What is the most essential feature of the parliamentary form of government as adopted in India?

Introduction / Context:
There are two major models of democratic government parliamentary and presidential. India follows the parliamentary system at the Union and state levels. While this system has many features, such as a nominal head of state and a real head of government, one feature is considered most essential and distinguishes it clearly from the presidential system. This question asks you to identify that key feature.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• The question is about the parliamentary form of government, not the presidential form.
• We assume a basic understanding of how the Council of Ministers operates in relation to the legislature.
• The options include sovereignty of Parliament, written Constitution, executive accountability, independent judiciary, and direct election of head of state.

Concept / Approach:
In a parliamentary system, the real executive (the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers) is drawn from the legislature and remains in office only as long as it enjoys the confidence of the lower house. This makes the executive collectively responsible to the legislature, which can remove it through a vote of no confidence. This accountability is the core feature of parliamentary government. Other features, such as a written Constitution or independent judiciary, can also exist in presidential systems or other forms of government and are therefore not uniquely parliamentary.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that in India the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers must enjoy the confidence of the Lok Sabha.Step 2: Understand that the Lok Sabha can remove the government by passing a vote of no confidence.Step 3: Recognise that this arrangement means the executive is accountable to the legislature, which is the hallmark of the parliamentary system.Step 4: Compare this with the presidential system, where the executive has a fixed term and is not directly removable by the legislature in the same way.Step 5: Conclude that accountability of the executive to the legislature is the most essential feature.

Verification / Alternative check:
Textbooks on comparative government consistently list collective responsibility of the Council of Ministers to the lower house of Parliament as the defining feature of the parliamentary system. They contrast this with the separation of powers and fixed tenure of the executive in presidential systems. They may also mention other features, but they make clear that without legislative accountability, a system cannot truly be called parliamentary. This confirms that executive accountability is the correct choice.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Sovereignty of Parliament is a feature of systems like the United Kingdom, but in India parliamentary sovereignty is limited by the written Constitution and judicial review. A written Constitution is common to many systems, including presidential ones, so it is not unique to parliamentary government. An independent judiciary is important but exists in both parliamentary and presidential systems. Direct election of the head of state by the people is a feature of many presidential systems, not of India, where the President is elected indirectly.

Common Pitfalls:
Some learners are attracted to phrases like sovereignty of Parliament and independent judiciary because they sound powerful and important, but they forget to check whether the feature is unique to parliamentary government. Others focus on the presence of a written Constitution, which also does not distinguish the systems. Anchoring your understanding on the idea that the government must retain the confidence of the legislature will help you consistently identify the most essential parliamentary feature.

Final Answer:
Accountability of the executive to the legislature