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History Notes Icse Class 10

The document discusses the roles and responsibilities of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in India's parliamentary system of government. It outlines that the Prime Minister is the head of the government and selects ministers to form the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister exercises executive powers and acts as the leader of the majority party in Parliament.

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2K views

History Notes Icse Class 10

The document discusses the roles and responsibilities of the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers in India's parliamentary system of government. It outlines that the Prime Minister is the head of the government and selects ministers to form the Council of Ministers. The Prime Minister and Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. The Prime Minister exercises executive powers and acts as the leader of the majority party in Parliament.

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nareshpalsingh1207
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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PRIME MINISTER & COUNCIL OF MINISTERS

It has Parliament form of government so the president is the


Nominal Head of the state. Prime Minister heading the
council of ministers are powerful institution.

Appointment:
President appoints the leader of the majority party of the
country.
In case no party has majority, he appoints that people as PM
who can prove that he has support of other people.
Council of Ministers
They are appointed by president on the advice of the prime
minister even a non-member can be appointed as Minister
but he has to get himself elected in any house within 6
months of his date of appointment.

Types of Council of Ministers:


1. Cabinet Ministers: (They are the most important members
of the Council of Ministers. They hold important portfolios,
like Home, Defence, Finance, External Affairs, Railways, etc.
2. Ministers of State: They are the second category of
Ministers. They may or may not hold an independent charge
of any portfolio. The Prime Minister may or may not consult
them.
3.Deputy Ministers: They are the third category of Ministers
who assist the Cabinet Ministers and the Council of
Ministers. They are junior ministers and are placed under
senior ministers whom they have to assist.

The Cabinet
Formation: The Cabinet is composed of a small but
important body of senior leaders of the party, who are
included in the Council of Ministers. Appointment of the
Cabinet: The Prime Minister selects his senior and
trustworthy colleagues and advises the President to appoint
them as Cabinet Ministers. The President then appoints them
as Ministers as per the advice of the Prime Minister.

TERM OF OFFICE
1. The ministers hold office during the pleasure of the
President.
2. The Council of Ministers are collectively responsible to the
Lok Sabha.
3 Before a Minister enters upon his office, the President
administers him the Oath of Office and of Secrecy.

POSITION AND POWERS OF THE PRIME MINISTER


While the President is the nominal head of State, with the backing
of a majority in the Lok Sabha, the Prime Minister is the real head of
the nation.
PRIME MINISTER AND THE PRESIDENT
1.All authority vested in the President is exercised by the Prime
Minister. He is the principal advisor of the President.
2. It is on the advice of the Prime Minister that the President
summons and prorogues the Parliament and dissolves the Lok
Sabha.
3. The Prime Minister chooses the ministers and, on his advice, the
President appoints them.
4. He advises the President on various appointments to important
posts such as the Judges of the Supreme Court, the Governors and
Ambassadors.
5. He is a link between the President and the Council of Ministers.
6. The President can ask the Council of Ministers to reconsider any
matter, which has not been considered by the Cabinet and on which
a decision has been taken by a Minister.

PRIME MINISTER AND THE CABINET


1. Leader of the Cabinet
2. Power to Allocate Portfolios and to Reshuffle the Council of
Ministers
3. Power to Select and Dismiss Ministers
4. Power to Direct and Coordinate Policy
5. Resignation of the Prime Minister

PRIME MINISTER INSIDE THE PARLIAMENT


1. Leader of the Lok Sabha
2. Spokesperson of the Government
3. Defender of Government Policies
4. Intervention in case of Controversial Issues

PRIME MINISTER AS LEADER OF THE NATION


1. The Prime Minister represents the nation. When he speaks, the
whole nation is supposed to be speaking through him.
2. During a national crisis like war, even the opposition parties
support the Prime Minister.
3. The Prime Minister decides what kind of relations India would
have with other countries.
4. The Prime Minister trie to protect the interests of the country in
international forums. He discusses matters of mutual interest with
other leaders, keeping the interests of India in mind.
5. At the time of General Election, it is the proposed Prime Minister
for whom or against whom the people vote.
6. The Prime Minister is also the ex-officio Chairman of the Niti
Aayog and the Atomic Energy Commission.

CHECK ON THE AUTHORITY OF THE PRIME MINISTER


1. Though the Prime Minister is the leader of the majority party, he
has to ensure the support of his ministers as well asthe party.
2. In case of coalitions, when the Prime Minister does not enjoy an
absolute majority in the Lok Sabha, his position becomes more
vulnerable.
3. Opposition parties always look for a chance to criticise the Prime
Minister.

COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY
Under Article 75(3) of the Constitution “the Council of Ministers
shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People.”
The principle of collective responsibility mplies the following:

(i) The decisions taken in the meetings of the Cabinet are equally
applicable to all the Ministers even though they may differ among
themselves on a particular policy.
(ii) All Ministers jointly share the responsibility for the government’s
policies and performance. The Ministers must function as a team in
supporting and defending government policies inside as well as
outside Parliament.
(iii) A Vote of No-Confidence against one Minister is a vote against
the whole Ministry. Such a Ministry that has lost the confidence of
the Lok Sabha has to resign.

INDIVIDUAL RESPONSIBILITY

The Ministers are individually responsible to the President, i.e., they


hold office during the pleasure of the President and may be
dismissed by him, of course, on the advice of the Prime Minister
even when they may have the confidence of the Legislature.

Each Minister is answerable to Parliament for the department under


his control. It is obligatory for him to answer all the questions asked
by the MPs, regarding the functioning of his department.

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