- in Parliamentary democracy
- political exec responsible for policy formulation
- bureaucracy responsible for implementation
- eg. Cabinet highest policy making body but political exec consists of professional politicians whose knowledge about administration limited
- policy formulation & implementation is highly technical activity
- demands specialized skills & knowledge
- to overcome weakness, secretariat organizations came into existence
- these secretariat orgs provide necessary technical inputs to political exec in policy formulation
- origin in british rule
- Indian Councils Act 1861 introduced Portfolio System in secretariat administration
- entire administration divided into various ministries & depts. based on division of work and specialization
- Head of these depts. were there to assist GG in administration