Prime Minister of India: List, Power, Function, and Term of Office

PRIME MINISTER OF INDIA

This content is written to educate you about the Prime Minister of India and the details relating to it.

We have encompassed information such as the position of the prime minister, eligibility criteria, oaths they take, office tenure, compensation, and benefits.

Also, we have included the function and powers a prime minister possesses along with the list of prime minister of India for you to go through.

Narendra Damodardas Modi is the current Prime Minister of India since 2014. He was sworn-in as India’s Prime Minister on 30th May 2019, for his second term in office. He is the longest-serving Chief Minister of Gujarat with his term spanning from October 2001 to May 2014.

What is the position of the Prime Minister of India?

The Prime Minister of India is the head of the government which holds immense importance in the political system of India.

Under a parliamentary system of Government, Prime Minister is the senior-most cabinet member. He/ She enjoys supremacy over the colleagues.

The Prime Minister chairs the Council of Minster and leads the cabinet. He is considered the leader of the nation. His office holds great authority and dignity in terms of position and power.

Eligibility Criteria

Article 84 and Article 74 of the Indian Constitution determines the eligibility criteria to become a Prime Minister which is as follows:-

  • S/he should be a citizen of India
  • Must be of above 25 years of age (if a member of Lok Sabha) or 30 years of age (if a member of Rajya Sabha)
  • Must be a member of either House of the Parliament, i.e. Rajya Sabha or Lok Sabha. If s/he is elected as the Prime Minister without being a member of either of the houses should obtain the membership of any one of them within six months.
  • Should not hold any office of profit under the Central, any state government or any local or other authority. If elected as a Prime Minister, s/he must vacate the post and resume only after completion of their term

What oaths do the Prime Minster take?

Before entering the office, the Prime Minister has to pledge in the presence of the President of India who administers the oath.

Part I and II of the Third Schedule of the Constitution of India set out the Oath of office and secrecy which is as follows:-

Oath of office:

I, <name>, do swear in the name of God/solemnly affirm that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as Prime Minister for the Union and that I will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law, without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.”

Oath of Secrecy:

I, <name>, do swear in the name of God/solemnly affirm that I will not directly or indirectly communicate or reveal to any person or persons any matter which shall be brought under my consideration or shall become known to me as Prime Minister for the Union except as may be required for the due discharge of my duties as such Minister.

What is the tenure of the office of the Prime Minister of India?

According to the Constitution of India, the Prime Minister can remain in office on the pleasure of President for an indefinite time. The constitution has no specified term for the Prime Minister of India.

Although, s/he can remain in office until his party enjoys a Lok Sabha majority which is 5 years.

Therefore, the Prime Minister generally has a tenure of 5 years or as long as the house has confidence in him/her.

What can lead to the removal of Prime Minister?

The Prime Minister must hold the confidence of the President and the lower house of the parliament.

S/he can be removed when:-

  • the majority of Lok Sabha members loses confidence in him and passes a vote-of-no-confidence
  • resigns from the office

What compensation and benefits are given to the Prime Minister?

The Parliament decides the remuneration and benefits of the prime Minister as Article 75 of the Constitution. These are renewed from time to time as well.

Salary

The Prime Minister receives a monthly pay and allowances of Rs. 200,000.

Residence

The official place of residence for the Prime Minister of India is the 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi. It was previously called 7, Race Course Road.

Travel

Ground travel – highly-modified Armored version of Range Rover

Air Travel:-

  • Boeing 777- 300Rs with a call sign of Air India One
  • Helicopter Mi8 for short-distance travel

Security

The Special Protection Group (SPG) has the charge of security and protection of the Prime Minister and his/ her family.

Office

The prime workplace of the Prime Minister is located at the South block known as the Prime Minister’s office. It is a complex with 20 rooms and the principal secretary to the Prime Minister of India heads it.

Powers and Functions of the Prime Minister

The Prime Minister is vested with vast powers and holds many significant functions to perform. The power s/he enjoys and the functions s/he has to carry out are as follows:-

  • All the decisions taken by the President are on the aid and advice of the Prime Minister
  • S/he is the leader of the cabinet and can influence all the decisions taken
  • Has the power of supervising several ministries and ministries work under his/her leadership
  • Can appoint or dismiss the cabinet ministers. The ministry dissolves if the Prime Minister is removed or resigned
  • Has to coordinate activities and secure cooperation among all the departments
  • S/he is the link between the Council of Ministers and the President and no minister can access the president without his/her consent
  • Maintains India’s prestige and participation in International affairs and relations. S/he acts as the Chief Architect of India’s Foreign Relations
  • Takes decisions over socio-economic, fiscal and financial development of the country
  • S/he is the Nation’s Chief Executive and head of administration
  • S/he chairs the cabinet and presides over all the meetings and conferences of the cabinet and parliament as well

List of Prime Minister of India

Since 1947, there have been 15 Prime Ministers in India till date. The list of Prime Ministers is as furnished below.

Sr. No.Prime MinistersTerm of Office
1Jawahar Lal Nehru5 August 1947 – 27 May 1964
2Gulzarilal Nanda27 May,1964 – 9 June 1964
3Lal Bahadur Shastri9 June, 1964 – 11 January 1966
4Indira Gandhi24 January 1966 – 24 March 1977
5Morarji Desai24 March 1977 – 28 July 1979
6Charan Singh28 July 1979 – 14 Jan. 1980
7Indira Gandhi14 January1980 – 31 October 1984
8Rajiv Gandhi31 October 1984 – 2 December 1989
9V.P. Singh2 December 1989 – 10 November 1990
10Chandra Shekhar10 November 1990 – 21 June 1991
11P.V. Narsimha Rao21 June 1991 – 16 May 1996
12Atal Bihari Vajpayee16 May 1996 – 1 June 1996
13H.D. Deve Gowda1 June 1996 – 21 April 1997
14Inder Kumar Gujral21 April 1997 – 19 March 1998
15Atal Bihari Vajpayee19 March 1998 – 22 May 2004
16Manmohan Singh22 May 2004 – 26 May 2014
17Narendra Modi26 May 2014 – To Present
Rate this post

Leave a Comment