Collective Governance at the State Level: Council of Ministers, Ministerial Responsibility, and Cabinet Solidarity

State Council of Ministers

India adopts the parliamentary model of government not only at the Centre but also in every state. The real executive authority at the state level is vested in the Council of Ministers, headed by the Chief Minister. The Governor, as the constitutional head, acts on the aid and advice of this council in virtually all matters except those reserved for his personal discretion.

The Constitution does not lay down the detailed principles of parliamentary government in one place. Instead, two critical Articles — Article 163 and Article 164 — provide the broad constitutional skeleton. Supplementary provisions appear in Articles 166, 167, and 177.

---

---

Article 163 establishes three significant principles:

1. Mandatory Council: A Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at its head must always exist to aid and advise the Governor.
2. Finality of Governor's Discretion: Whenever a question arises whether a matter falls within the Governor's discretionary powers, the Governor's own decision on that question is final. The validity of any act done by the Governor in this regard cannot be challenged in court on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in his discretion.
3. Confidentiality of Advice: The advice tendered by ministers to the Governor is not inquirable by any court. This protects the intimate and confidential nature of the relationship between the council and the Governor.

Supreme Court Clarifications

• 1971 Ruling: A Council of Ministers must exist at all times — even after dissolution of the assembly or resignation of a ministry. The outgoing ministry continues as a caretaker until a successor assumes charge.
• 1974 Ruling: The Governor is constitutionally obligated to act on ministerial advice in all non-discretionary matters. He cannot act independently or contrary to that advice. When the Constitution refers to the Governor's satisfaction, it means the satisfaction of the Council of Ministers, not his personal satisfaction.

---

Appointment

• The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor.
• All other ministers are appointed by the Governor solely on the advice of the Chief Minister, meaning only those recommended by the CM can be appointed.
• A special provision mandates a Minister for Tribal Welfare in Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha. This minister may additionally handle welfare of Scheduled Castes and Backward Classes.
  • Originally this obligation applied to Bihar, MP, and Odisha.
  • The 94th Amendment Act, 2006 removed Bihar from this requirement (as Scheduled Areas no longer exist there) and extended it to the newly created states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.

Size of the Council — 91st Amendment Act, 2003

• The total number of ministers, including the Chief Minister, shall not exceed 15% of the total strength of the Legislative Assembly of that state.
• However, the minimum number of ministers (including the CM) cannot be less than 12, regardless of assembly size.
• This cap was introduced by the 91st Amendment Act of 2003 to curb the practice of forming bloated councils for political convenience.

Anti-Defection and Ministerial Eligibility

• A member of either House of the state legislature who is disqualified on grounds of defection under the Tenth Schedule is also disqualified from being appointed as a minister. (91st Amendment Act, 2003)

Tenure and Pleasure Doctrine

• Ministers hold office during the pleasure of the Governor, but in practice they can only be removed on the advice of the Chief Minister.

Collective Responsibility

• The Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the state.

Membership Requirement

• A minister who is not a member of the state legislature for a continuous period of six months automatically ceases to hold ministerial office.
• A non-legislator can be appointed minister, but must secure membership of either House (by election or nomination) within six months.

Oath

• The Governor administers the oath of office and oath of secrecy to every minister.

Salary

• Ministerial salaries and allowances are determined by the state legislature.

---

• All executive actions of a state government must be expressed in the name of the Governor.
• Orders and instruments authenticated in the Governor's name cannot be challenged on the ground that they were not personally made or executed by the Governor.
• The Governor makes rules for the convenient transaction of government business and for its allocation among ministers, except business to be conducted in his discretion.

---

The Chief Minister acts as the constitutional communication link between the Council of Ministers and the Governor. His duties include:

1. Communicating to the Governor all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to state administration and legislative proposals.
2. Furnishing any information the Governor calls for regarding state administration or proposed legislation.
3. Placing before the full Council of Ministers any matter on which an individual minister has taken a decision but which has not been considered by the Council as a whole — if the Governor so requires.

---

• Every minister has the right to speak and participate in proceedings of both Houses of the state legislature (Assembly and Council, where it exists) and any committee of which he is a member.
• However, a minister can vote only in the House of which he is a member.

