Central Council of Ministers

Let’s start from the foundation.

We know that India has adopted the Parliamentary System of Government, modeled on the British system.
In this system, the President is the nominal executive (de jure head), while the Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister is the real executive (de facto head).

So, when we talk about “the Government of India” — practically speaking, we’re referring to the Council of Ministers (CoM), which actually exercises executive powers in the name of the President.

In short —
👉 The President is the head in name,
👉 The Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers are the head in reality.

⚖️ Constitutional Basis

Now, interestingly, the Constitution does not describe the whole parliamentary system in detail — it only outlines it broadly through two Articles: Article 74 and Article 75, and a few supporting ones like 77, 78, and 88.

Let’s go through them one by one.

🧩 Article 74 — Council of Ministers to Aid and Advise the President

This is the core provision that establishes the parliamentary relationship between the President and the CoM.

It says:

“There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President, who shall act in accordance with such advice.”

✅ Meaning:

• The President cannot act independently; he/she must act as per the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
• However, the President can once ask the CoM to reconsider its advice.
• But after reconsideration, whatever advice is given becomes binding.

This ensures a balance — the President gets a chance to reflect, but not to override.

Also, Clause (2) says:

“The advice tendered by the ministers shall not be inquired into by any court.”

Why?
To protect the confidentiality of cabinet deliberations and to maintain trust between the President and ministers.

🧩 Article 75 — Other Provisions as to Ministers

This article is a big one — it lays down everything from appointment to accountability of ministers.

Let’s understand this 👇

(1) Appointment

• The Prime Minister is appointed by the President.
• The other ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.

👉 This means the President has no discretion in choosing ministers — he only acts formally on PM’s advice.

(2) Size of the Council — 91st Amendment Act, 2003

The total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister, cannot exceed 15% of the strength of the Lok Sabha.

👉 Example: If Lok Sabha has 545 members, the total number of ministers cannot exceed 81.
This was added to prevent jumbo cabinets and reduce political corruption.

(3) Disqualification on Ground of Defection — 91st Amendment

If any MP is disqualified under the Tenth Schedule (anti-defection law), that person cannot be appointed as a minister.

So, the Constitution prevents defectors from being rewarded with ministerial berths.

(4) Tenure — Pleasure of the President

Ministers hold office during the pleasure of the President.
But in practice, this “pleasure” is not personal — it is co-terminous with the confidence of the Lok Sabha.

So, the President cannot dismiss a minister arbitrarily.
He/she does so only on the advice of the Prime Minister or when the government loses majority support.

(5) Collective Responsibility

The entire Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.

👉 This means the Council acts as one unit — they “swim and sink together.”
If the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion, the entire Council must resign, not just the minister concerned.

This is what makes the executive accountable to the legislature — a core pillar of parliamentary democracy.

(6) Oath of Office and Secrecy

Before assuming office, each minister takes:

• An Oath of Office (to bear true faith to the Constitution, uphold sovereignty, etc.), and
• An Oath of Secrecy (to not reveal confidential matters).

Both are administered by the President.

(7) Minister without Being MP

If a person is appointed minister but is not a member of Parliament, he/she must get elected or nominated to either House within 6 months — otherwise, he/she ceases to be a minister.

👉 Example: Indira Gandhi, Manmohan Singh, and H.D. Deve Gowda were all Rajya Sabha members serving as PMs.

(8) Salary and Allowances

These are decided by Parliament by law.
Ministers get the same basic salary as MPs, plus allowances like residence, travel, and other perks.

🧩 Article 77 — Conduct of Government Business

This Article explains how the executive business of the Union is conducted.

It provides that:

1. All executive actions of the Government of India shall be expressed to be taken in the name of the President.

👉 Example: Notifications, appointments, and decisions are all issued as “in the name of the President.”

2. Orders made in the President’s name must be authenticated as per rules laid down by the President.
   Once authenticated, their validity cannot be questioned in court on the ground that it was not personally approved by the President.
3. The President makes Rules of Business, which allocate work among the ministers for the smooth transaction of government business.

In practice, this ensures systematic functioning — like ministries, departments, and cabinet committees all working under defined jurisdictions.

