UPSC Prelims 1998 · General Studies

Question 62: Polity and Governance

The Indian parliamentary system is different from the British parliamentary system in that India has

aBoth a real and a nominal executive

bA system of collective responsibility

cBicameral legislature

dThe system of judicial review

AnswerThe answer is (d).

Both countries have a nominal head of state and a real executive in the cabinet, collective responsibility to the lower house, and a two-chamber legislature. The difference is that India has a written Constitution that is supreme, so courts can strike down laws that violate it (judicial review), whereas in Britain Parliament is sovereign. Remember: Britain has parliamentary sovereignty, India has constitutional supremacy.

Why each option is right or wrong

(a) Britain also has a nominal monarch and a real cabinet.
(b) Collective responsibility to the lower house is common to both systems.
(c) Britain also has two houses, Commons and Lords.
(d) Right: judicial review follows from the supremacy of India's written Constitution.

Explanation: written by UPSC Grade, not by UPSC.

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Source: UPSC, Civil Services (Preliminary) Examination 1998, General Studies. UPSC's own paper isn't online; the words are from a published compilation. The paper on upsc.gov.in.