The declining trends in over six decades’ working of Parliamentary system of government in India has thrown open a debate as to whether it has lived up to the expectations of the founding fathers of the Constitution. Drawn from the system prevailing in U.K. for centuries and based upon the working of legislatures prior to Independence, Parliamentary system was considered to be the best suited for the existing geo-political conditions of India. However, trends like dynastic politics, multiplicity of political parties, voters’ apathy, instability, adoption of dubious means to form government, absence of healthy debates, pandemonium, boycott, absenteeism, lack of quorum, skyrocketing cost of Parliamentary proceedings, bypassing of Parliament, electoral malpractices, poor polling, criminalization of politics, etc. have crept into the working of the Parliamentary system.
The fact that dynastic politics has flourished in India with every politician trying hard to see his sons and daughters occupying constitutional positions regardless of their merit or credentials is certainly a bad omen for the democratic set-up of the country. It seems as if the criteria have changed from caliber to family affiliation. In fact, the entire polity is in a state of transition from democracy to oligarchy and the day is not far, if the trend continues, when politics will become the monopoly of a few families.
Parliamentary versus Presidential System of Government is an attempt to analyse all aspects relating to the persistent trends in Indian politics, its impact on the working of Parliamentary system and to find out whether the Presidential form of government with separation of powers can provide panacea for the political ills. It is based on a deep analysis of present political scenario, report of National Commission to Review the Working of the Constitution and the working of Presidential system in nearly 20 countries. The book shall be useful to the students and teachers of Political Science, analysts, lawyers and legislators.
