Chief Minister and Council of Ministers

The Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister as its head functions as the real executive. The Chief Minister and other members of the Council of Ministers are appointed by the Governor. Their term of office is for five years, but they remain in office till they enjoy the support of the majority in the Assembly.

If a person who is appointed as the Chief Minister or a Minister, is not a member of the State Legislature, he or she has to become member of any of the two houses within six months of appointment. The portfolios or different ministries are allocated to the Ministers by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister.

Functions of Chief Minister and Council of Ministers

The Chief Minister is the Head of the Government in the State.

  • Advises the Governor on the appointment of Council of Ministers and allocation of portfolios to them.

  • Presides over the meetings of the State Council of Ministers and also coordinates the functioning of different ministers.

  • Guides the framing of the policies and programmes for the State and gives approvals of the Bills that are introduced by the Ministers in the State Legislature.

  • Is the sole link of communication between the Council of Ministers and the Governor. The Chief Minister communicates the decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to administration as well as proposals for the legislation to the Governor.

  • Submits any matter on which decision has been taken by a Minister for consideration of the Council of Ministers, if the Governor desires to do so.

Position of the Chief Minister

The Chief Minister is the real executive head of the State. It is he or she who formulates the policies and guides the Council of Ministers to implement them. He or She is the most powerful functionary, especially when one political party has an absolute majority in the Legislative Assembly. But if he or she heads a coalition government, the role gets restricted by the pulls and pressures of other partners of the coalition.

At times, he or she is pressurised by a few independent Members of Legislative Assembly (MLAs), if the majority in the House is thin.