Background
Overview
Understanding the principles of ministerial accountability is fundamental to comprehending the functioning of India's parliamentary democracy, the relationship between the executive and legislature, and mechanisms for good governance.
In India's parliamentary system, ministers are accountable to the Parliament. This accountability operates on two levels: collective responsibility (Article 75(3)) and individual responsibility (Article 75(2)). Collective responsibility means the entire Council of Ministers is jointly responsible to the Lok Sabha for all its acts of omission and commission. Individual responsibility implies that each minister is personally responsible for the administration of their department and can be removed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.