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Prime Minister and the Council of

Ministers❑ Appointment

❑ Formation of Council of Ministers

❑ Tenure

❑ Position and Powers of the Prime Minister

❑ Functions of the Council of Ministers

❑ Policy Making

❑ Administrative

❑ Legislative

❑ Financial

❑ Emergency

❑ Collective and Individual Responsibility of the members of the Cabinet

❑ Distinction between Council of Ministers and Cabinet

PRIME MINISTER

THE LEADER OF THE PARTY OR THE COALITION WHICH COMMANDS A MAJORITY IN THE LOK SABHA

Position, Powers and

Functions of the

Prime Minister

Prime Minister

and the

President

➢ Link betweenthe

Cabinet and the

President

➢ President summonsand

prorogues Parliament

on PM’sadvice

➢ The President may ask

the PM to submit a

Minister’s decision for

the considerartion of he

Council ofMinisters

Prime Minister

and the Cabinet

‘The Key stone of the Cabinet

arch’

❖ Formation of the Cabinet

- leader of the Cabinet

❖ Removal of Ministers

❖ Ex-officio chairman of

the Council of Ministers

❖ Directs and co-ordinates

Policy

❖ Link between Cabinet and

the President

Prime Minister

inside the

Parliament

➔ President summons or

prorogues the Parliament

on the advice of the PM

➔ ‘Principal spokesman’ and

defender of the Government in

Parliament- makes important

announcements on National

Policies

➔ SavesMinisters from criticism

➔ Any ugly situation in

Parliament ends with the

intervention of the PM

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Prime Minister

represents

India at

International

Conferences

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Prime Minister as

the

Leader of Nation

The Nation looks to the Prime

Minister for views on every subject.

Lok Sabha Elections - it is the Prime

Minister for whom or against the

people vote

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Limitations on

Prime Minister’s

Position and

Authority

➔ Dissension within the ruling

party

➔ Criticism from the opposition

party

➔ Coalition Government - Prime

Minister always too anxious to

satisfy the leaders of various

parties

➔ Press and Public act aseffective

check on Prime Minister’s

authority

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Council of Ministers

Cabinet Ministers –most important members; hold

important portfolios; always consulted by

the Prime Minister;most trusted colleagues;decisionof cabinet is binding

on ministers

Ministers of State –second category of

ministers; may or may not hold an

independent charge of any portfolio, PM

may or may not consult them. Do not

participate in Cabinet meetings

Deputy Ministers –third category of

ministers; assist Cabinet ministers

and the Council of Ministers

People of India elect members of the Lok Sabha

President appoints the leader of the majority party as Prime Minister

PM selects the Council of Ministers

Cabinet Ministers

Deputy Ministers

Ministers of State

All Collectively Responsible

Lok Sabha

• External and domestic policies

• Major decisions – defense ad security, energy

• Economic reforms

• Foreign policies

• Always consulted with the Cabinet

Formulating the Policy of

the Government

Powers and functions of Council of Ministers

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India Today

•Cabinet – policy framing body

•Ministries expected to follow the policies

•President makes major appointments with advise of the Ministers

Administrative Functions

Powers and functions of Council of Ministers

Powers and functions of Council of Ministers

• Co-ordinatorbetween various departments

• Formulation and implementation of a policy

Co-ordination in functioning

of Various Ministries

• responsible for the whole expenditure of the government

• Raising revenues

• Money bill introduced only by a Minister

• Annual Financial Statement ( Budget) – presented to the Parliament in the name of Cabinet

Financial Functions

(Cabinet )

• Summoning of the Houses of the Parliament

• President’s special address

• Initiation of legislation (government bills) – Cabinet

• Ordinances – issued by President with the advise of the Ministers

• Cabinet - instrumental in planning and movinf amendments to the Constitution

Legislative Functions

Powers and functions of Council of Ministers

•Cabinet decides the foreign policy

•Chooses the ambassadors

Diplomatic Links with

other nations

Powers and functions of Council of Ministers

•President Proclaims Emergenncy (Article 352) with the recommendation of the Union Cabinet

Proclamation of

Emergency

Powers and functions of Council of Ministers

Collective Responsibility

Article 75(3) – The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to

the House of the People. Ministerial Responsibility

Members of the Cabinet ‘Swim and Sink together’. When a decision has been taken by the Cabinet every minister has to stand by it without any

hesitation.

Cabinet measures –

joint responsibility of every one

Irrespective of the presence or absence of the minister in the meeting

Irrespective of his/her opposition

No-confidence motion – if the Motion is passed, the Ministry has to resign

Individual Responsibility

Ministers are individually responsible to the Head of the

State

Ministers hold office “during the pleasure of the

President” – ministers can be dismissed for undesirable

activities by the President (on the advice of the Prime

Minister)

Prime Minister can ask Minister to resign, which he

readily does.

Every Minister is obliged to answer questions pertaining

to his department.