Prime Minister

Prime minister
+ The President is the nominal executive authority (de jure executive) and Prime Minister is
the real executive authority (de facto executive), in the scheme of the parliamentary
system of government provided by constitution
ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

To be eligible for the position of the Prime Minister of India, a person should:
+ Be a citizen of India.
+ Be a member of either the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
+ Complete 25 years of age if he is a member of the Lok Sabha or 30 years if
he is a member of the Rajya Sabha.
POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE PRIME MINISTER
Concerning the Council of Ministers
The Prime Minister enjoys the following powers as head of the Union council of ministers:
+ He recommends persons who can be appointed as ministers by the president.
+ The President can appoint only those persons as ministers who are
recommended by the Prime Minister.

+ He allocates and reshuffles various portfolios among the ministers.
+ He can ask a minister to resign or advise the President to dismiss him in case of a difference of opinion.
+ He presides over the meeting of the council of ministers and influences its decisions.
+ He guides, directs, controls, and coordinates the activities of all the ministers.
+ He can bring about the collapse of the council of ministers by resigning from office.
Since the Prime Minister stands at the head of the council of ministers, the other ministers cannot function when
the Prime Minister resigns or dies. In other words,the resignation or death of an incumbent Prime Minister
automatically dissolves the council of ministers and thereby generates a vacuum. The resignation or death of any
other minister, on the other hand, merely creates a vacancy which the Prime Minister may or may not like to fill.
Concerning the President
The Prime Minister enjoys the following powers concerning the President:
+ He is the principal channel of communication between the President and the
council of ministers. It is the duty of the prime minister :
- to communicate to the President all decisions of the council of ministers
relating to the administration of the affairs of the Union and proposals for
legislation;
- to furnish such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the
Union and proposals for legislation as the President may call for; and if the
President so requires, to submit for the consideration of the council of ministers
any matter on which a decision has been taken by a minister but which has not
been considered by the council.
+ He advises the president concerning the appointment of important officials
like attorney general of India, Comptroller and Auditor General of India,
chairman and members of the UPSC, election commissioners, chairman and
members of the finance commission, and soon.
Concerning Parliament
The Prime Minister is the leader of the Lower House. In this capacity, he enjoys the
following powers:
+ He advises the President about summoning and proroguing of the sessions of the
Parliament.
+ He can recommend the dissolution of the Lok Sabha to President at any time.
+ He announces government policies on the floor of the House .
Other Powers & Functions
In addition to the above-mentioned three major roles, the Prime Minister has various other roles.
These are:
+ He is the chairman of the Planning Commission (now NITI Aayog), National Development Council,
National Integration Council, Inter-State Council, and National Water Resources Council.
+ He plays a significant role in shaping the foreign policy of the country.
+ He is the chief spokesman of the Union government.
+ He is the crisis manager-in-chief at the political level during emergencies.
+ As a leader of the nation, he meets various sections of people in different states and receives
memoranda from them regarding their problems, and so on.
+ He is the leader of the party in power.
+ He is the political head of the services. Thus, the Prime Minister plays a very
significant and highly crucial role in the politico-administrative system of the country.
Dr. B R Ambedkar stated, ‘If any functionary under our constitution is to be compared
with the US president, he is the Prime Minister and not the president of the Union.
Relationship with The President
The following provisions of the Constitution deal with the relationship between the President
and the Prime Minister:
Here's a concise summary of the provisions regarding the President-Prime Minister
relationship in the Indian Constitution:
1. Article 74: Establishes a council of ministers with the Prime Minister as the head to aid
and advise the President, who generally acts based on this advice but can require
reconsideration.
2. Article 75: Prime Minister appointed by the President, other ministers appointed on PM's
advice, ministers hold office at the President's pleasure, and the council is collectively
responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
3. Article 78: Prime Minister's duties include communicating council decisions to the
President, providing requested information, and submitting unconsidered matters for council
review if asked by the President.
Relationship with the parliament
+ Appointment and Role:
• Article 75(1): The Prime Minister is appointed by the President and holds office during the pleasure of the
President.
• Article 78: It is the duty of the Prime Minister to communicate to the President all decisions of the Council
of Ministers relating to the administration of Union affairs and proposals for legislation. The Prime Minister also
provides information as requested by the President and submits matters for the consideration of the Council of
Ministers if required by the President.
+ Responsibility to Parliament:
• Article 75(3): The Council of Ministers, with the Prime Minister at the head, is collectively
responsible to the House of the People (Lok Sabha). This means that they are accountable
to the Lok Sabha for the functioning of the government .
• Article 75(4): The Council of Ministers remains in office until a new Council of Ministers is formed
after the general elections.
Participation in Parliamentary Proceedings:
Leader of the House: The Prime Minister is usually the leader of the Lok Sabha,
participating in debates, discussions, and Question Hour sessions.
Parliamentary Accountability: The Prime Minister is accountable to Parliament for
the actions and decisions of the government. They face questions, criticisms, and
scrutiny from Members of Parliament (MPs) during parliamentary sessions.
Legislative Initiatives:
Union Budget: The Prime Minister, along with the Finance Minister, presents the
Union Budget in Parliament, outlining the government's financial plans and seeking
parliamentary approval.
Bills and Legislation: The Prime Minister, through the Council of Ministers,
introduces bills, proposes amendments, and seeks parliamentary support for
legislative measures.

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ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA TO BECOME PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

recommended by the Prime Minister.

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