Question

Explain how the lower house of the parliament exercises control on the Executive in India.

Answer 1

In India, the lower house of Parliament, the Lok Sabha, exercises authority over the Executive (Council of Ministers) in three key ways:

• The Executive (the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers) is collectively accountable to the Lok Sabha. This means that they must maintain their confidence to stay in power. If the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion, the entire government must resign.
• The Lok Sabha also holds the Executive accountable through questions, discussions, and debates on the government’s policies and activities, particularly during sessions such as Question Hour and Zero Hour. 
• Also, it controls the Union Budget and money matters; the government cannot spend money or raise taxes without Lok Sabha consent. The Lok Sabha conducts further oversight and accountability of ministries through different parliamentary committees.