Prime Minister of India

The Prime Minister has a special status both in the Government and in the Parliament. This makes him/her the most powerful functionary. His/her position and powers depend upon his/her personality.

Appointment:

• Article 75 of the Indian Constitution specifies that the Prime Minster is appointed by the President.
• The general principle is that the President appoints the leader of majority party in the Lok Sabha as the Prime Minister
• If no party gets a clear majority then the President may exercise his personal discretion in the appointment of the Prime Minister.
• This power was first executed in India in the year 1979 when Dr Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy appointed Charan Singh as the Prime Minister after the collapse of the Janata Party Government.
• A Minster may be a member of either houses of the Parliament.

Term:

• The tem is not fixed.
• The Prime Minister holds the office during the pleasure of the President.
• As long as the Prime Minister enjoys the majority support in the Lok Sabha, he cannot be removed by the President
• The salary and allowances of the Prime Minister are determined by the Parliament from time to time. He gets the salary and allowances that are payable to a member of Parliament.

Functions of The Prime Minister: 

• The PM recommends to the President about the members who can be appointed as the Ministers.

Note: The President appoints only those persons as Ministers who are recommended by the Prime Minister.

• The PM allocates various portfolios among the Ministers.
• The PM reshuffles the portfolios.
• The PM asks a Minister to resign.
• The PM advises the President to remove a Minister.
• The PM presides over the meeting of Council of Ministers.
• The PM is the principal channel of communication between the President and the Council of Ministers.

Article 78: It shall be the duty of the Prime Minister to communicate to the President on all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration of the affairs of the Government and proposals for the legislation.

• The PM advises the President with respect to the appointment of Attorney General, Union Public Service Commission Chairman and Members, Comptroller and Auditor General, Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, Chairman and members of Finance Commission etc.
• The PM advises the President with regard to the summoning and proroguing of the Parliament.

The PM recommends the President for the dissolution of Lok Sabha.