Consider the following statements: 1. The Cabinet decisions bind all cabinet ministers (and other ministers) even if they differed in the cabinet meeting. 2. Article 75 of the Indian Constitution contains the principle of collective responsibility as well as the principle of individual responsibility. Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
Consider the following statements: 1. The Cabinet decisions bind all cabinet ministers (and other ministers) even if they differed in the cabinet meeting. 2. Article 75 of the Indian Constitution contains the principle of collective responsibility as well as the principle of individual responsibility. Which of the statements given above is/are correct? Correct Answer Both 1 and 2
The correct answer is Both 1 and 2.
Key Points
- Article 75–Other Provisions as to Ministers
- The Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- The total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Ministers, shall not exceed 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha. This provision was added by the 91st Amendment Act of 2003.
- A member of either house of Parliament belonging to any political party who is disqualified on the ground of defection shall also be disqualified to be appointed as a minister. This provision was also added by the 91st Amendment Act of 2003.
- The ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.
- The council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
- The President shall administer the oaths of office and secrecy to a minister.
- A minister who is not a member of the Parliament (either house) for any period of six consecutive months shall cease to be a minister.
- The salaries and allowances of ministers shall be determined by the Parliament.
Important Points
- RESPONSIBILITY OF MINISTERS
- Collective Responsibility
- The fundamental principle underlying the working of the parliamentary system of government is the principle of collective responsibility.
- Article 75 clearly states that the council of ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
- This means that all the ministers own joint responsibility to the Lok Sabha for all their acts of omission and commission.
- They work as a team and swim or sink together.
- When the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the council of ministers, all the ministers have to resign including those ministers who are from the Rajya Sabha.
- The principle of collective responsibility also means that the Cabinet decisions bind all cabinet ministers (and other ministers) even if they differed in the cabinet meeting. Hence, statement 1 is correct.
- It is the duty of every minister to stand by cabinet decisions and support them both within and outside the Parliament.
- If any minister disagrees with a cabinet decision and is not prepared to defend it, he must resign.
- Individual Responsibility
- Article 75 also contains the principle of individual responsibility. Hence, statement 2 is correct.
- It states that the ministers hold office during the pleasure of the president, which means that the President can remove a minister even at a time when the council of ministers enjoys the confidence of the Lok Sabha.
- However, the President removes a minister only on the advice of the Prime Minister.
- Collective Responsibility
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Feb 20, 2025