Prime Minister of India
Political executive
Article 74 · Article 75
De jure
70
De facto
90
Volatility
35
Legitimacy
55
In theory
Head of Government, chairs the Council of Ministers which is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
In practice
The real center of executive power in the Union; strength depends heavily on Lok Sabha majority size, coalition arithmetic, and control over the party -- a PM with a thin majority behaves very differently from one with a landslide.
Checks and balances
This office checks
→ President of India The Council of Ministers effectively drives most substantive presidential action via binding aid and advice.→ President of India The Council of Ministers effectively drives most substantive presidential action via binding aid and advice.Checked by
← Supreme Court of India Can strike down executive action or subordinate legislation as unconstitutional or ultra vires.← Speaker of the Lok Sabha Presides over and certifies the outcome of a no-confidence motion that can remove the government.← Election Commission of India Model Code of Conduct and election supervision constrain the incumbent government's use of state machinery during elections.← Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Audit findings can trigger parliamentary and public accountability for executive spending decisions.← Supreme Court of India Can strike down executive action or subordinate legislation as unconstitutional or ultra vires.← Speaker of the Lok Sabha Presides over and certifies the outcome of a no-confidence motion that can remove the government.← Election Commission of India Model Code of Conduct and election supervision constrain the incumbent government's use of state machinery during elections.← Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) Audit findings can trigger parliamentary and public accountability for executive spending decisions.Sources
- Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Ch. on the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers
- Laxmikanth, Indian Polity, Ch. on the Prime Minister and Council of Ministers