Political Executive (President, Prime Minister, and Council of Ministers)

Correct answer: A. Collective responsibility

Collective responsibility means that the Council of Ministers acts as one team and accepts responsibility for Cabinet decisions. A minister may express disagreement during internal discussion, but once a decision is adopted, the minister must publicly support it. If the minister cannot do so, the constitutional convention is to resign. This unity allows the government to present a clear policy and remain accountable to the Lok Sabha as a group.

Therefore, option A is correct: keeping office while openly rejecting a Cabinet decision affects collective responsibility. Judicial review concerns the courts’ examination of legality, federalism concerns the division of powers, and Election Commission independence concerns electoral administration. None of these principles directly describes the duty of ministers to stand together behind Cabinet decisions.

Correct answer: A. Equal and fair implementation of policy will be affected

Permanent officials are expected to serve the government professionally and apply lawful decisions fairly, regardless of their personal political preferences. If they implement a policy with political bias, they may favour some citizens or regions and treat others unfairly. This can reduce public trust, create discrimination, and prevent the policy from reaching its intended beneficiaries. Neutral administration is therefore important for effective governance.

Political bias does not turn the President into the Prime Minister, make Lok Sabha a permanent House, or convert the Council of Ministers into a court. The direct danger is unequal and unfair implementation of policy. Thus option A is correct. Political leaders decide broad policies, while permanent officials should carry them out impartially within the law and remain accountable for proper administration.