Why is the Constitution of India so lengthy? What does Parliamentary Democracy mean?

The Constitution of India is so lengthy because the Constitution makers strived to make a perfect Constitution. They borrowed many salient features from the Constitutions of other countries and modified them to suit the conditions and needs of the country, so far the constitution of India is lengthy. For example, the idea of Fundamental Rights was taken from the constitution of America and the idea of Directive Principles of State policy was taken from the Irish Constitution. Our Constitution also embodies the modified results of judicial decisions in other countries.

Though India adopted the parliamentary system of government, as practiced in Britain, the vastness of the country necessitated detail framework of a federal structure. Moreover, the Constitution-makers took into account the myriad problems of the country and the necessity of addressing them. The Constitution of India has provision for various parts of the political and administrative structure and doesn’t leave any room for ambiguity in important areas. Hence, one finds detailed provisions regarding judiciary, public services, center-state relations, etc. in our Constitution.

Parliamentary Democracy

The Parliamentary Democracy is known as the government of the people. In a Parliamentary system the executive, Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister, is answerable to the House of the People or the Parliament. Thus the executive is a part of the legislature and answerable to it. In our multi-linguistic and multi-ethnic country the parliamentary system of democracy was thought as most appropriate.

While the presidential system of government is marked by divided authority, the parliamentary system of government has a strong center. Moreover, India had some experience of working of a parliamentary system of government during British rule. In the existing conditions of India, the Parliamentary system based on universal adult franchise was regarded as ideal to mobilize and empower the people all over the country Therefore, the Constituent Assembly of India decided to adopt parliamentary form of government both at the Center and the States.