Union Council of Ministers

Regulation

Pursuant to Article 75(3), the Council of Ministers is responsible collectively to the lower house of the Indian parliament, called the Lok Sabha (House of the People). 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 to propose a proclamation of emergency by the president in accordance with Article 352.

According to the Constitution of India, 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:

• Prime Minister: Leader of the Union Council of Ministers.
• Deputy Prime Minister (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 (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 President of India. 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 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

Oath of office

The oath of office for Union Council of Ministers:

The oath of office is as follows:

The oath of secrecy is as follows:

Cabinet Ministers {{cite news |last1=The Hindu |first1= |date=9 June 2024 |title=Modi Cabinet 2024: List of Cabinet Ministers |url=https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/narendra-modi-30-whos-who-in-the-council-of-ministers/article68268973.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240609183120/https://www.thehindu.com/news/national/narendra-modi-30-whos-who-in-the-council-of-ministers/article68268973.ece |archive-date=9 June 2024 |access-date=9 June 2024 |language=en-IN}}{{Cite news |title=Full list of ministers with portfolios in Modi 3.0 government: Who gets what |url=https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/full-list-of-portfolio-of-council-of-ministers-modi-government/article68274098.ece |access-date=2024-06-10 |work=The Hindu |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240610155604/https://www.thehindu.com/elections/lok-sabha/full-list-of-portfolio-of-council-of-ministers-modi-government/article68274098.ece |archive-date=10 June 2024 |language=en}}

!style=| Remarks title=Prime Minister Minister of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions Department of Atomic Energy Department of Space All important policy issues; and All other portfolios not allocated to any Minister.|minister1=[[File:Modi tendering his resignation to the President (cropped).jpg|100px]] Narendra Modi|minister1_party=Bharatiya Janata Party|minister1_termstart=9 June 2024|minister1_termend=|minister1_ref= |image=}}

Minister of New and Renewable Energy|minister1=[[File:Shri Pralhad Joshi Minister of Coal.jpg|100px]] Prahlad Joshi|minister1_party=Bharatiya Janata Party|minister1_termstart=10 June 2024|minister1_termend=|minister1_ref= }}

Minister of Tourism|minister1=[[File:Gajendra Singh Shekhawat in June 2019 (cropped).jpg|100px]] Gajendra Singh Shekhawat|minister1_party=Bharatiya Janata Party|minister1_termstart=10 June 2024|minister1_termend=|minister1_ref= }} Minister of Mines|minister1=[[File:The Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Shri G. Kishan Reddy attends the release meeting of the guidelines for the rejuvenation of traditional water bodies in coal and lignite mining regions.jpg|100px]] G. Kishan Reddy|minister1_party=Bharatiya Janata Party|minister1_termstart=10 June 2024|minister1_termend=|minister1_ref= }}

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

!style=| Remarks Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Earth Sciences

Ministers of State (MoS)

!style=| Remarks Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying|minister1=George Kurian|minister1_party=Bharatiya Janata Party|minister1_termstart=10 June 2024|minister1_termend=|minister1_ref= }}

Notes

References

References

1. Article 74 of the ''[[Constitution of India]]''
2. Article 75(3) of [[Constitution of India]]
3. [[Wikisource: Constitution of India/Part XVIII]]
4. [[Wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 74 .7BCouncil of Ministers to aid and advise President.7D]]
5. Rajendran, S.. (13 July 2012). "Of Deputy Chief Ministers and the Constitution". [[The Hindu]].
6. (23 December 2019). "Executive Particularism and Ministerial Selection in India". Department of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis.
7. (2020-03-19). "Supreme Court invokes special powers, removes Manipur minister".
8. (9 June 2024). "Modi Cabinet 2024: List of Cabinet Ministers".
9. "Full list of ministers with portfolios in Modi 3.0 government: Who gets what". The Hindu.
10. (9 June 2024). "Three MPs from Andhra Pradesh sworn in as Union Ministers".