Question

The Union Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to

• A. President of India
• B. Prime Minister
• C. Lok Sabha
• D. Rajya Sabha

Hint:

Collective responsibility is a cornerstone of parliamentary democracy, ensuring accountability of the executive to the directly elected house of the legislature. In India's context, this is the Lok Sabha.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understand the concept of collective responsibility in a parliamentary system.
In a parliamentary democracy, the principle of collective responsibility means that the Council of Ministers, as a body, is accountable to the elected representatives of the people. This implies that they stand or fall together.

Step 2: Identify the specific body to which the Union Council of Ministers is collectively responsible under the Indian Constitution.
Article 75(3) of the Indian Constitution explicitly states: "The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People." The 'House of the People' is the Lok Sabha.

Step 3: Evaluate each option based on this constitutional provision.
(1) President of India: Ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister, but collective responsibility is not to the President.
(2) Prime Minister: The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers, and ministers are individually responsible to the Prime Minister. However, the collective responsibility of the entire council is to the legislature.
(3) Lok Sabha: The Lok Sabha (House of the People) is the lower house of the Indian Parliament, and it is to this body that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible. If a no-confidence motion is passed against the Council of Ministers in the Lok Sabha, the entire council must resign.
(4) Rajya Sabha: The Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the upper house of the Indian Parliament. While it plays a significant role in legislation, the Council of Ministers is not collectively responsible to the Rajya Sabha.

Step 4: Conclude the correct answer.
Therefore, the Union Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.