With a majority government and the ability to issue a party whip, the prime minister and his or her cabinet can be described as constitutional oligarchs in a Westminster model of parliamentary democracy. The crux, therefore, is the constitutional framework within which a Westminster parliamentary system operates. The queen acquiesced, and this touched off the greatest constitutional crisis that the UK has faced since the forced abdication of King Edward VIII in 1936. Interestingly, the prorogation crisis in the UK ended very differently from a similar crisis in Canada in December 2008. We might reflect on what they mean for India’s particular brand of Westminster democracy.

Source: Mint October 20, 2019 16:07 UTC