Prime Minister of India
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The Prime Minister of India is, in practice, the most powerful person in the Government of India. The Prime Minister is technically outranked by the head of state, the President of India. But, as is typical in most parliamentary democracies, because the head of state's duties are largely ceremonial, the Prime Minister is the head of government and has effective responsibility for executive power.
India follows a parliamentary system of government, known as the Westminster system after that of the United Kingdom. In this system, the Prime Minister is generally the leader of a party (or coalition of parties) that has a majority in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India. The Prime Minister either has to be a current member of one of the houses of Parliament, or be elected within six months of being appointed.
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Appointment of the Prime Minister
Formally, the Prime Minister is appointed by the President. The President is expected to invite that person to be the Prime Minister who has been elected the leader of the parliamentary party that commands an absolute majority in the Lok Sabha. But when no single party enjoys a majority, the president has some discretion: he or she may invite the leader of a combination of parties constituting the majority in the Lok Sabha or the leader of the single largest party in the Lok Sabha.
Powers and functions
The Prime Minister selects the members of the Council of Ministers who are formally appointed by the President. He allocates portfolios among the ministers and he can drop any minister. The Prime Minister presides over the meetings of the Council of Ministers. He decides the policies of the government. He coordinates the work of different ministries and solves inter - departmental conflicts. The Prime Minister is the Chairperson of the Planning Commission which is a key body in the process of planning.
The Prime Minister advises the President on all important matters like appointments judges of the High Courts and the Supreme Court, Chief Election Commissioner, Comptroller and Auditor General. He also advises the President on the summoning and proroguing of the Parliament, the dissolving of the Lok Sabha and the declaration of emergencies.
He is a link between the President and the Cabinet.
Prime Ministers through the years
Fourteen individuals have served as Prime Minister of India. Jawaharlal Nehru served for four consecutive terms (1947-1952, 1952-1957, 1957-1962, and 1962-1964). Indira Gandhi served three times (1966-1971, 1971-1977, and 1980-1984), and Atal Behari Vajpayee served on three occasions (1996, 1998-1999, 1999-2004). Gulzari Lal Nanda served as acting Prime Minister during two transition periods.
The early years were dominated by the Indian National Congress party, which held the premiership for the first thirty years of India's independence. Morarji Desai became the first non-Congress Prime Minister in 1977, representing the broad Janata coalition. In December 1989 V P Singh of that coalition's successor, the Janata Dal, became the first prime minister of that party. In 1996, Atal Behari Vajpayee of the Bharatiya Janata Party became the first person from that party to become Prime Minister. He was again returned to power in 1998 and in 1999. The 2004 elections to the Lok Sabha restored Congress to power, and Dr. Manmohan Singh was named the Prime Minister-designate on 19 May 2004. He was sworn in on May 22, 2004. Singh is the first Sikh Prime Minister of India. He is also the only Prime Minister who has never been elected to the Lok Sabha.
Four out of the 13 prime ministers were born in Allahabad; the University of Allahabad has produced three prime ministers; and two prime ministers represented Allahabad as MPs. Thus, the city of Allahabad in some way or other has produced eight prime ministers out of the 14 (including the one acting prime minister). Seven out of the 13 prime ministers were born in India's largest state, Uttar Pradesh; nine prime ministers studied in Uttar Pradesh; and ten prime ministers represented constituencies in Uttar Pradesh as MPs. Thus the state of Uttar Pradesh in some way or other has produced nine prime ministers out of the 14.
The official residence of the Prime Minister of India is 7 Race Course Road. Some prime ministers have chosen to use part of their official residence as their office too, in other words, 7 RCR has functioned as the PMO (Prime Minister's Office) on several occasion in the past. The incumbent prime minister, Dr. Manmohan Singh's PMO is located at South Block and not at 7 RCR.
List of Prime Ministers of India
Indian National Congress Janata Party Janata Dal Bharatiya Janata Party
- * Interim - It is debatable whether Mr. Gulzari Lal Nanda was a Prime Minister or an Acting Prime Minister. The constitution does not have a position of acting Prime Minister. Mr. Nanda was sworn in as the Prime Minister of India. In contrast, the constitution provides for an acting President who discharges the duties of a President. Hence, constitutional experts and historians now agree that Mr. Nanda is the second Prime Minister of India.
- ♥ Returned to Office
- ♠ Assassinated or Died in Office
- ♣ Resigned
- ♦ Dismissed by President following a no-confidence motion
See also
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