Chapter 21 Central Council of Ministers

1. What is the real executive authority in India’s politico-administrative system, according to the Constitution?

2. Which Articles of the Constitution broadly deal with the principles of the parliamentary system of government?

3. What does Article 74 state regarding the Council of Ministers and the President?

4. Can the advice tendered by Ministers to the President be inquired into in any court?

5. What does Article 75 state regarding the appointment of the Prime Minister and other Ministers?

6. What is the maximum limit on the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers?

7. What is the disqualification for a member of Parliament belonging to any political party who is disqualified on the ground of defection?

8. During whose pleasure do the ministers hold office?

9. To whom is the Council of Ministers collectively responsible?

10. Who administers the oaths of office and secrecy to a minister?

11. What happens if a minister is not a member of Parliament for a period of six consecutive months?

12. Who determines the salaries and allowances of ministers?

13. What does Article 77 state regarding the executive action of the Government of India?

14. What does Article 77 state regarding the authentication of orders and instruments made in the President’s name?

15. What power does the President have under Article 77 regarding the transaction of government business?

16. What does Article 78 state as the duties of the Prime Minister?

17. What does Article 88 state regarding the rights of Ministers as respects the Houses?

18. What does Article 74 provide for regarding the Council of Ministers and the President?

19. What did the 42nd and 44th Constitutional Amendment Acts do regarding the advice tendered by ministers to the President?

20. Can the nature of advice tendered by ministers to the President be enquired by any court?

21. What did the Supreme Court hold in U.N.R. Rao case (1971) regarding the Council of Ministers after dissolution of Lok Sabha?

22. What did the Supreme Court hold in Shamsher Singh case (1974) regarding the President’s satisfaction?

23. Who appoints the Prime Minister and the other ministers?

24. Can a person who is not a member of Parliament be appointed as a minister?

25. What right does a minister who is a member of one House of Parliament have regarding the other House?

26. Who administers the oaths of office and secrecy to a minister?

her oath of office?

her oath of secrecy?

29. What did the Supreme Court rule in 1990 regarding the oath taken by Devi Lal as deputy prime minister?

30. Who determines the salaries and allowances of ministers?

31. What is the fundamental principle underlying the working of the parliamentary system of government regarding the Council of Ministers?

32. What does collective responsibility mean for the ministers?

33. What happens if the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the Council of Ministers?

34. What alternative action can the Council of Ministers take if it loses the confidence of the Lok Sabha?

35. Does the President have to oblige the Council of Ministers if it advises dissolution of Lok Sabha after losing confidence?

36. What does the principle of collective responsibility also mean regarding Cabinet decisions?

37. What is the duty of a minister who disagrees with a cabinet decision?

38. What does Article 75 state regarding individual responsibility of ministers?

39. On whose advice does the President remove a minister?

40. How does the Prime Minister ensure collective responsibility in case of difference of opinion or dissatisfaction with a minister?

41. What did Dr. B.R. Ambedkar observe regarding collective responsibility and the Prime Minister?

42. Is there a provision in the Indian Constitution for the system of legal responsibility of a minister?

43. Are the courts barred from enquiring into the nature of advice rendered by the ministers to the President?

44. What are the three categories of ministers in the Council of Ministers?

45. Who stands at the top of all ministers in the Council of Ministers?

46. Can the Council of Ministers include a deputy prime minister?

47. What are the responsibilities of cabinet ministers?

48. What are the roles of ministers of state?

49. What are the roles of deputy ministers?

50. What is the distinction between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet?

51. Is the Council of Ministers a constitutional body?

52. Is the Cabinet a constitutional body?

53. What is the maximum size of the Council of Ministers as per the 91st Constitutional Amendment Act of 2003?

54. What is the role of the Cabinet in India’s politico-administrative system?

55. What is the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’ or ‘Inner Cabinet’?

56. Why do Prime Ministers resort to the device of an ‘inner cabinet’?

57. What are the demerits of the ‘Kitchen Cabinet’?

58. Which Article deals with the Council of Ministers to aid and advise President?

59. Which Article deals with Other provisions as to Ministers?

60. Which Article deals with the Conduct of business of the Government of India?

61. Which Article deals with Duties of Prime Minister as respects the furnishing of information to the President?

62. Which Article deals with Rights of Ministers as respects the Houses?