Responsibilities of Ministers
Parliamentary, Individual & Departmental Accountability
PART I — THE PARLIAMENTARY BIND
ARTICLE 75(3)
Collective Responsibility
- The bedrock of the parliamentary system. The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the **Lok Sabha**.
- "They swim and sink together." If the Lok Sabha passes a No-Confidence Motion against *one* minister or the entire cabinet, **all ministers must resign**.
- Ensures the Cabinet acts as a single, unified team in public and before Parliament.
ARTICLE 75(2)
Individual Responsibility
- Ministers hold office **"during the pleasure of the President."**
- However, this pleasure is exercised *only* on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- The PM can ask a minister to resign, or advise the President to dismiss them, in cases of poor performance, corruption, or insubordination, without bringing down the entire government.
PART II — DEPARTMENTAL & LEGAL SCOPE
THE BUCK STOPS HERE
Departmental Responsibility
- A minister is the political head of their department and is **politically answerable** to Parliament for all acts of omission and commission in their ministry.
- If civil servants under the minister make a severe error or engage in corruption, the Minister must bear the political brunt and defend the department in Parliament (and may be forced to resign for systemic failures).
ARTICLE 74(2)
No Legal Responsibility
- In Britain, every royal order must be countersigned by a minister, who can be sued in court if it violates the law (Legal Responsibility).
- **India has no such system.** An order of the President does not require a minister's signature.
- Furthermore, courts are explicitly barred from inquiring into what advice was tendered by ministers to the President.
Return to Index: Indian Polity