Parliamentary Oversight and Opposition's Role

Statement 1 is incorrect: The Parliamentary Committee on Public Accounts (PAC) consists of not more than 22 members, not 25, elected by the Lok Sabha (the lower house) and Rajya Sabha (the upper house) of the Indian Parliament according to the principle of proportional representation. Statement 2 is correct: The PAC's primary function is to scrutinize the appropriation (budget) accounts of the Government of India. This involves examining how the government has spent the funds allocated to it by Parliament. Statement 3 is correct: The PAC examines the reports of the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG). The CAG is an independent constitutional authority that audits the accounts of the Union Government and the State governments. The PAC uses the CAG's reports as a basis for its scrutiny of government spending.

Option B is the correct answer. A parliamentary system of government is one in which the executive is responsible to the legislature. This responsibility means that the executive stays in power as long as it enjoys the confidence of the house. The moment the confidence is lost, it can be removed by Parliament by passing the no-confidence motion. This is the same feature which hampers the stability of the parliamentary system. Options A and C are incorrect. Parliamentary system functions irrespective of whether all parties have representation. The government is not directly elected by the people but indirectly through their representative in Parliament. Therefore, the instrument to remove the government through public vote is not available in the parliamentary system; this is a feature found in direct democracies. Option D is incorrect. It goes against the fundamental principle of parliamentary democracy which requires an executive responsible to the legislature. Therefore the correct answer is B.

(A) is incorrect: Direct election of the lower house is a feature of Representative Democracy. Many Presidential systems (such as the USA) also have directly elected legislatures; therefore, this is not the distinguishing factor of a Parliamentary system. (B) is incorrect: The authority to amend the Constitution is a matter of Constitutional Sovereignty. This power exists in various forms of government, including both Parliamentary and Presidential models. (C) is incorrect: The fact that the Rajya Sabha is a permanent house is a Federal feature intended to maintain the representation of the States. It does not define the relationship between the Executive and the Legislature. (D) is correct: As per Article 75(3) of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. This "Collective Responsibility" is the bedrock of the Parliamentary form of government, as the executive's survival depends on the support of the legislature.

The main advantage of a parliamentary form of government is that c) the executive remains responsible to the legislature. [Article 75(c)] Here's why the other options are not the main advantage: a) The executive and legislature actually work closely together in a parliamentary system, as the executive is drawn from the legislature.
b) Continuity of policy can be a benefit, but it's not the main advantage. Parliamentary systems can still be efficient in passing laws.
d) The head of government (Prime Minister) can be changed through a vote of no confidence in the legislature.

The Parliament of India exercises control over the Council of Ministers through various parliamentary mechanisms, ensuring accountability and transparency in governance. These include: * Adjournment Motion: This motion is used to discuss a specific and urgent matter of public importance. If admitted, it compels the government to respond and can lead to debate, criticism, or even censure, putting the ruling party in a difficult position. * Question Hour: Held at the beginning of a parliamentary sitting, MPs can question ministers on government policies, decisions, and administrative matters. This provides a structured way to scrutinize the executive’s performance. * Supplementary Questions: After a minister responds to a question during Question Hour, MPs can ask follow-up questions to seek further clarification or probe deeper into the issue, enhancing ministerial accountability. Hence, the correct answer is option (D) 1, 2 and 3.