Council of Ministers
74. Council of Ministers to aid and advise President.—1[(1) There shall
be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise
the President who shall, in the exercise of his functions, act in accordance with
such advice:]
2
[Provided that the President may require the Council of Ministers to
reconsider such advice, either generally or otherwise, and the President shall act
in accordance with the advice tendered after such reconsideration.]
(2) The question whether any, and if so what, advice was tendered by
Ministers to the President shall not be inquired into in any court.
75. Other provisions as to Ministers.—(1) 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.
3
[(1A) The total number of Ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the
Council of Ministers shall not exceed fifteen per cent. of the total number of
members of the House of the People.
(1B) A member of either House of Parliament belonging to any political
party who is disqualified for being a member of that House under paragraph 2 of
the Tenth Schedule shall also be disqualified to be appointed as a Minister under
clause (1) for duration of the period commencing from the date of his
disqualification till the date on which the term of his office as such member
would expire or where he contests any election to either House of Parliament
before the expiry of such period, till the date on which he is declared elected,
whichever is earlier.]
(2) The Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.
(3) The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House
of the People.
(4) Before a Minister enters upon his office, the President shall administer
to him the oaths of office and of secrecy according to the forms set out for the
purpose in the Third Schedule.
1 . Subs. by the Constitution (Forty-second Amendment) Act, 1976, s.13, for cl. (1)
(w.e.f. 3-1-1977).
2. Ins. by the Constitution (Forty-fourth Amendment) Act, 1978, s. 11 (w.e.f. 20-6-1979).
3. Ins. by the Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act, 2003, s. 2 (w.e.f. 1-1-2004).
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