Case for Presidential System

Context:  The Parliamentary System borrowed from the British has not worked in Indian condition; hence it is time to replace it with the Presidential system.

Flaws in Indian Parliamentary System 

• Inefficient legislators: Unqualified legislators sought election only to wield executive power.
• Focus is more on politics than on policy or performance: as governments dependent on a fickle/ undecided legislative majority.
• Governments concentrate less on governance: and more on staying in office.

• Unclear party system distorts the voting preferences of an electorate.
• Voters choose individuals based on their caste and their public image.

• Parties shift alliances due to selfish individual interests: not vehicles of coherent sets of ideas.

Britain’s Parliamentary System 

• Small population: with electorates of less than a lakh voters per constituency
• Clearly defined political parties: each with a coherent set of policies and preferences 
• In India, a party is often a label of convenience which a politician adopts and discards frequently.

Arguments against Parliamentary System:

• Limits executive posts to those who are electable rather than to those who are able. 
• Prime Minister has to cater to the wishes of the political leaders for appointing a cabinet.
• Defections and horse-trading: bargaining over getting enough MLAs to resign while promising them offices when they win the subsequent by-elections.
• Legislative Delegation: Executives draft laws with minimal parliamentary inputs and a few minutes of debate.
• Parliament or Assembly serves as a theatre for the demonstration of power to disrupt: The Whip ensures unimpeded passage of a bill.

Benefits of the Presidential System

• Stable government with the stability of tenure: free from legislative whim i.e a directly elected chief executive instead of being vulnerable to coalition support politics.
• The government can appoint a cabinet of talents: rather than depending on party politics. 
• More focus on governance: and not just on forming a government.
• Voting directly for the individual: that voter wants to be ruled by. 
• Concentrated Accountability: President will truly be able to claim to speak for a majority of Indians rather than a majority of MPs.

• The public would be able to judge the individual: on performance, rather than on political skill at keeping a government in office.

• Strengthens Local Self Governance: due to directly elected local officials with real authority and financial resources.

• Independent legislature will check the dictatorial tendencies of the Presidential system.
• Presidential powers would be balanced by directly elected chief executives in the states.

Conclusion: Changing to a presidential system is the best way of ensuring a democracy that delivers progress to our people.