real executive is the Prime Minister, who is the head of government.
• Majority party rule
• Collective responsibility
• Political Homogeneity
• Double membership (minister is a part of executive and legislature)
• Leadership of prime minister
• Fusion of powers
• Countries with such a system include Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom as well as Portugal.
• 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 of government at the Union level and Articles 163 and 164 contain provisions with regard to the States.
• Executive is responsible to the legislature for its policies and acts.

Presidential System of Government

• There is only one executive.
• President and Legislature elected separately for a fixed term.
• Non-responsibility
• Political homogeneity may not exist
• Single membership
• Domination of President
• No dissolution of Lower House
• Separation of powers
• In this system, the President is both head of state and government, e.g. USA, South Korea etc.

Reasons for Adopting Parliamentary System in India:

• Familiarity with the system since the British Rule.
• Preference to more responsibility in India in contrasting to presidential system of America.
• India needs to avoid the conflict between Legislative and Executives.
• India’s heterogenous plural society suits to Parliamentary system.

Conclusion:

The present parliamentary system has been tried and tested for nearly 70 years. It can be reformed thoroughly to remove the challenges thrown up by it. We should ensure a system of government whose leaders can focus on governance rather than on staying in power. In turn, each and every citizen of India get benefitted from the government.