Chapter 12 · Topic 12.4 · Prelims + Mains4 of 4
Union Executive: Mains view: cabinet dominance and the size of
Key points
- Cabinet dominance (Mains 2024): a disciplined majority, anti-defection law, few sitting days and ordinances let the cabinet control Parliament.
- Checks remain: Question Hour, committees, the Rajya Sabha, coalitions and courts.
- Size of cabinet (Mains 2014): capped at 15% of the Lok Sabha by the 91st Amendment (2003); smaller, coordinated teams usually decide faster.
Mains view: cabinet dominance and the size of government
Like a class monitor who, once elected, sets every meeting’s agenda.
Mains 2024: has the cabinet sidelined Parliament?
- Yes: a disciplined majority, the anti-defection law (members must vote as their party says), few sitting days, bills passed with little debate, ordinances, and money-bill routes that bypass the Rajya Sabha.
- No: Question Hour, committees, the Rajya Sabha, coalition governments and judicial review still check the cabinet.
- Conclude with reforms: more sitting days, committee scrutiny of bills, pre-legislative consultation.
“The growth of cabinet system has practically resulted in the marginalisation of the parliamentary supremacy.” Elucidate.
Mains 2014: is efficiency inversely related to size? The 15% cap (91st Amendment, 2003) answers the constitutional part. Analytically, a smaller, well-coordinated team with clear portfolios usually decides faster; coalitions push size up.
The size of the cabinet should be as big as governmental work justifies and as big as the Prime Minister can manage as a team. How far is the efficacy of a government then inversely related to the size of the cabinet? Discuss.
| Real power | Checks | The President’s space |
|---|---|---|
| The PM leads the majority, chooses and drops ministers, chairs the Cabinet and key committees | Coalition partners, the Rajya Sabha, courts, federal States and the media | Choosing a PM in a hung House, returning advice once, the pocket veto |
What UPSC asks: cabinet dominance (2024) and cabinet size (2014). Next likely angle: falling sitting days and bills not sent to committees.
→ Parliament How Parliament controls the executive.
→ India and Other Constitutions Indian PM versus US President.
Mains box: analysis and answer points
- Cabinet system vs parliamentary supremacy (2024); size of cabinet and efficiency (2014).
- Reforms: more sitting days, committee scrutiny of bills, pre-legislative consultation.
Practice
Write an answer
In 150 words, explain the significance of Union Executive with one recent example.
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