2. Appointment
• Shall be appointed by the President in
accordance with the well-established
parliamentary practice of inviting the leader of
the majority party in the Lok Sabha (Art.75).
• President has discretionary power when no
party or coalition commands a majority in the
Lok Sabha to appoint PM
3. Qualifications
• Must be citizen of India
• Must be member of either house of
Parliament
• If he is not, he must become the member
within six months of appointment
• Leader of the majority party or one who
enjoys the majority support in the Lok Sabha
4. Tenure of PM
• No fix tenure
• PM shall hold office as long as he enjoys the
majority support in the Lok Sabha.
• Lok Sabha can remove PM by way of carrying
out a No Confidence Motion or Censor Motion
or Cut Motion.
• With the removal of PM, the entire Cabinet
resigns.
5. Executive Powers of PM
• Formation of Council of Ministers: appoints, removes and
distributes portfolios to Ministers
• Presides the Meetings of the Cabinet
• Leader of the Council of Ministers
• Prepares the list for various important appointments such as
those of governors, judges of Supreme and High Court,
members of UPSC, Election Commission, ambassadors and
high Commissioners. These appointments are however made
by the President.
6. Legislative Powers of PM
• Fixes the Programme of the Parliament
• Makes Important Policy Statements in the Parliament
• Defends the Policies of the Government in the Parliament
• Director of Foreign Policy
• Director of Indian Economy
• Leader of the Lok Sabha
• Recommends Dissolution of the Lok Sabha
7. Changing Role of PM
in the Age of Coalition Politics
• Bound to follow the Common Minimum
Programme
• Bound to take Political Parties along side
• Not independent enough in the formation of
Council of Ministry
• Important decisions are taken by the Co-
ordination Committee made by the partner
parties
8. Position of PM - I
• The constitution envisages a scheme of affairs in which the President of
India is the head of the executive in terms of Article 53 with office of the
Prime Minister as heading the Council of Ministers to assist and advise the
President in the discharge of the executive power. To quote, Article 53 and
74 provide as under:
The executive powers of the Union shall be vested in the
President and shall be exercised either directly or through
subordinate officers, in accordance with the Constitution.
— Article 53(1), Constitution of India
There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister
at the head to aid and advise the President who shall, in the
exercise of his functions, act in accordance with such advice.
9. Position of PM - II
• — Article 74(1), Constitution of India
Unlike most parliamentary democracies
where the Head of State's duties are only
ceremonial, the Prime Minister of India is the
head of government and has joint
responsibility for executive powers along
with the President of India.
• Chief political strategist for the government
and the nation
10. Can Indian PM be a Dictator?
There are number of constraints on PM:
• Control of Parliament
• Control of Public Opinion
• Control of Constitution
• Control of Press
• Control of the President
• Control of Opposition
11. • Avasthi, A.P, Indian Government and Politics, Narain Agarwal, Agra,
2001.
• Badyal, J.S, Indian Government and Politics, Raj Publishers, Jalandhar,
2013.
• Fadia, B.L, Indian Government and Politics, Sahitya Bhawan
Publication, Agra, 2002
• Ghai, U.R, Indian Government and Politics, New Academic Publishing,
Jalandhar, 2002.
• Gupta, D.C, Indian Government and Politics,Vikas Publishing House,
New Delhi, 1978
• Johari, J.C, Indian Government and Politics, Vishal Publication, 1979.
