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Constitutional Basis
- India follows a parliamentary form of government at both the Union and State levels.
- Articles 74 and 75 provide the core constitutional framework for the parliamentary executive at the Union.
- Articles 163 and 164 provide the corresponding framework at the State level.
- In a parliamentary system, the executive is politically responsible to the legislature for its policies and actions.
- Parliamentary government is also described as cabinet government, responsible government and the Westminster model.
- The model originated in Britain and is also followed, with constitutional variations, in countries such as India, Canada and Japan.
- Ivor Jennings described parliamentary government as a cabinet system because the Cabinet functions as the central decision-making institution.
- The expression responsible government highlights the political accountability of the real executive to the legislature.
- The expression Westminster model derives from Westminster, the location associated with the British Parliament.