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Union Council of Ministers

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Union Council of Ministers

The incumbent Union Council of Ministers of the Third Modi ministry, 2024 at their swearing in
Agency overview
Formed15 August 1947; 77 years ago (1947-08-15)
TypeHighest executive body of the Government of India
JurisdictionRepublic of India
HeadquartersNew Delhi
Agency executives
Child agencies
  • Cabinet
  • Ministries of the Government of India
Websitewww.english.gov.in

The Union Council of Ministers,[1] also called Union Cabinet is the principal executive organ of the Government of India, which functions as the senior decision-making body of the executive branch. It is chaired by the prime minister and consists of the heads of each of the executive government ministries. Currently, the council is headed by prime minister Narendra Modi and consists of 29 members, including the prime minister. The council is subject to the Parliament of India.

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.[2]

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).[3] When a bill introduced by a minister in the Lok Sabha is not approved by it, the entire council of ministers is responsible and not the minister. The council of ministers upon losing the confidence of Lok Sabha shall resign to facilitate the formation of a new government.

A minister shall take any decision without being considered by the council of ministers per Article 78(c). 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.[3]

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.[4]
  • 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 who works at the pleasure of the president, is appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. 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.[5]

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

Council portfolios are as follows:[6]

Cabinet Ministers [7][8]

Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party Remarks
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.
9 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Defence10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Home Affairs
Minister of Co-operation
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Road Transport and Highways10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Health and Family Welfare
Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare
Minister of Rural Development
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Finance
Minister of Corporate Affairs
9 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of External Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Power & Minister of Housing and Urban Affairs9 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Heavy Industries
Minister of Steel
10 June 2024Incumbent JD(S) 
Minister of Commerce and Industry10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Education9 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises10 June 2024Incumbent HAM(S) 
Minister of Panchayati Raj10 June 2024Incumbent JD(U) 
Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Social Justice and Empowerment10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Civil Aviation10 June 2024Incumbent TDP 
Minister of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution
Minister of New and Renewable Energy
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Tribal Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Textiles10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Information and Broadcasting
Minister of Railways
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Development of North Eastern Region
Minister of Communications
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Environment, Forest and Climate Change10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Culture
Minister of Tourism
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Women and Child Development10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Parliamentary Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Labour and Employment
Minister of Youth Affairs and Sports
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Coal
Minister of Mines
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of Food Processing Industries10 June 2024Incumbent LJP(RV) 
Minister of Jal Shakti10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 

Ministers of State (Independent Charge)

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

Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Science and Technology


Minister of State (Independent Charge) of Earth Sciences
Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office
Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy

Minister of State in the Department of Space
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Law and Justice


Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Ayush


Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare
10 June 2024Incumbent SHS 
Minister of State (Independent Charge) of the Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship


Minister of State in the Ministry of Education
10 June 2024Incumbent RLD 

Ministers of State

Portfolio Minister Took office Left office Party Remarks
Minister of State in the Ministry of Culture10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office
Minister of State in the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions
Minister of State in the Department of Atomic Energy
Minister of State in the Department of Space
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare10 June 2024Incumbent SHS 
10 June 2024Incumbent AD(S) 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Education10 June 2024Incumbent RLD 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Commerce and Industry
Minister of State in the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Power
Minister of State in the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Finance10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Co-operation10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment10 June 2024Incumbent RPI(A) 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare10 June 2024Incumbent JD(U) 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Home Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers10 June 2024Incumbent AD(S) 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Jal Shakti10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Railways10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Rural Development10 June 2024Incumbent TDP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Communications10 June 2024Incumbent TDP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Panchayati Raj10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises
Minister of State in the Ministry of Labour and Employment
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food and Public Distribution10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Ports, Shipping and Waterways10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas
Minister of State in the Ministry of Tourism
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Road Transport and Highways10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Coal
Minister of State in the Ministry of Mines
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Food Processing Industries10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Tribal Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Development of North Eastern Region10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Women and Child Development10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries
Minister of State in the Ministry of Steel
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Civil Aviation10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs
Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying
10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 
Minister of State in the Ministry of Textiles10 June 2024Incumbent BJP 

See also

References

  1. ^ Article 58 of the Constitution of India
  2. ^ Wikisource: Constitution of India/Part XVIII
  3. ^ a b Wikisource:Constitution of India/Part V#Article 74 .7BCouncil of Ministers to aid and advise President.7D
  4. ^ 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.
  5. ^ 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.
  6. ^ The Hindu (9 June 2024). "Modi Cabinet 2024: List of Cabinet Ministers". Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  7. ^ The Hindu (9 June 2024). "Modi Cabinet 2024: List of Cabinet Ministers". Archived from the original on 9 June 2024. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  8. ^ "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.
  9. ^ 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.