The Westminster parliamentary model is founded on the supremacy of Parliament, to which the Executive remains collectively responsible under Article 75(3). However, the expansion of the cabinet system, disciplined party whips, and executive authority have concentrated power in the Cabinet, leading commentators to describe modern parliamentary democracies as “Cabinet Governments” or “Prime Ministerial Governments”.

Factors Leading to Marginalisation of Parliamentary Supremacy

• Executive Control Over the Legislative Agenda: The Cabinet determines parliamentary calendars, sitting days, and legislative priorities. Private Members’ Bills rarely pass into law (only 14 passed since 1952), reducing individual legislative initiative.
• Anti-Defection Law and Rigid Party Whips: The Tenth Schedule penalizes lawmakers for voting contrary to party directives, limiting floor debate and requiring legislators to support Cabinet decisions.
• Bypassing Departmentally Related Standing Committees (DRSCs): Complex bills are increasingly passed without being referred to Parliamentary Committees for detailed clause-by-clause scrutiny.
• Recourse to Ordinance Raj (Article 123): Promulgating ordinances when Parliament is not in session to implement major policies circumvents prior parliamentary debate.
• Declining Number of Sitting Days: Annual parliamentary sittings have declined from an average of over 120 days in the 1950s to around 55–65 days in recent years, reducing available time for legislative review.
• Guillotine of Budget Demands: Demands for Grants are frequently passed without detailed discussion due to time constraints, reducing financial oversight under Article 113.

Why Parliament Remains Structurally Significant

• Constituent and Amending Powers: Parliament holds exclusive constituent authority under Article 368 to amend the Constitution, serving as an ultimate legal check on the executive.
• Holding the Executive Accountable: Through Question Hour, Zero Hour, Calling Attention Motions, and No-Confidence Motions, MPs scrutinize government administration.
• Financial Control: Under Article 265, no tax can be levied or collected except by authority of law, ensuring parliamentary sanction for state revenues.
• Financial Committee Scrutiny: Standing committees—such as the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) and Estimates Committee—examine CAG reports and review executive spending.

As Walter Bagehot observed, the Cabinet functions as the “hyphen that joins, the buckle that fastens” the legislature to the executive. Strengthening committee reviews and ensuring adequate debate time is essential to restore legislative deliberation.