COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
Conditions of service
- It is composed of all Union Ministers – the Prime Minister, Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State and Deputy Ministers
- The council is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister
- A Minister must be a member of either House of Parliament, or be elected within 6 months of assuming office
Collective Responsibility
- The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha
- A vote of no confidence even against a single Minister means the entire Council must resign
- Each Minister is also responsible for his department and can be removed from office by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister
Functions of the Council of Ministers
- Formulates policies of the country on the basis of which administration is carried out
- Introduces all important Bills in Parliament and oversees their passage
- Presents the Budget to the Parliament
- Determines foreign policy
- Approves international agreements and treaties
- Render advice to the President regarding proclamation of war or emergency
CATEGORIES OF MINISTERS
- Cabinet Minister
- Senior minister in charge of a particular Ministry
- May hold additional charges of other Ministries (if no other Cabinet Minister is appointed)
- Cabinet Ministers must belong to either House of Parliament
- Currently there are 33 Cabinet Ministers
- Minister of State (Independent Charge)
- In charge of a particular portfolio
- Is not under the oversight of a Cabinet Minister
- Currently there are 7 MoS with independent charge
- Minister of State
- A minister with a specific responsibility in a particular Ministry
- Reports to the concerned Cabinet Minister
- Currently there are 38 MoS
THE PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA
Overview
- The Prime Minister is the head of government and the head of the Council of Ministers
- The PM is responsible for the discharge of functions and powers of the President
- The PM must be a member of either House of Parliament, or be elected within 6 months of taking office
ELECTION TO OFFICE
Appointment
- The Prime Minister is appointed by the President on the basis of his being the leader of the majority party in the Lok Sabha
- If no party gets an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha or a PM resigns or dies, the President can use his own discretion in the choice of a Prime Minister
- If the person the President so appoints is not a member of the Lok Sabha, he must get himself elected within a period of 6 months
Conditions of service
- The Prime Minister serves in office for 5 years
- He can be re-appointed
- When the Lok Sabha is dissolved, he can continue in office upon the request of the President
- If the government is defeated in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister and entire cabinet must resign
- However, if defeated in the Rajya Sabha, resignation is not obligatory
FUNCTIONS OF THE PRIME MINISTER
- Legislative functions
- He is the leader of the majority in the Lok Sabha
- The President convenes and prorogues sessions of Parliament in consultation with the PM
- Can recommend dissolution of the Lok Sabha to the President
- All members of the Cabinet are appointed by the President on the recommendation of the PM
- Administrative functions
- Acts as the chief channel of communication between the President and the Council of Ministers
- Allocates portfolios among various ministers and shuffles them
- Presides over meetings of the Council of Ministers
- Supervises the working of other Ministers
- Executive functions
- Represents the country internationally
- Acts as the ex-officio Chairman of the Planning Commission
- Has exclusive jurisdiction over the disposal of the PM’s National Relief Fund and the PM’s National Defence Fund
- Advisory functions
- Assists the President in the appointment of all high officials
- Recommends to the President proclamation of emergency
- Advices the President on the imposition of President’s Rule
LIST OF PRIME MINISTERS OF INDIA
No. | Prime Minister | Date | Notes |
1 | Jawaharlal Nehru | 1947 – 1964 | First Prime Minister First to die in office Longest tenure |
2 | Guzari Lal Nanda | May 1964 – Jun 1964 | First and only “acting” PM |
3 | Lal Bahadur Shastri | Jun 1964 – Jan 1966 | First PM to die abroad during official tour |
4 | Guzari Lal Nanda | Jan 1966 – Jan 1966 | |
5 | Indira Gandhi | Jan 1966 – Mar 1967 | First woman PM First PM to lose an election |
6 | Moraji Desai | Mar 1977 – Jul 1979 | Oldest to become PM (81 years) First to resign from office |
7 | Charan Singh | Jul 1979 – Jan 1980 | Only PM that did not face Parliament |
8 | Indira Gandhi | Jan 1980 – Oct 1984 | First PM to be assassinated |
9 | Rajiv Gandhi | Oct 1984 – Dec 1989 | Youngest to become PM (40 years) |
10 | VP Singh | Dec 1989 – Nov 1990 | First PM to resign after vote of no confidence |
11 | Chandra Shekar | Nov 1990 – Jun 1991 | |
12 | Narasimha Rao | Jun 1991 – May 1996 | |
13 | AB Vajpayee | May 1996 – Jun 1996 | Shortest tenure (13 days) |
14 | Deve Gowda | Jun 1996 – Apr 1997 | |
15 | IK Gujral | Apr 1997 – Mar 1998 | |
16 | AB Vajpayee | Mar 1998 – May 2004 | |
17 | Manmohan Singh | May 2004 – Present |
THE DEPUTY PRIME MINISTER
- It is not a constitutional post
- Does not carry any specific powers
- Can chair meetings of the Cabinet in the absence of the PM, and take on the responsibility of the PM in case of the latter’s death
- India has had 7 Deputy Prime Ministers
- Sardar Vallabhai Patel was the first Deputy PM. He was also the Home Minister concurrently
- The current government does not have a Deputy PM
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