Categories of Council Ministers

India’s parliamentary democracy is based on the British legislature. The prime minister (PM) is the actual executive authority in the political system of India. The Council of Ministers is made up of three kinds of ministers. The PM leads the Deputy Ministers and the other two categories of ministers. The council ministers are created to assist and give advice to the President. The President follows the principle of the advice they provide. Any Indian court shall not investigate the advice given. To gain more insight about the Council of members, read on.

Short Brief About Council of Ministers

Article 74 of the Indian Constitution addresses the position of the Council of Ministers (COM), whereas Article 75 addresses the ministers’ appointment, obligation, tenure, vows, salaries, qualifications, and reimbursements. It does not encounter a structure to conduct official government business. The Deputy Ministers and the other two categories of ministers serve no collective purpose. 

The Council of ministers has all powers, but only in theory. The cabinet ascertains its processes and carries out the cabinet’s decisions. The ministers are cooperatively accountable to the Parliament’s Lower House (Lok Sabha). It is a larger body made up of 60 to 70 government members.

Formation of Council of Members

The procedure for forming a state-level COM is similar to forming a Union COM. Following every election, the group or party with the most seats in the State Legislative Assembly appoints its leader. After that, the Governor instructs him to frame the ministry. In short, the Chief Minister is nominated by the leader of the majority of the vote in the State Legislative Assembly. Following this, the Chief Minister then appoints his cabinet. He discloses his list of ministers to the Governor, who nominates them as ministries officially. 

Categories of Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers (COM) comprises three types of ministers: ministers of state, deputy ministers, and cabinet ministers. The Prime Minister is at the apex of all three categories of council ministers. Let’s go over each of the three main categories one by one.

Cabinet Ministers 

They are the people in charge of the essential ministries of the Central Government, such as defense, home affairs, finance, and foreign affairs. It is the Central Government’s leading policy-making group. Cabinet Ministers are typically 18 to 25 members. They participate in critical conferences and play an essential part in the country’s policy making process.

Ministers of State 

They may be provided self-sufficient charge of departments or ministries or perhaps be connected to cabinet ministers. These ministers do not have the opportunity to enter cabinet meetings unless they are invited. Whenever the cabinet considers anything essential associated with their departments, ministers of state (self-governing charge) are asked to attend cabinet meetings.

Deputy Ministers 

They work alongside ministers of state or cabinet ministers to assist them with political, parliamentary, and administrative responsibilities. Deputy ministers are relatively low in the hierarchy and therefore are not offered independent authority. Because they are not cabinet members, they need not have to participate in cabinet meetings.

The COM may occasionally include the deputy prime minister since ministers are primarily assigned for political purposes.

Duties and Responsibilities of Ministers

Below is the bifurcation of responsibilities of the ministers:

Collective Responsibility:  Article 75 states that the Council of Ministers is cooperatively accountable to the Lok Sabha. This implies that all the ministers are jointly liable for every act of commission and omission.

Individual Responsibility: It is also enshrined in Article 75 and asserts that ministers serve at the gratification of the President. This implies that President can dismiss a minister even though the COM has the strength of the Lok Sabha. On the other hand, the President eliminates a minister only when the Prime Minister advises.

Conclusion

To conclude, the Prime Minister presides over both the cabinet and the other two categories of ministers. The COM is said to advise the President, although, in actuality, the cabinet is responsible for all such activities and decisions. These are two distinct structures that aid in the proper functioning of the government. Moreover, the states’ COM is formed and processed in the same manner as the Centre’s Council of Ministers. Below are some essential questions that can clear all your remaining doubts.