---

Oath of Office requires the minister to swear:

• Allegiance to the Constitution of India
• Upholding sovereignty and integrity of India
• Faithful and conscientious discharge of duties
• Doing right to all people without fear, favour, affection, or ill-will

Oath of Secrecy requires the minister to swear:

• Not to directly or indirectly reveal any matter that comes to his knowledge as a minister, except as required for the discharge of his official duties

Salary and Perquisites: Ministers receive the salary applicable to a member of the state legislature, plus a sumptuary allowance (rank-based), free accommodation, travelling allowance, and medical facilities.

---

1. Collective Responsibility

This is the cornerstone principle of parliamentary government. All ministers, as a team, are jointly responsible to the Legislative Assembly for every act of omission and commission. Key implications:

• A no-confidence motion passed against the Council requires all ministers to resign, including those who are members of the Legislative Council (upper house).
• The Chief Minister's resignation is equivalent to the resignation of the entire Council.
• Cabinet decisions bind all ministers, even those who disagreed in the cabinet meeting. A minister who cannot publicly defend a cabinet decision must resign.
• Alternatively, the Council may advise the Governor to dissolve the assembly and call fresh elections if it believes the House no longer represents the electorate — but the Governor is not bound to comply if the Council has lost the assembly's confidence.

2. Individual Responsibility

• Each minister holds office at the pleasure of the Governor, but removal in practice requires advice from the Chief Minister.
• The CM can ask an underperforming or dissenting minister to resign or advise the Governor to dismiss him — a key mechanism for enforcing collective discipline.

3. No Legal Responsibility

• There is no provision for legal responsibility of ministers in states.
• A Governor's order for a public act does not require countersignature by a minister.
• Courts cannot inquire into the advice given by ministers to the Governor.

---

The Constitution is silent on the size and internal ranking of the state council. These are determined by the Chief Minister as circumstances demand. Like at the Centre, the state council has three tiers:

1. Cabinet Ministers

• Head important departments (Home, Finance, Education, Agriculture, etc.)
• Are full members of the Cabinet
• Attend all cabinet meetings
• Collectively responsible for all policy decisions

2. Ministers of State

• May have independent charge of departments OR be attached to cabinet ministers
• Are not members of the Cabinet
• Attend cabinet meetings only by special invitation when their department's affairs are on the agenda

3. Deputy Ministers

• Are not given independent departmental charge
• Always attached to cabinet ministers
• Assist in administrative, political, and parliamentary work
• Do not attend cabinet meetings

Note: The term 'ministry' or 'ministries' is used only at the Centre. At the state level, executive units are called departments, not ministries.

Sometimes a Deputy Chief Minister is also part of the council, though this is driven by political compulsions rather than constitutional necessity.

---

The Cabinet is a smaller, more powerful inner body comprising only cabinet ministers. It is the real seat of governmental authority in the state.

Functions of the State Cabinet

1. Highest decision-making authority in the state's politico-administrative system
2. Chief policy-formulating body
3. Supreme executive authority of the state government
4. Primary coordinator of state administration
5. Advisory body to the Governor
6. Chief crisis-management body for all emergency situations
7. Handles major legislative and financial matters
8. Exercises control over senior appointments — constitutional authorities and top-level secretariat administrators

Cabinet Committees

• The Cabinet works through Cabinet Committees, which may be:
  • Standing committees — permanent in nature
  • Ad hoc committees — temporary, set up for specific purposes
• Established by the Chief Minister based on need; their number and composition change over time
• They can formulate proposals for the Cabinet and also take decisions independently
• The Cabinet can review decisions of its committees

---

• Article 163 vs 164: 163 deals with the status of the council; 164 covers appointment, tenure, responsibility, oath, and salary.
• The Governor's discretion is final — courts cannot review it.
• Ministerial advice is not justiciable — no court can inquire into it.
• 91st Amendment (2003): Capped council size at 15% of assembly; minimum 12; defection disqualifies from ministerial appointment.
• 94th Amendment (2006): Removed Bihar's tribal welfare minister obligation; added Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand.
• Six-month rule: Non-legislator minister must get legislature membership within 6 months or loses the post.
• A minister can speak in both Houses but vote only in his own.
• The Chief Minister's resignation = resignation of the entire Council.
• Governor's satisfaction = satisfaction of the Council of Ministers (not personal).
• State executive units are departments, not ministries (ministries is a Centre-only term).
• Deputy ministers do not attend cabinet meetings; Ministers of State attend only by special invitation.