Shadow Cabinet

Subject – Polity

Context – A shadow foreign policy for the first time

Concept –

The concept of a shadow cabinet is popular in some of the western democracies such as the United Kingdom. Opposition parties form an alternative cabinet that scrutinises decisions taken by the government.
The positions in such a shadow cabinet mirror those in the real government. For example, the opposition’s shadow cabinet would comprise positions of home affairs, finance, external affairs, agriculture, railways, etc. just as the real Union Cabinet.
Opposition members who are given charge of these “portfolios” are responsible for monitoring all developments in those respective fields. These “ministers” could also counter the Union Ministers if need arises.
These cabinets are often informal and its decisions are not binding.
Similar concepts exist in Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand and South Africa, among others, in some form.
A shadow cabinet formation allows the opposition to mark ministers and track issues better.

Experiments in India

There have been multiple experiments with running shadow cabinets in India. However, these have happened only at the state level.

Kitchen Cabinet –

Caretaker Government –