Parliamentary Sovereignty

noun (uncountable)

/ˌpɑːləˈmɛntri ˈsɒvrɪnti/

The constitutional doctrine, associated primarily with the UK's uncodified constitution, that Parliament is the supreme legal authority, capable of making or unmaking any law, and that no court or body can override or set aside its legislation. India expressly rejects absolute parliamentary sovereignty: Article 13 makes Parliamentary legislation subject to fundamental rights; the Basic Structure doctrine (Kesavananda Bharati, 1973) limits constitutional amendment power; and judicial review under Articles 32 and 226 allows courts to strike down both central and state laws.

✍️ Usage in a UPSC answer

Unlike the UK's doctrine of parliamentary sovereignty, India's Constitution places the judiciary as the ultimate arbiter of constitutional validity, empowering courts to strike down legislation — including constitutional amendments — that violates the basic structure.

Synonyms

legislative supremacyparliamentary supremacyomnipotence of parliament

Antonyms

constitutional supremacyjudicial reviewlimited governmentbasic structure doctrine

🌱 Word Family

sovereign (noun/adjective), sovereignty (noun), parliament (noun), parliamentary (adjective), parliamentarian (noun)

🔡 Root

Old French parlement ← parler (to speak) + Latin superanus ← super (above) + -an(us) (suffix)

📜 Etymology

Parliament from Old French parlement (a speaking, a meeting), from parler (to speak). Sovereignty from Old French sovereineté, from Medieval Latin superanitas, from superanus (above all others). Dicey's Introduction to the Study of the Law of the Constitution (1885) is the canonical statement of Parliamentary sovereignty in English constitutional theory.

🧠 Memory Hook

PARLIAMENTARY SOVEREIGNTY = Parliament is SOVEREIGN (king). In the UK, Parliament is the all-powerful king — no court can touch its laws. In India, the Constitution wears the crown, not Parliament.

📝 Seen in UPSC Question Papers

Mains 2023 · GS2 · 10 marks — Indian Polity

Real UPSC previous-year questions whose text uses “Parliamentary Sovereignty” — proof this word earns its place on your list.

⚖️ Polity & Constitution 📖 Seen in: Preamble of the Indian Constitution

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