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Prime Minister of India
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The Prime Minister of India is the head of government of the Republic of India, and head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive in India. The Prime Minister is responsible for the discharge of the functions and power vested in the President in terms of the Constitution of India. He is appointed by the President, being recognized as the leader of the majority party in the two Houses of the Parliament of India.
Constitution envisages a scheme of affairs in which the President of India is technically 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.
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Encyclopedia
The Prime Minister of India is the head of government of the Republic of India, and head of the Council of Ministers, appointed by the President to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive in India. The Prime Minister is responsible for the discharge of the functions and power vested in the President in terms of the Constitution of India. He is appointed by the President, being recognized as the leader of the majority party in the two Houses of the Parliament of India.
Constitutional framework and position of Prime Minister
The Constitution envisages a scheme of affairs in which the President of India is technically 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;
Typically like most parliamentary democracies where the Head of State's duties are largely ceremonial, the Prime Minister of India is the head of government and has effective responsibility for executive power. With India following a parliamentary system of government (known as the Westminster system after that of the United Kingdom), the Prime Minister is generally the leader of a party (or coalition of parties) that has a majority in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India. The Prime Minister either has to be a current member of one of the houses of Parliament, or be elected within six months of being appointed.
Role of the Prime Minister
The Prime Minister leads the functioning and exercise of authority of the Government of India. He or she is invited by the President as leader of the majority party in the Parliament of India to form a government at the federal level (known as Central Government in India) and exercise its powers. In practice the Prime Minister nominates the members of his or her Council of Ministers to the President. He or she also works upon to decide a core group of Ministers (known as the Cabinet) as in-charge of the important functions and ministries of the Government of India.
As the head of the government, the Prime Minister is responsible for distribution of work of the Government to various ministries and offices and in terms of the Government of India (Allocation of Business) Rules, 1961 whereunder the Prime Minister's Office allocates the work to be performed by various Ministries. The work is generally allocated to the Cabinet Secretariat which in turn acts as a nodal agency for the functioning of the various Ministries. While generally the entire work of the Government in divided into various Ministries, the Prime Minister may retain certain portfolios with himself or herself.
The Prime Minister, in consultation with the Cabinet, schedules and attends the sessions of the Houses of Parliament and is required to answer the question put to him by the Members of Parliament to him or her as the in-charge of the portfolios he holds or in his or her capacity as the Prime Minister of India. The Prime Minister is also the ex officio Chairman of the Planning Commission of India. He or she also appoints the Deputy Chairman of the Commission, who is responsible for the functioning of the Commission and reports to the Prime Minister.
The Prime Minister represents the country in various delegations, high level meetings and international organizations that require the attendance of the highest government office and also addresses to the nation on various issues of national or other importance. He or she also has to his or her exclusive jurisdiction the disposal of two national funds, (i) the PM's National Relief Fund , and (ii) the PM's National Defence Fund , which he or she uses in his or her discretion to the attainment of the objectives behind the establishment of these funds.
List of Prime Ministers of India
The pattern of Prime Ministers elected for Republic of India shows its well natured tradition of unity in diversity, India has elected Prime Ministers from various linguistic backgrounds, various cultures, religious or political faiths and there is no difference on the basis of gender as well.
- * Interim - It is debatable whether Mr. Gulzari Lal Nanda was a Prime Minister or an Acting Prime Minister. The constitution does not have a position of acting Prime Minister. Mr. Nanda was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India. In contrast, the constitution provides for an acting President who discharges the duties of a President. Hence, constitutional experts and historians now agree that Mr. Nanda is the second Prime Minister of India.
c-indicates a full term
- 1 Assassinated or Died in Office
- 2 Returned to Office
- 3 Resigned
- 4 Dismissed by President following a no-confidence motion
See also
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