🧩 Article 78 — Duties of the Prime Minister

This repeats what we’ve already seen earlier.
It says the PM must:

1. Communicate to the President all decisions of the Council of Ministers.
2. Furnish any information the President calls for.
3. If required, submit a matter for reconsideration by the Council that was decided by a single minister.

👉 Thus, the Prime Minister acts as the link between the President and the Council of Ministers.

🧩 Article 88 — Rights of Ministers in Parliament

This article allows ministers to:

• Speak and participate in proceedings of either House, any joint sitting, or any parliamentary committee of which they are members,
  but
• They cannot vote unless they are actually members of that House.

✅ For example:
A Rajya Sabha minister can speak in Lok Sabha but cannot vote there.

🧠 Nature of Advice by Ministers

Now comes an important analytical point.

Article 74 says the Council of Ministers shall aid and advise the President.
But the question that arose historically was:
“Is the President bound by this advice, or can he act independently?”

Initially, before 42nd Amendment, this was ambiguous — the President had some leeway.
But the 42nd Constitutional Amendment (1976) made the advice binding.
Then the 44th Amendment (1978) added a safeguard — the President can once ask for reconsideration.
After reconsideration, the advice becomes final and binding.

✅ Therefore, today:
The President must act according to the Council’s advice.
This makes the Prime Minister-led Cabinet the real center of power.

🏛️ Judicial Interpretations

Two landmark cases further clarified this relationship:

(1) U.N.R. Rao vs Indira Gandhi (1971)

The Supreme Court held:

Even after the dissolution of Lok Sabha, the Council of Ministers continues to hold office until the new Council takes over.

So, even if the House is gone, the President cannot act alone — he/she still needs a Council of Ministers for advice.

This ensures continuity of governance and prevents a power vacuum.

(2) Shamsher Singh vs State of Punjab (1974)

The Court ruled:

Whenever the Constitution says “the satisfaction of the President,” it means the satisfaction of the Council of Ministers, not the President personally.

👉 In simple words — there is no personal discretion of the President in most executive matters.
All powers are exercised collectively through the Cabinet.

🧭 Appointment of Ministers

Let’s start from the top.
Just like the Prime Minister, ministers too are appointed by the President, but there’s a crucial constitutional nuance:

🔹 The Prime Minister is appointed directly by the President.
🔹 The other ministers are appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister.

So, in reality, the Prime Minister decides who becomes a minister, and the President simply gives it formal approval.
This reflects the parliamentary spirit — where the real executive power lies with the PM and his Council.

🏛️ Who Can Become a Minister?

Usually, ministers are members of Parliament — either from the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha.
However, the Constitution also allows a person who is not yet a member of Parliament to be appointed as a minister — but there’s a condition:

He or she must become a member of either House within six months,
otherwise, they cease to be a minister.

👉 This provision ensures flexibility — allowing experts or political leaders outside Parliament to be inducted temporarily.

✅ Example:
Dr. Manmohan Singh was first appointed as Finance Minister (1991) and was a Rajya Sabha member.
Similarly, Jagjivan Ram, and even technocrats like Nirmala Sitharaman, initially entered Parliament after joining the Council.

🗣️ Rights of Ministers in Parliament

A minister who is a member of one House (say Rajya Sabha) can:

• Speak and participate in the proceedings of the other House (Lok Sabha),
  but cannot vote there.

This ensures that the executive can defend policies and bills in both Houses, maintaining effective coordination between them.

🪶 Oath and Salary of Ministers

Before entering office, every minister must take two oaths — administered by the President of India.

1️⃣ Oath of Office

In this, the minister swears:

1. To bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India.
2. To uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India.
3. To faithfully and conscientiously discharge the duties of office.
4. To do right to all manner of people without fear or favour, affection or ill will.

👉 This oath is about constitutional and moral commitment to duty and impartiality.

2️⃣ Oath of Secrecy

Here, the minister swears:

Not to directly or indirectly communicate or reveal any matter that comes before him/her as a Union Minister, except for the due discharge of duties.

This maintains Cabinet secrecy — a fundamental part of the collective decision-making process.
It ensures ministers can speak freely inside Cabinet meetings, knowing those discussions remain confidential.

