A Parliamentry Democracy is one where 1. a balance of popular participation and elite rule takes place. 2. the government is responsible not to the public but to the elected representatives. 3. the parliamentarians are delegated the responsibility of thinking and acting on behalf of their constituents. Select the correct answer using the code given below :

Parliamentary democracy is characterized by a balance between popular participation (through elections) and elite rule (by elected representatives who govern) [2]. Unlike direct democracy, it is an indirect system where the executive is responsible to the legislature (the elected representatives) rather than directly to the public for its daily policies and actions [3]. This structure establishes a delegation relationship where citizens act as the ultimate principal, delegating the responsibility of thinking, deliberating, and acting on their behalf to parliamentarians. These representatives are expected to reflect the diverse interests of their constituents while exercising leadership and discretion in the decision-making process [1]. Thus, all three statements accurately describe the functional and theoretical underpinnings of a parliamentary democracy, emphasizing representation, accountability to the legislature, and the delegation of political agency [3].

Sources

1. [1] Indian Constitution at Work, Political Science Class XI (NCERT 2025 ed.) > Chapter 5: LEGISLATURE > Conclusion > p. 121
2. [2] Indian Polity, M. Laxmikanth(7th ed.) > Chapter 5: Preamble of the Constitution > 4. Democratic > p. 44
3. [3] Exploring Society:India and Beyond ,Social Science, Class VIII . NCERT(Revised ed 2025) > Chapter 6: The Parliamentary System: Legislature and Executive > Introduction > p. 141