Short notes on the parliamentary control over the executive

The legislative authority of the union is vested in the Parliament of India. The Parliament consists of the President and the two houses, the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People).

The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The Lok Sabha is empowered to pass a vote of censure against the ministry. Whenever such a motion is passed, the ministry has to resign.

Both the houses exercise control over the executive through asking questions, discussing matters of urgent public importance, moving call- attention notices and adjournment motions, and also by appointing various committees such as public accounts committee, estimates committee, committee on public undertakings, committee on government assurances, the committee on privileges, the committee on subordinate legislation etc. All these activities keep the executive alert.

So far as financial control is concerned, the executive has the right to formulate the budget. But Parliament must authorise by law the levy or modification of taxes. If any tax is imposed without legislative authority, the affected person can approach the courts for relief. In addition to it, the executive cannot spend public revenue without the sanction of Parliament. Parliament has also been provided with the means of ensuring economy in the amount of government expenditure.

The Comptroller and Auditor-General (CAG) helps Parliament in ensuring that the executive has spent the expenditure sanctioned by Parliament in terms of law. The CAG audits that accounts of the union to see that no money has been spent without parliamentary sanction.

While these controls are theoretically important, in reality today, Parliament hardly wields any substantial authority over the executive. The government generally controlls Parliament through its majority in the Lok Sabha.