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 The incumbent Union Council of Ministers of the Third Modi ministry, 2024 at their swearing in | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 15 August 1947 |
| Type | Highest executive body of the Government of India |
| Jurisdiction | Republic of India |
| Headquarters | New Delhi |
| Agency executives |
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| Child agencies |
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| Website | cabsec.gov.in |
The Union Council of Ministers is the principal executive organ of the Government of India, which serves to aid and advise the President of India in execution of their functions.[1] It is chaired by the Prime Minister of India and consists of the heads of each of the executive government ministries. Currently, the council is headed by and consists of 71 fellow members. The council is answerable to the Lok Sabha.[2]
A smaller executive body called the Union Cabinet is the supreme decision-making body in India; it is a subset of the Union Council of Ministers who hold important portfolios and ministries of the government.[3][failed verification]
Regulation[edit | edit source]
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).[4] 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.[lower-alpha 1] 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.[4][lower-alpha 2]
Ranking[edit | edit source]
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.[5]
- 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[edit | edit source]
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.[6]
Removal[edit | edit source]
- 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[edit | edit source]
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.[7]
Current Union Council of Ministers[edit | edit source]
Oath of office[edit | edit source]
The oath of office for Union Council of Ministers:
The oath of office is as follows:
I, (name), do swear in the name of God (or, solemnly affirm) that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as a Minister for the Union and that I will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, afection or ill-will.
— Schedule III, Constitution of India
oath of office of Union Council of Ministers In Hindi Version
'मैं, (अमुक), ईश्वर की शपथ लेता हूँ (सत्यनिष्ठा से प्रतिज्ञान करता हूँ) कि मैं विधि द्वारा स्थापित भारत के संविधान के प्रति सच्ची श्रद्धा और निष्ठा रखूँगा, मैं भारत की प्रभुता और अखंडता अक्षुण्ण रखूँगा, मैं संघ के मंत्री के रूप में अपने कर्तव्यों का श्रद्धापूर्वक और शुद्ध अंतःकरण से निर्वहन करूँगा तथा मैं भय या पक्षपात, अनुराग या द्वेष के बिना, सभी प्रकार के लोगों के प्रति संविधान और विधि के अनुसार न्याय करूँगा।'
— तीसरी अनुसूची, भारत का संविधान
The oath of secrecy is as follows:
I, (name), do swear in the name of God (or, solemnly affirm) that I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person or persons any matter which shall be brought under my consideration, or shall become known to me as a Minister for the Union, except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as Minister).
— Schedule III, Constitution of India
Oath of Secrecy in Hindi Version
'मैं, (अमुक), ईश्वर की शपथ लेता हूँ (सत्यनिष्ठा से प्रतिज्ञान करता हूँ) कि जो विषय संघ के प्रधानमंत्री (या, मंत्री) के रूप में मेरे विचार के लिए लाया जाएगा अथवा मुझे ज्ञात होगा उसे किसी व्यक्ति या व्यक्तियों को, तब के सिवाय जबकि मंत्री के रूप में अपने कर्तव्यों के सम्यक् निर्वहन के लिए ऐसा करना अपेक्षित हो, मैं प्रत्यक्ष अथवा अप्रत्यक्ष रूप से संसूचित या प्रकट नहीं करूँगा।'
— तीसरी अनुसूची, भारत का संविधान
Cabinet Ministers[edit | edit source]
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Ministers of State (Independent Charge)[edit | edit source]
| Portfolio | Minister | Took office | Left office | Party | Remarks | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Statistics and Programme Implementation Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Planning | _for_Planning_in_May_2014_(cropped).jpg) Rao Inderjit Singh | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | BJP | ||
| Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Science and Technology Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Earth Sciences |  Jitendra Singh | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | BJP | ||
| Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice |  Arjun Ram Meghwal | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | BJP | ||
| Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayush | .jpg) Prataprao Ganpatrao Jadhav | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | Shiv Sena (2022-present) | ||
| Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship |  Jayant Chaudhary | 10 June 2024 | Incumbent | RLD | ||
Ministers of State (MoS)[edit | edit source]
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See also[edit | edit source]
- List of longest-serving members of the Union Council of Ministers
- National Democratic Alliance
- Council of Ministers of Narendra Modi
- Union government ministries of India
Notes[edit | edit source]
- ↑ It is not mentioned anywhere that they must be 'elected' members of parliament.
- ↑ The newly appointed ministers are expected to attain qualifications of being a member of parliament as specified by Constitution of India (article 84) within a period of six months from the date of their appointment as a minister.
References[edit | edit source]
- ↑ Article 74 of the Constitution of India
- ↑ Article 75(3) of Constitution of India
- ↑ Wikisource: Constitution of India/Part XVIII
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 Wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 74 .7BCouncil of Ministers to aid and advise President.7D
- ↑ Rajendran, S. (13 July 2012). "Of Deputy Chief Ministers and the Constitution". The Hindu. Bangalore. ISSN 0971-751X. OCLC 13119119. Archived from the original on 1 February 2018. Retrieved 7 March 2018.
- ↑ Ladwig III, Walter C. (23 December 2019). "Executive Particularism and Ministerial Selection in India". Legislative Studies Quarterly. 44 (4). Department of Political Science at Washington University in St. Louis: 469–493. doi:10.1111/lsq.12261. Archived from the original on 16 February 2020. Retrieved 21 January 2020.
- ↑ "Supreme Court invokes special powers, removes Manipur minister". The Indian Express. 19 March 2020. Retrieved 6 May 2025.
- ↑ The Hindu (9 June 2024). "Modi Cabinet 2024: List of Cabinet Ministers". Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
- ↑ "Full list of ministers with portfolios in Modi 3.0 government: Who gets what". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 10 June 2024. Retrieved 10 June 2024.
- ↑ The Hindu (9 June 2024). "Three MPs from Andhra Pradesh sworn in as Union Ministers". Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
External links[edit | edit source]
- Union Council of Ministers at the National Portal of India
