Consider the following statements:The Constitution of India classifies the ministers into four ranks

Question

Consider the following statements:The Constitution of India classifies the ministers into four ranks viz. Cabinet Minister, Minister of State with Independent Charge, Minister of State, and Deputy Minister.The total number of ministers in the Union Government, including the Prime Minister, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members in the Lok Sabha.Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

Accepted Answer

Statement 1 is not correct: The Council of Ministers is a constitutional body. Article 74 of the Constitution provides that 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. However, its classification is not mentioned in the Constitution. The classification of the central council of ministers into a three-tier body (Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State, and Deputy Ministers) is based on British parliamentary conventions.Statement 2 is correct: The 91st Amendment, 2003 to the Constitution introduced Article 75(1A), which states that the Union Council of Ministers cannot exceed more than 15 percent of the number of MPs in the Lok Sabha.Source: Laxmikanth Indian Polity