UPSC Prelims 2020·GS1·polity-and-governance·government structure

A Parliamentary System of Government is one in which

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  1. Aall political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government
  2. Bthe Government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by itCorrect
  3. Cthe Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them
  4. Dthe Government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before completion of a fixed term

Explanation

A Parliamentary System of Government, also known as the Westminster system, is characterized by the executive being accountable to the legislature. In this system: The Government is responsible to the Parliament: The Council of Ministers, which forms the executive, is collectively responsible to the popular chamber of the Parliament (e.g., the Lok Sabha in India). This means the government must enjoy the confidence of the majority in that house to remain in power. The Government can be removed by the Parliament: If the government loses the confidence of the majority in the lower house, it can be removed through a vote of no-confidence. This is a crucial aspect of accountability in a parliamentary system. Let's look at why other options are incorrect: A) all political parties in the Parliament are represented in the Government: This is not necessarily true. Usually, only the party or coalition of parties that commands a majority forms the government. Opposition parties are generally not represented in the government (though a national unity government might be an exception, it's not the defining characteristic). C) the Government is elected by the people and can be removed by them: In a parliamentary system, people elect representatives to the Parliament. The government is then formed by the party or coalition that gains a majority in the Parliament. While the people indirectly elect the government, they do not directly elect or remove the government; removal is done by the Parliament. D) the Government is chosen by the Parliament but cannot be removed by it before completion of a fixed term: This describes a fixed-term executive, typical of a presidential system or a hybrid system, not a pure parliamentary system where the government can be removed anytime it loses the confidence of the legislature. Therefore, the most accurate definition of a parliamentary system is where the government is responsible to the Parliament and can be removed by it.
polity-and-governance: A Parliamentary System of Government is one in which

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