Skip to main content
UploadLanguage (EN)Support
BusinessMobileSocial MediaMarketingTechnologyArt & PhotosCareerDesignEducationPresentations & Public SpeakingGovernment & NonprofitHealthcareInternetLawLeadership & ManagementAutomotiveEngineeringSoftwareRecruiting & HRRetailSalesServicesScienceSmall Business & EntrepreneurshipFoodEnvironmentEconomy & FinanceData & AnalyticsInvestor RelationsSportsSpiritualNews & PoliticsTravelSelf ImprovementReal EstateEntertainment & HumorHealth & MedicineDevices & HardwareLifestyle
Uploaded bykarthikgangula
PPTX, PDF10,658 views

Prime minister and the council of ministers

The document outlines the appointment and roles of the Prime Minister and the council of ministers in India. It details the composition of the council, the powers and responsibilities of the Prime Minister, and the concept of collective and individual ministerial responsibility. Furthermore, it explains the dynamics between the Prime Minister, the President, and the functioning of the cabinet versus the broader council of ministers.

Education◦
Downloaded 48 times
Prime minister and the council of ministers
Appointment of the prime minister ● Prime minister is appointed by the president ● President invites leader if the majority party of the lok sabha to form the government ● When no single political party has an absolute majority in the lok sabha then the president may have some option in the appointment of the prime minister ○ But the president has to appoint that person who can prove that he has the support of some smaller parties in order to have a majority in the house
Council of ministers ● Article 75 of the constitution says that “prime minister shall be appointed by the president and the other ministers shall be appointed by the president on advice of the prime minister” ● Members of the parliament are appointed as ministers ○ In case a non member is appointed as a minister, he must be elected to the parliament within 6 months from date of his appointment
Composition of the Council of ministers Deputy minister ● Third category of ministers who assist ministers of state and cabinet ● They are junior ministers placed under senior ministers ● Take no part in cabinet deliberations 3 Ministers of state ● Second category of ministers ● May or may not hold an independent charge of portfolio ● They do not participate in cabinet meetings ● Prime minister may of may not consult them. 2 Cabinet ministers ● Most important member of the cabinet of ministers ● Holds important portfolios like defence, finance, etc ● Only they can attend cabinet meetings ● Together determine policy and programme of the government 1
Size of the council of ministers ● The 91st amendment has put a ceiling on the number of members of the council of ministers ● 15% of the strength of the lok sabha and state legislature ● In case of smaller states max number of ministers is 12 ● These steps were taken for the following reasons ○ Curb the government expenditure ○ Check defections from on party to another
Position and powers of the prime ministers
Prime minister and the president ● Advises the president on various appointments to important posts such as judges of supreme court, governors, ambassadors, etc ● Advises the president to summon and prorogue the parliament and dissolve the lok sabha ● Prime minister chooses the minister and on his advice the president appoints them. The ministers may be dismissed on the advice of the prime minister ● Prime minister communicates all decisions of the council of ministers to the president. Minister cannot discuss any matter of national policy to the president on his own
Prime minister and the cabinet ● Leader of the cabinet ○ Prime minister has liberty to decide on appointment of different category of ministers ● Resignation of the prime minister ○ Prime minister resignation implies resignation of entire cabinet ● Power to select and dismiss ministers ○ He can ask an erring (guilty) minister ○ Chooses ministers and has power to dismiss them ● Power to allocate portfolios and to reshuffle the council of ministers ○ Prime minister allocates departments or portfolios to the ministers ○ He can shuffle council of ministers when he pleases
Prime minister inside the parliament ● Intervention in case of controversial issues ○ Some controversial issues cause members to lose their temper ○ If an ugly situation arises the matter ends with intervention of the prime minister ● Leader of the lok sabha ○ Since prime minister is the leader of the majority party he is leader of the lok sabha ● Spokesperson of the government ○ Prime minister is the chief spokesman of the government in the parliament ○ He makes all important announcements on national policies on the floor of the house ● Defender of the government policies ○ Prime minister defends the government in the parliament ○ When a policy is under attack, prime minister comes to defend the matter
Prime minister as leader of the nation ● Prime minister represents the nation when he speaks the entire nation is supposed to be speaking through him ● During a national crisis, even opposite parties support the prime minister ● The prime minister is also the ex-officio chairman of the niti aayog and the atomic energy commission ● Prime minister decides what kind of relations India will have with other countries
Check on the authority of the Prime minister ● Press and public act as effective checks on the prime minister ● Opposition parties will always look for a chance to criticise the prime minister ● Prime minister has to ensure the support of his ministers as well as the party ● In case of no absolute majority (coalitions) the prime minister’s position becomes vulnerable
Collective responsibility of the cabinet ● Vote of confidence against one ministry is a vote against the whole ministry and the entire ministry has to resign ● Decisions taken in the cabinet meetings will be equally applicable to all the ministers even though they may differ amongst themselves on a particular policy ● All ministers jointly share the responsibility of the policy and programmes. The ministers must support and defend these policies inside and outside the parliament
Individual responsibility of the cabinet ● Ministers are individually responsible for the president ● May be dismissed by the president even when they may have the confidence of the legislature ● Ministers are answerable to the parliament for departments under their control ● Each minister is responsible for ○ Personal lapse (judgement) ○ Breach of oath of secrecy ○ Departure from official policy by him ● There are many occasions where minister have owned up to their shortcomings and mistakes and resigned
Cabinet vs council of ministers ● Council of ministers consists of all categories of ministers ● According to the constitution president acts on the advice of the Council of ministers but in reality this is not the case ● They rarely meet on day to day working of the government ● May or may not consult the other ministers ● Cabinet consists of senior most ministers ● Cabinet advises the president through the prime minister ● Small cohesive group of senior most ministers who meet frequently ● The prime minister always consults them