Page 200 - SST Class 08

Legislative Powers Qualification, Appointment and Term of
The President can summon or prorogue either
house of Parliament. He can dissolve the Lok
Sabha and order fresh elections. He can address
the joint session of the Parliament. He addresses
the first session of the Lok Sabha after general
elections; also he addresses its first session every
year. A bill can become a law only after his
assent. When the Parliament is not in session, he
can issue an ordinance. An ordinance has the
power of a law which remains in force until the
next session of the Parliament, when it can be
made into a formal law.
Financial Powers
A money bill can be introduced in the Lok Sabha
only with his prior permission. He can sanction
money from the Contingency Fund of India . His
most important financial power is the presentation
of the annual budget of the country.
Judicial Powers
The President of India appoints the Chief Justice of
India. He can grant pardon, remit or suspend a
sentence or grant mercy. He is not answerable to
any court of law for any action.
Emergency Powers
The emergency powers of the President are very
vast. He can declare a state of emergency in the
whole or a part of the country in the event of
external aggression, danger to the peace and
security, civil war, breakdown of constitutional
machinery etc. He can also declare a financial
emergency if the financial stability of the country
is at stake.
In the case of death of the President, the Vice
President immediately takes over as the Acting
President.
PRIME MINISTER AND COUNCIL OF MINISTERS
The President is the nominal head of the state and
all powers are exercised by the Council of
Ministers headed by the Prime Minister. This
makes the post of the Prime Minister very
powerful.
Contemporary Social Science-8
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Office
The Prime Minister is the head of the government.
The necessary qualification for being the Prime
Minister is that he should be eligible to become a
member of the Lok Sabha; that is, he should be a
citizen of India above 25 years of age with his
name registered on the electoral rolls in any
constituency of India.
After general elections, the President appoints the
leader of the majority party as the Prime Minister.
In case, no one political party has secured
majority, then two or more parties can form a
coalition, and the leader of the coalition is then
appointed as the Prime Minister. It is not
necessary for the Prime Minister to be a member
of the Parliament, but if he is not a member, then
he has to become a member of either house of
Parliament within six months of his appointment.
Rajiv Gandhi Manmohan Singh Narendra Modi
Other ministers of the Council of Ministers are
appointed by the President of India on the advice
of the Prime Minister. It is not necessary for a
minister to be a member of the Parliament, but he
has to become one within six months.
The position of the Prime Minister in the Council
of Ministers is that of the first among the equals.
He is responsible for the success or failure of the
government.
The normal term of office for the Prime Minister
and his Council of Ministers is 5 years; however, if
he loses majority in the Lok Sabha, he has to
resign. Thus, the Council of Ministers remains in
office until it enjoys the confidence of the Lok
Sabha.
The Council of Ministers has three types of
ministers—cabinet ministers, ministers of state and
deputy ministers. One or more ministers can be
given independent charge also. The decisions