The Council of Ministers of Indian Union is collectively responsible to the

The Council of Ministers of the Indian Union is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, which is the lower house of the Parliament. This fundamental principle of the parliamentary system is explicitly enshrined in Article 75 of the Constitution of India [2]. Collective responsibility implies that all ministers share joint responsibility for every act of omission and commission by the government, functioning as a cohesive team that 'swims or sinks together' [3]. This accountability is enforced through the Lok Sabha's power to remove the entire ministry by passing a vote of no-confidence [4]. While ministers are individually responsible to the President (holding office during their pleasure), their collective accountability is strictly to the Lok Sabha [5][t5]. This ensures that the executive remains answerable to the directly elected representatives of the people [t4][t6].

Sources

1. [1] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 21: Central Council of Ministers > Collective Responsibility > p. 215
2. [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 21: Central Council of Ministers > Collective Responsibility > p. 215
3. [3] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 13: Parliamentary System > DEMERITS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM > p. 133
4. [4] Laxmikanth, M. Indian Polity. 7th ed., McGraw Hill. > Chapter 13: Parliamentary System > DEMERITS OF THE PARLIAMENTARY SYSTEM > p. 133
5. [5] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 21: Central Council of Ministers > Individual Responsibility > p. 216