Some of the significant features of the Cabinet system in India are as follows:
Salient features of the Cabinet system
(i) Exclusion of the President: Though all the executive actions are taken in the name of the President, yet the real power and responsibility in this regard are that of the council of Ministers.
(ii) Leadership of the Prime Minister: Prime Minister is the leader of the Cabinet and the whole Council of Ministers. He picks up the members of the Council of Ministers and distributes portfolios among them. The Prime Minister conducts the meetings and preceding of the Cabinet and presides over such meetings. The moment the Prime Minister resigns on political grounds the whole Council of Ministers is automatically dissolved.
(iii) Unity or Solidarity of the Cabinet: Since the whole Council of Ministers usually belong to one political party and has the same objectives and ideals before it and their common leader is Prime Minister, they have to act as their single unit. At the meeting of the Cabinet, the ministers express their views freely and may disagree with the majority.
(iv) Collective Responsibility: The Council of Ministers is a team and the Prime Minister is its captain. The principle of collective responsibility also implies that the Ministers are answerable for all decisions taken by the Cabinet. They cannot publicly criticize or show disagreement with the Cabinet’s decisions. If they cannot defend these decisions they have to resign or are liable to dismissal.
(v) Individual Responsibility: There is no provision in the Constitution for the individual responsibility of the Ministers. However, it is equally important. The principle of individual responsibility implies that each Minister is responsible for his personal conduct, departmental lapses, and departure from the official policy. Under the circumstances arising out of these reasons, the Minister concerned has to resign.
YOU MAY READ
Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
India has a parliamentary form of government in which the Prime Minister is the real head of the country. The President is the nominal head who acts on the advice of the Prime Minister. Read more
The High Courts and Subordinate Courts
The Constitution of India has provided for a High Court for each state. However, there may be one High Court for two states or union territories. This depends on the area and the population of the state or union territory. There are 21 High Courts in India. Delhi is the only union territory that has a High Court of its own. Read more
The Supreme Court
The Supreme Court is the head of the Indian judiciary and supervises the functions of the lower courts. A single civil and criminal system of laws operates all over the country. By the way of appeal, cases from the High Court may be taken to the Supreme Court. Read more