Explain briefly the position and powers of the Prime Minister in relation to the Cabinet.
Powers and Functions of the Prime Minister:
1. Formation of the Council of Ministers:
The task of formation of the ministry begins with the appointment of the Prime Minister by the President. After the appointment of Prime Minister, the President appoints all other ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. The PM determines the strength of his ministry and selects his team of ministers. However this number cannot be more than 15% of the total membership of the Lok Sabha.
Normally, most of the ministers are drawn from Lok Sabha. Prime Minister decides who amongst them shall be the Cabinet Minister and who will be Minister of State or a Deputy Minister. He can, if he so desires, even have one or two Deputy Prime Ministers in his Council of Ministers.
2. Allocation of Portfolios:
It is an undisputed privilege of the Prime Minister to allocate portfolios to his ministers. Which particular department is to be given to which minister is determined by him. Any minister objecting to such an allotment invites the wrath of the Prime Minister and can get completely ignored from the ministry.
3. Change of Portfolios:
The Prime Minister has the power to change the departments (portfolios) of the ministers at any time. It is his privilege to shuffle and re-shuffle his ministry any time and as many times as he may like.
Position of the Prime Minister:
(a) The office of PM is very powerful:
A study of the powers and functions of the Prime Minister clearly brings out the fact that he holds the most powerful office in the Indian. He exercises real and formidable powers in all spheres of governmental activity—executive, legislative and financial. The Prime Minister is the captain of the ship of state, the key stone of cabinet arch, the steering wheel of government, and the moon amongst lesser stars.
The whole organisation and working of the Council of Ministers depend upon the Prime Minister. The President always acts in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. The ministry-making is the sole right of the Prime Minister. The resignation or removal of the Prime Minister always means the resignation of the Council of Ministers. Hence, Prime Minister is the centre of gravity and the foundation stone of the Council of Ministers.
(b) The President of India always acts upon the advice of the PM:
The President always acts upon the advice of the Prime Minister. The constitution assigns to the latter the role of being the chief advisor to the President. All the powers of the President, both the normal powers and the emergency powers, are really the powers of the Prime Minister.
As the head of the government, leader of the Cabinet, leader of the majority, leader of the Parliament and the leader of the nation, the Prime Minister plays an important an powerful role in the Indian Political System. Indeed the Prime Minister occupies a very powerful rather the most powerful position in India.
(c) The PM cannot become a dictator:
Undoubtedly, the Prime Minister of India enjoys a very strong position, yet he can neither be a dictator nor even behave like a dictator. His office is a democratic office to which he rises only through an effective participation in the democratic process.
The party to which the Prime Minister belongs, his own ministerial colleagues who are also his competitors, the leaders of the opposition parties, the President of India, the Parliament, the Press, the Constitution, and the public in general, all act as limitations upon him. These prevent him from becoming a dictator and from acting in an arbitrary way. His personality and skills are continuously on test. Any failure or lapse can cause his exit.
The office of the Prime Minister of India is a powerful democratic office. Its actual working depends upon the personal qualities and political status of the person who holds this office. However no one can convert his office into an authoritarian or dictatorial office. A person can remain Prime Minister only so long as he follows democratic norms and values.
Powers and Functions of the Prime Minister:
1. Formation of the Council of Ministers:
The task of formation of the ministry begins with the appointment of the Prime Minister by the President. After the appointment of Prime Minister, the President appoints all other ministers on the advice of the Prime Minister. The PM determines the strength of his ministry and selects his team of ministers. However this number cannot be more than 15% of the total membership of the Lok Sabha.
Normally, most of the ministers are drawn from Lok Sabha. Prime Minister decides who amongst them shall be the Cabinet Minister and who will be Minister of State or a Deputy Minister. He can, if he so desires, even have one or two Deputy Prime Ministers in his Council of Ministers.
2. Allocation of Portfolios:
It is an undisputed privilege of the Prime Minister to allocate portfolios to his ministers. Which particular department is to be given to which minister is determined by him. Any minister objecting to such an allotment invites the wrath of the Prime Minister and can get completely ignored from the ministry.
3. Change of Portfolios:
The Prime Minister has the power to change the departments (portfolios) of the ministers at any time. It is his privilege to shuffle and re-shuffle his ministry any time and as many times as he may like.
Position of the Prime Minister:
(a) The office of PM is very powerful:
A study of the powers and functions of the Prime Minister clearly brings out the fact that he holds the most powerful office in the Indian. He exercises real and formidable powers in all spheres of governmental activity—executive, legislative and financial. The Prime Minister is the captain of the ship of state, the key stone of cabinet arch, the steering wheel of government, and the moon amongst lesser stars.
The whole organisation and working of the Council of Ministers depend upon the Prime Minister. The President always acts in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister. The ministry-making is the sole right of the Prime Minister. The resignation or removal of the Prime Minister always means the resignation of the Council of Ministers. Hence, Prime Minister is the centre of gravity and the foundation stone of the Council of Ministers.
(b) The President of India always acts upon the advice of the PM:
The President always acts upon the advice of the Prime Minister. The constitution assigns to the latter the role of being the chief advisor to the President. All the powers of the President, both the normal powers and the emergency powers, are really the powers of the Prime Minister.
As the head of the government, leader of the Cabinet, leader of the majority, leader of the Parliament and the leader of the nation, the Prime Minister plays an important an powerful role in the Indian Political System. Indeed the Prime Minister occupies a very powerful rather the most powerful position in India.
(c) The PM cannot become a dictator:
Undoubtedly, the Prime Minister of India enjoys a very strong position, yet he can neither be a dictator nor even behave like a dictator. His office is a democratic office to which he rises only through an effective participation in the democratic process.
The party to which the Prime Minister belongs, his own ministerial colleagues who are also his competitors, the leaders of the opposition parties, the President of India, the Parliament, the Press, the Constitution, and the public in general, all act as limitations upon him. These prevent him from becoming a dictator and from acting in an arbitrary way. His personality and skills are continuously on test. Any failure or lapse can cause his exit.
The office of the Prime Minister of India is a powerful democratic office. Its actual working depends upon the personal qualities and political status of the person who holds this office. However no one can convert his office into an authoritarian or dictatorial office. A person can remain Prime Minister only so long as he follows democratic norms and values.
