Chief Minister

In News

• Bhupendra Patel was sworn in as Gujarat’s 17th Chief Minister at the Gandhinagar Raj Bhawan a day after he was unanimously elected the leader of the BJP legislature party.

About Chief Minister

• About: 
  • Each State has a Council of Ministers to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions. The Chief Minister is the head of the government in the State. 

• The Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister as its head exercises real authority at the State level.

• Appointment: 
  • Under Article 164, the Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor. 

• The person who commands the majority support in the State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha) is appointed as the Chief Minister by the Governor. 
• The other Ministers are appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister. 
• The ministers included in the Council of Minister’s must belong to either House of the State legislature. 
  • A person who is not a member of the State legislature may be appointed a minister, but he/she ceases to hold office if he/she is not elected to the State legislature within six months of his appointment.

• Term:
  • CM and other Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor.
    • CM cannot be dismissed by the governor as long as he enjoys the majority support in the legislative assembly.
  • The State Legislative Assembly can also remove him by passing a vote of no-confidence against him.

• Power and Functions:
  • The Chief Minister is the head of the Council of Ministers of his State. The constitutional position of the Chief Minister is more or less similar to that of the Prime Minister. The Chief Minister plays an important role in the administration of the State. The major functions include:
    • The Governor allocates portfolios to the ministers on the advice of the Chief Minister.
    • The Chief Minister presides over the Cabinet meetings. He/she coordinates the functioning of different ministries. 
      • He/she guides the functioning of the Cabinet.
    • The Chief Minister plays a key role in framing the laws and policies of the State Government. 
      • Bills are introduced by the ministers in the State legislature with his/her approval. 
      • He/she is the chief spokesman of the policies of his government both inside and outside the State Legislature.
    • Under Article 167, the Chief Minister is the sole link of communication between the Cabinet and the Governor. 
    • The Governor has the right to be informed by the Chief Minister about the decisions taken by the Council of Ministers.
      • The Constitution provides that the Chief Minister shall communicate to the Governor all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration and the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation.
      • The Chief Minister furnishes such information relating to the administration of the affairs of the State and proposals for legislation as the Governor may call for.
      •  If the Governor so requires, the Chief Minister submits for consideration of the Council of Ministers any matter on which a decision has been taken by a minister but which has not been considered by the Cabinet.
    • The Chief Ministers of the States included in each zone act as Vice-Chairman of the Zonal Council for that zone by rotation, each holding office for a period of one year at a time.

Source: TH