PARLIAMENTARY AND PRESIDENTIAL FORMS OF GOVERNMENT
Both Parliamentary and Presidential forms of government are variants of a “Democratic Government”. In a democratic government, people have the right to share the exercise of “sovereign power”. Both forms are indirect and representative. The basis for classifying a democratic government into Parliamentary or Presidential is the relation that subsists between the three organs of the state ie, the Executive, the Legislature and the Judiciary. It is on the basis of the nature of the relationship between these three organs or levels of government that a democratic government may be Parliamentary or Presidential.
PARLIAMENTARY FORM OF GOVERNMENT
The Parliamentary form of government is one of the oldest and has been adopted by many third world countries that were colonies of Britain. Such a system operates both in developed and developing nations, in liberal democracies and in a modified form, in communist countries also. Naturally, to meet the different conditions it varies in details. The characteristics of a Parliamentary form of government are enumerated below:
1. Nominal and Real Executives: There exists two executives – namely nominal and real executives. Nominal executive possesses all powers without exercising them in reality on its own discretion. The real executive exercises all executive powers in practice. The President of India is an example of nominal executive and the Union Council of Ministers represents the real executive.
2. Majority Party rule: In Parliamentary government, the party that secures majority seats in legislature assumes powers of the executive. The head of the state invites the leader of the majority party in the legislature to form the ministry and run the government.
3. Collective responsibility: The ministers including the Prime Minister are responsible individually to the President and collectively for their acts to the Parliament consists of members directly elected by the people. The upper house represents the interests of federating units.
4. Special Representation to States: The states enjoy special representation in the upper chamber of the Union Legislature. The upper chamber reflects the interests of states. It checks the excessive interference of the Centre in the affairs of states,
5. Double Citizenship: In some federations like the U.S.A. citizens enjoy two kinds of citizenship, one in the Centre and another in the States.
6. Political homogeneity: All the ministers belong to a political party. As a result, they process and practice common political ideas, policies and programmes. They take many steps for implementing the manifesto of the party. This binds all the ministers together and promotes co-ordination among the various departments,
7. Dual membership: In this system, the ministers possess membership in the legislature and executive. First they are legislators and then only they assume powers of the executive. As ministers, they attend the meetings of the Cabinet, council of ministers and other cabinet committees. They formulate governmental policies and implement them with great vigour. As legislators, they attend the meetings of the legislature and guide the members on various matters. Their dual membership brings co-ordination between legislature and executive.
8. Importance of Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is the chief architect of Parliamentary Government. He is the supreme leader of the council of ministers, parliament, party in power, government and people. He makes and un-makes the cabinet. He co-ordinates and supervises the activities of the ministers and departments. Ministers assume their powers, continue in office and resign their office under the guidance of the Prime Minister,
9. Principle of secrecy: The ministers are administered with an oath of secrecy by the head of the state. Under no circumstances, they are allowed to reveal the secrets of their decisions. Such secrecy is required for mature, rational and independent discussions in the cabinet meetings. It also avoids embarrassing situation for the ministers in and outside of legislature.
10. Dissolution of the Lower House: In parliamentary government, executive dis Lower House on the advice of the Prime Minister. This helps the Prime Minister to solve the political deadlock between legislature and executive. The Prime Minister uses this right in extra-ordinary situations to avoid defections among the legislators. The Parliamentary form of Government distributes power between the organs of government in such a way that the Parliament or the Legislature is given a prime position.
PRESIDENTIAL FORM OF GOVERNMENT
When the executive is not responsible to the legislature for its acts and is independent from the latter, the system of governance is known as the Presidential form of Government. This government is also described as the fixed executive system of government, non-parliamentary government and non-responsible government. It is prevalent in some states such as U.S.A., France Srilanka, Brazil etc.
The characteristics of a Presidential form of government are:
1. The President-the Chief Executive: The President acts as the ‘nominaland real” executive head. He enjoys executive powers as head of state and exercises them as head of government.
2. Direct Election: Direct elections are held to the office of the executive and legislature. While an Electoral College or electorate elects the President, the voters elect the legislators in the Lower House directly.
3. Fixed tenure: The President and the legislators continue in office for a fixed tenure. They can not be removed before the expiry of the tenure.
4. Subordinate position of ministers: The ministers in this system do not enjoy equal and co-ordinate status with the President. They act as mere advisers of the President. They depend on the President for their continuation and survival in office.
5. Dissolution of the Lower House: In parliamentary government, executive dis Lower House on the advice of the Prime Minister. This helps the Prime Minister to solve the political deadlock between legislature and executive.
The Prime Minister uses this right in extraordinary situations to avoid defections among the legislators. The Parliamentary form of Government distributes power between the organs of government in such a way that the Parliament or the Legislature is given a prime position.
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