India, Aug. 17 -- The general election of 1951-52 was the first major test of political Democracy in the new Republic of India. India passed that test with high honours because of the benevolent leadership of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. India opted for Parliamentary Democracy, the Cabinet system of government, based on the British model. The Cabinet is responsible to the House of the People. It functions on the principle of joint responsibility and remains in office as long as it maintains the confidence of the House of the People.

Nehru's Cabinet was surrounded by persons who did not share his ideology. They were retained mostly out of a sense of loyalty to old colleagues, persons who fought side by side for Independence. Until the death ...