Parliamentary System of Government

As per the Indian Constitution, India has a Parliamentary system of government both in states and at the center. The Parliamentary and Presidential system is dealt with by Articles 74 and 75 at the center and articles 163 and 164 in states. The Indian parliament consists of two major houses – Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha. Both of these have different powers and responsibilities to perform. The members of the Lok Sabha are directly elected by the people through voting. However, the members of Rajya Sabha get elected through the state legislative assemblies members. Along with two houses, parliament also consists of the president. 

Functions of Parliament 

The Constitution of India has the functions of Parliament written in Chapter II of Part V. Those are classified into several heads listed below- 

• Legislative Functions
• Executive Functions
• Financial Functions
• Amending Powers
• Electoral Functions
• Judicial Functions

Features of Parliamentary Form of the Government

1. Nominal and Real Executives: The real executive is the Prime Minister in the Parliamentary form of Government, whereas the nominal executive is the President. 
2. Collective Responsibility: In the Parliamentary democracy, collective responsibility is a fundamental principle. No single person is responsible for managing all tasks. In contrast, all the ministers have to formulate policies, establish progressive acts for the citizens of India and uplift the economic condition. 
3. Majority Party Rule: During the Lok Sabha elections, whichever political party gets the highest seats forms the new government. 
4. Leadership of Prime Minister: In the Parliamentary system of government, the leader of the House is the Prime Minister of the country.
5. Lower House Dissolution: The president can dissolve the Lok Sabha or the Lower House on the advice of the Prime Minister.
6. Secrecy: The secrecy principle procedure is followed, and the confidentiality of the policies, proceedings, and decisions is maintained.
7. Political Homogeneity: Generally, members constituting the Council of Ministers are of the same political party, and hence they share a similar political ideology. In the case of a coalition government, the ministers are bound by consensus. 

Benefits of Parliamentary Form of Government

1. Coherence between Legislature and Executive organs: The privilege of having a Parliamentary form of Government is that it upholds a balance between the legislative and executive organs of the government.
2. Responsible Government: By its virtue, the Parliamentary system sets up a responsible government. The various ministers are accountable to the Parliament for all their acts of omission and commission. Question hour, adjournment motion, no-confidence motion, discussions, etc., are the essential tools through which parliament exercises its control over the ministers.
3. Prevents Despotism: Under this system, the executive authority is located in a group of individuals (i.e., Council of Ministers) and not in a single person, thus reducing arbitrariness in the decision process. 
4. Ready Alternative Government: If the ruling party loses its majority, the President will invite the opposition party to form the government. 
5. Diverse Representation: In a Parliamentary system, the executive contains a group of individuals (i.e., ministers who are representatives of the people). Hence, it is possible to grant representation to all sections and regions in the government. 
6. While considering the nation’s rich diversity, the Parliamentary form of Government was the best-suited option available to the makers of the Constitution, which has maintained its sanctity to date and is expected to serve the same in the future.

Limitations of Parliamentary Form of Government

1. Unstable Government: There is no surety that a government can survive its tenure. The ministers are at the mercy of the majority legislators for their stability and survival in office. 
2. No Continuity of Policies: The Parliamentary system is not conducive to formulating and implementing long-standing policies. This is because of the uncertainty of the term of the government. 
3. Dictatorship tendencies of Cabinet: In the case of an absolute majority, there may be chances that the cabinet might turn into an autocrat and take arbitrary steps which might not be conducive for the nation. 
4. Contrary to the concept of Separation of Powers: Article 74 and 75 envisages collective responsibility of the executive to the legislature. This embarks upon the intimate nature of these two pillars of democracy. However, this might hamper their respective domains of working.
5. Government by Amateurs: The Parliamentary system might not stand high on the pedestal regarding administrative efficiency. Since it is a government of generalists, not of specialists.

Why India Adopted for Parliamentary Form of Government

1. Familiarity: The constitution-makers were reasonably familiar with the Parliamentary system as it had been in operation in India during the British colonial rule (modern history legacy).
2. Responsibility: The Parliamentary system of government clearly outlines the responsible behavior of the Executive, and the makers of the Constitution prioritized the principle of responsibility on the highest pedestal.
3. Avoid Conflicts: The framers of the Constitution sought to avoid the conflicts among the executive and legislature which are bound to occur in the Presidential system prevalent in the USA. 
4. Rich Diversity: India is one of the most heterogeneous States and most composite plural societies globally. Representation of these diversities was seen as more promising by the Parliamentary system.

Conclusion 

The Parliamentary form of government is really efficient. There are major functions performed by the Parliament that come under legislative, executive, judicial, and so on.