About Prime Minister (PM) of India:
The PM of India is the head of administrative branch of Indian Government. Prime Minister’s position is different from that of Indian President, who is the lead of the state. India follows a parliamentary government system which is developed after the Westminster system. Hence, most of the administrative powers are implemented by the PM of India.
The Prime Minister is the leader of the Minister Council and is a mentor and guide to the President of India. The PM of India is appointed by the President and with the advice of the PM, president appoints the members of Ministers Council. The PM of India can be a member of either Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha.
Roles and Responsibilities of PM (Prime Minister):
The Responsibilities and Roles of a PM are mentioned as follows:
a. Connection between President and Council of Ministers:
The PM is the leader of Council of Ministers and works as the communication channel between the Council of Ministers and President. The Prime Minister’s duty is to communicate to the President regarding all the decisions taken by the Ministers Council and to offer information about Union Administration or legislature proposals as called by the Head of the State (President).
b. Allocation of Portfolios:
The Prime Minister allocates the portfolios among the ministers and spreads the work among various offices and ministries. The PM coordinates work between various ministries and different departments through the Secretariat of the Cabinet.
c. Ministries In-Charge:
PM also maintains several portfolios that are not allocated to the ministries. He generally looks after the following ministries and departments:
- Ministry of Planning
- Ministry of Public Grievances, Pensions and Personnel
- Space Department
- Atomic Energy Department
- Cabinet Appointments Committee
d. Cabinet Leader:
The PM instructs and presides over cabinet meetings and decides what business should be executed in these cabinet meetings.
e. Connection between the Parliament and the Cabinet:
The PM is also the connection between the Parliament and the cabinet. He acts as the Government’s chief spokesperson in the Parliament, along with the party leader in majority in Lok Sabha. It is his duty to announce important decisions of the policy. The PM can also involve in the general importance debates in Parliament to clarify the government’s policy or stand.
f. Official Representative:
The PM represents the nation in various high level meetings, delegations and international organisations and also addresses the country on various national importance occasions.
Powers and Authorities of PM:
The Prime Minister enjoys various powers and authorities. They are mentioned as follows:
a. Government’s Head:
The PM of India is the head of the Government. Though the head of the State is President, most of the administrative decisions are decided by the PM. The most important decision making bodies in the Nation such as Planning Commission and the Union Cabinet are under his control.
b. Leader of Minister’s Council:
If his relation to Ministers Council is taken, his position is said to be “First among Equals”. In a case of resignation or death of the PM, the entire Ministers Council has to step down. The Ministers are directly reported to the PM. He can also remove a minister by having him dismissed by the head of the state or by asking for his resignation. If any opinion difference arises among the PM and other ministers, the opinion of PM prevails.
c. Parliament Leader:
The PM of India is the leader of House to which he belongs. He can also even participate in the House debates of which he does not belong. He can also guide the president to disperse the Lok Sabha.
d. Country’s Representative:
In International Affairs, he acts the country’s spokesperson. He plays a major role in administrating foreign policy of India.
Facilities served to the Prime Minister:
Some of the facilities provides to the Prime Minister of India are:
- Official Residence: “Panchavati” or 7, Race Course Road
- Personal Staff: SPG (Special Protection Group), responsible for his security.
- Vehicle: Prime Ministerial Car, BMW 750i
- Exclusive Aircraft: Air India One
Eligibility Criteria to be an Indian Prime Minister:
To be eligible for Prime Minister Position of India, a person must:
- Be an Indian Citizen.
- Member of either Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha.
- Complete 30 years of age, if he is a Rajya Sabha Member or 25 years of age, if he is a Lok Sabha Member.
A person cannot be the Indian Prime Minister if he holds any office of profit under the Indian Government, any state government.
Selection Process of PM:
The Constitution of India states that the Indian President should select the leader of the party which is in majority in Lok Sabha as the PM of India. In case no alliance or party enjoys the majority, the head of the state appoints the leader of the biggest party as the Indian PM. But as early as possible, he has to win the confidence vote in the Parliament Lower House. Either a Lok Sabha member or a Rajya Sabha member can be appointed as a PM. If he is not a member of any of the two houses, within six months of his appointment he has to be elected to either of both the houses. As the PM, he is the leader of the Sabha of which he is an elected member.
Term and Retirement Age of PM:
Apart from President, the PM does not have any fixed term. The full tenure of PM is five years, which is similar to the normal life of Lok Sabha. If he loses the vote of confidence in the Lower house, the term of Prime Minister can end sooner. So, he can remain in his power as long as he enjoys the Lok Sabha Confidence. He can also step down by writing to the Head of the State. There are no limits of term of the Prime Minister’s Office. He also does not have any retirement age officially.
Salary of Indian Prime Minister:
According to the 75th Article of Indian Constitution, the Prime Minister’s Salary is decided by the Parliament and revised periodically.
| Pay | Rs. 50000 |
| Sumptuary Allowance | Rs. 3000 |
| Daily Allowance | Rs. 62,000 (@ 2,000 per day) |
| Constituency Allowance | Rs. 45000 |
| Gross | Rs. 160000 |
Residence of Prime Minister:
7, Race Course Road is the official residence and also the workplace of Prime Minister of India. “Panchavati” is the official name of the residence and was built in 1980’s. The complete residence is spread over 12 acres of area and consists of 5 bungalows.
To Know the Complete List of Indian Prime Ministers: list of Indian Prime Ministers from Independence
To Know about the Interesting Facts of Indian Prime Ministers, visit: Interesting Facts about Prime Ministers of India