Prime Minister & Council of Ministers

The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003, limited the size of the Council of Ministers to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha.

As per Article 75, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India.

Article 75 states that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

Article 78 defines the duties of the Prime Minister to communicate decisions of the Council of Ministers to the President.

Under Article 75(5), a Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of either House of Parliament ceases to be a Minister.

Article 75(6) provides that the salaries and allowances of Ministers shall be such as Parliament may from time to time determine.

Cabinet Ministers are the senior-most ministers who head important ministries and are members of the Cabinet, the core decision-making body.

The Prime Minister of India acts as the ex-officio Chairman of the NITI Aayog.

Article 75(2) states that the Ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President.

The Cabinet Secretary is the administrative head of the Cabinet Secretariat and the chief advisor to the Prime Minister.

Due to collective responsibility, the entire Council of Ministers must resign if the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion.

The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act of 2003 limited the strength of the Council of Ministers to 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha.

Before a Minister enters upon his office, the President administers to him the oaths of office and of secrecy.

The categories of ministers are: Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State (Independent charge), Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers. 'Deputy Cabinet Minister' is not an official designation.

According to Article 75(1), the other ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.

The Kitchen Cabinet is a smaller body consisting of the Prime Minister and two to four influential colleagues in whom they have faith and with whom they discuss important issues.

The Prime Minister serves as the ex-officio Chairman of various bodies including the NITI Aayog, NDC, NIC, and the Inter-State Council.

Article 74(2) states that the question whether any, and if so what, advice was tendered by Ministers to the President shall not be inquired into in any court.

The Prime Minister is the leader of the House (Lok Sabha) if they are a member of it; otherwise, they nominate a member as the leader of the Lok Sabha.

Article 78 defines the duties of the Prime Minister in furnishing information to the President and communicating decisions of the Council of Ministers.

The Shadow Cabinet is a feature of the British parliamentary system and is not a part of the Indian parliamentary framework.

The Council of Ministers includes all categories of ministers (Cabinet, MoS, Deputy), while the Cabinet consists only of senior ministers who head important ministries.

The word 'Cabinet' was added to Article 352 by the 44th Amendment Act of 1978 to ensure that the President declares a national emergency only after a written recommendation from the Cabinet.

The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers; therefore, their resignation or death results in the automatic dissolution of the entire Council of Ministers.

Ministers of State can either have independent charge of departments or assist Cabinet ministers; they attend Cabinet meetings only when invited for matters concerning their specific departments.

The Prime Minister of India is the head of the government and represents India at the CHOGM.

According to Article 75, the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, meaning they sink or swim together.

The Rajya Sabha is a permanent house and cannot be dissolved; the Cabinet has no power to dissolve it.

According to Article 75(5), a minister who is not a member of either house for six consecutive months ceases to be a minister.

Under the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, the Prime Minister exercises the authority to allocate and re-allocate portfolios.

The Prime Minister is often described as 'primus inter pares' (first among equals) among the ministers, while serving as the head of the executive government.

Deputy Ministers are the lowest rung of the Council of Ministers and are attached to Cabinet ministers or Ministers of State to assist them in their administrative and parliamentary duties.

It is the prerogative of the Prime Minister to decide the rank and position of the ministers within the Council of Ministers.

Under Article 75, the salaries and allowances of Ministers and the Prime Minister are determined by the Parliament by law.

Since the President acts on the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, the countersignature ensures that a responsible minister takes ownership of the executive action.

Article 78 explicitly states that it is the duty of the PM to communicate to the President all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to administration.

The 'Kitchen Cabinet' or 'Inner Cabinet' is a small, informal body of influential ministers or trusted advisors who are close to the Prime Minister.

According to Article 75(3), the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha).

There is no constitutional provision requiring the Prime Minister to be a member of the Lok Sabha; multiple PMs (e.g., Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh) have served while being members of the Rajya Sabha.

The Prime Minister provides coordination and supervision of the ministries through the Cabinet Secretariat, which functions under his direct charge.

Article 75 states that ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President; however, in practice, this means they can be removed by the President only on the advice of the Prime Minister.

A Minister without Portfolio is a member of the Council of Ministers (and potentially the Cabinet) who does not have a specific ministry assigned to them.

The Prime Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers; their resignation or death results in the automatic dissolution of the entire Council of Ministers.

The 'Shadow Cabinet' is a feature of the British Cabinet system where the opposition forms a rival team to the government; it does not exist in India.

Article 78 lays down the duties of the Prime Minister, specifically regarding the communication of information to the President.

The President can appoint anyone as a Minister, but that person must become a member of either House of Parliament within six months to retain the position.

The 44th Constitutional Amendment Act of 1978 inserted the word 'Cabinet' into Article 352 to define it, as it was not originally there.

The Cabinet is the supreme executive authority and the highest policy-making body in the government.

The Prime Minister has the power to distribute and reshuffle portfolios among the ministers.