The Union Council of Ministers is the principal executive organ of the

Government of India The Government of India (ISO 15919, ISO: Bhārata Sarakāra, legally the Union Government or Union of India or the Central Government) is the national authority of the Republic of India, located in South Asia, consisting of States and union t ...

, which serves to aid and advise the

President of India The president of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of state of the Republic of India. The president is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the commander-in-chief, supreme commander of the Indian Armed ...

in execution of their functions.Article 74 of the ''

Constitution of India The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India, legal document of India, and the longest written national constitution in the world. The document lays down the framework that demarcates fundamental political code, structure, procedures ...

'' It is chaired by the

Prime Minister of India The prime minister of India (ISO 15919, ISO: ) is the head of government of the Republic of India. Executive authority is vested in the prime minister and his chosen Union Council of Ministers, Council of Ministers, despite the president of ...

and consists of the heads of each of the executive government ministries. Currently, the council is headed by and consists of 71 fellow members. The council is answerable to the

Lok Sabha The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...

. A smaller executive body called the Union Cabinet is the supreme decision-making body in India; it is a subset of the Union Council of Ministers who hold important portfolios and

ministries Ministry may refer to: Government * Ministry (collective executive), the complete body of government ministers under the leadership of a prime minister * Ministry (government department), a department of a government Religion * Christian mi ...

of the government. Wikisource: Constitution of India/Part XVIII

Regulation

Pursuant to Article 75(3), the Council of Ministers is responsible collectively to the lower house of the

Indian parliament The Parliament of India (ISO: ) is the supreme legislative body of the Government of the Republic of India. It is a bicameral legislature composed of the Rajya Sabha (Council of States) and the Lok Sabha (House of the People). The President o ...

, called the

(House of the People). Wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 74 .7BCouncil of Ministers to aid and advise President.7D The council of ministers upon losing the confidence of Lok Sabha shall resign to facilitate the formation of a new council. A minister can take any decision without being considered by the council of ministers per Article 78(c). If needed, all union cabinet members shall submit in writing to the

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

to propose a proclamation of emergency by the president in accordance with Article 352. According to the

, the total number of ministers in the council of ministers must not exceed 15% of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha. Ministers must be members of parliament. Any minister who is not a member of either of the houses of the parliament for six consecutive months is automatically stripped off his or her ministerial post.

Ranking

There are five categories of the council of ministers as given below, in descending order of

rank A rank is a position in a hierarchy. It can be formally recognized—for example, cardinal, chief executive officer, general, professor—or unofficial. People Formal ranks * Academic rank * Corporate title * Diplomatic rank * Hierarchy ...

: *

Prime Minister A prime minister or chief of cabinet is the head of the cabinet and the leader of the ministers in the executive branch of government, often in a parliamentary or semi-presidential system. A prime minister is not the head of state, but r ...

: Leader of the Union Council of Ministers. *

Deputy Prime Minister A deputy prime minister or vice prime minister is, in some countries, a Minister (government), government minister who can take the position of acting prime minister when the prime minister is temporarily absent. The position is often likened to th ...

(if any): Presides as prime minister in his absence or as the senior most cabinet minister. * Cabinet Minister: A member of the Union cabinet; leads a ministry. * Minister of State (Independent charge): Junior minister not reporting to a Cabinet Minister. *

Minister of State Minister of state is a designation for a government minister, with varying meanings in different jurisdictions. In a number of European countries, the title is given as an honorific conferring a higher rank, often bestowed upon senior minister ...

(MoS): Deputy Minister reporting to a Cabinet Minister, usually tasked with a specific responsibility in that ministry.

Appointment

Pursuant to Article 75, a minister is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister and functions until the pleasure of the

. Since at least the turn of the millennia, evidence indicates that an MP's electoral performance enhances the likelihood of being granted a ministerial portfolio.

Removal

* Upon death * Upon self resignation, or resignation or death of the prime minister * Upon dismissal by the President for minister's unconstitutional acts per Article 75(2) * Upon direction from the Judiciary for committing violation of law * Upon ceasing eligibility to be a member of Parliament * Under the provision of "Collective Responsibility" under Article 75, the Prime Minister and the entire Council of Ministers resign if a

Vote of No Confidence A motion or vote of no confidence (or the inverse, a motion or vote of confidence) is a motion and corresponding vote thereon in a deliberative assembly (usually a legislative body) as to whether an officer (typically an executive) is deemed fi ...

is passed in the Lower House (Lok Sabha) of the Indian Parliament

Council of Ministers in state governments

Every state in India is governed by its council of ministers with rules and procedures similar to the union council of ministers per Articles 163, 164 and 167(c). In March 2020, the Supreme Court of India used its powers for the first time to do "complete justice" under Article 142 of the Indian Constitution to remove a minister functioning in the state of Manipur.

Current Union Council of Ministers

Council portfolios are as follows:

Cabinet Ministers

!style=, Remarks

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

!style=, Remarks

Ministers of State

!style=, Remarks

Notes

References

External links

*Union Council of Ministers at th
National Portal of India
{{DEFAULTSORT:Union Council of Ministers of India Parliament of India

India India, officially the Republic of India, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, seventh-largest country by area; the List of countries by population (United Nations), most populous country since ...

Council of Ministers of India

Regulation

Ranking

Appointment

Removal

Council of Ministers in state governments

Current Union Council of Ministers

Cabinet Ministers

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

Ministers of State

See also

Notes

References

External links