⚖️ Case Study: Devi Lal Oath Case (1990)

In 1990, when Devi Lal took oath as Deputy Prime Minister, a petition was filed claiming the title was unconstitutional, since the Constitution mentions only “Prime Minister” and “Ministers,” not “Deputy Prime Minister.”

✅ The Supreme Court upheld the oath as valid, clarifying that:

• “Deputy Prime Minister” is merely a descriptive designation,
• It gives no special powers or status, and
• The substance of the oath, not the title, is what matters constitutionally.

This case illustrates that political designations (like MoS, Deputy Minister, or Deputy PM) are administrative, not constitutional.

💰 Salary and Allowances

The salaries and allowances of ministers are decided by Parliament from time to time.
Ministers get:

• The same basic pay as Members of Parliament, plus
• Additional perks — sumptuary allowance, free residence, travel, medical benefits, etc.

To give you perspective:

In 2001, the sumptuary allowance was revised to:

• Prime Minister – ₹3,000/month (earlier ₹1,500)
• Cabinet Minister – ₹2,000/month
• Minister of State – ₹1,000/month
• Deputy Minister – ₹600/month

⚙️ Responsibility of Ministers

Now we come to one of the most exam-relevant and conceptual parts —
the responsibility of ministers, which ensures executive accountability in our parliamentary democracy.

There are three dimensions of ministerial responsibility:

1. Collective Responsibility
2. Individual Responsibility
3. No Legal Responsibility

Let’s decode each.

1. Collective Responsibility

This is the heart of the parliamentary system, and it’s explicitly written in Article 75(3):

“The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.”

Let’s understand this:

(a) Meaning:

• All ministers stand together as one unit before Parliament.
• They are jointly accountable for all decisions and policies of the government.
• They must support Cabinet decisions both inside and outside Parliament.

Hence, the Cabinet “swims or sinks together.”

If the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion,
👉 The entire Council of Ministers — including PM and even Rajya Sabha ministers — must resign.

This is because the political legitimacy of the government depends on the confidence of the Lok Sabha.

(b) Practical Implications

Even if a minister disagrees in Cabinet discussions, once a decision is taken,
he/she must publicly support it.

If not willing to defend it, the only option is to resign.
This ensures unity and discipline in the executive.

✅ Examples of resignation over disagreement:

• Dr. B.R. Ambedkar (1953) – resigned over differences on the Hindu Code Bill.
• C.D. Deshmukh – resigned over State Reorganisation policy.
• Arif Mohammed Khan (1986) – resigned over the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act.

Each of these resignations reaffirmed the principle of Cabinet solidarity.

(c) Alternative to Resignation — Dissolution

Sometimes, instead of resigning, the Council may advise the President to dissolve the Lok Sabha and hold fresh elections, claiming the House no longer reflects the will of the people.
However, the President may or may not accept that advice if the government has already lost majority support.

2. Individual Responsibility

This is another aspect of Article 75:

“The ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President.”

But — in the parliamentary context, this “pleasure” is exercised only on the advice of the Prime Minister.

So, if:

• A minister performs poorly, or
• There’s a difference of opinion,

👉 The Prime Minister can ask for the minister’s resignation or recommend dismissal.

This ensures that:

• The PM maintains control and discipline,
• The Cabinet remains cohesive, and
• The collective responsibility principle functions effectively.

✅ As Dr. B.R. Ambedkar beautifully said:

“Collective responsibility can be achieved only through the instrumentality of the Prime Minister.”

Meaning — the PM’s authority to appoint and dismiss ministers is the mechanism that enforces collective responsibility.

3. No Legal Responsibility (Unlike Britain)

Now, this is a key difference between the British and Indian systems.

In Britain, every order of the King must be countersigned by a minister, who is then legally responsible for that act.
That’s why they say:

“The King can do no wrong.”
Because it’s the minister who faces legal consequences, not the monarch.

But in India, there is no such concept of legal responsibility:

• The President’s orders need not be countersigned by a minister.
• The courts cannot inquire into the advice given by ministers to the President (as per Article 74(2)).

Thus, ministers are politically responsible to Parliament,
but not legally responsible in court for every executive act.

🔍 Summary Table

Type of Responsibility	Constitutional Basis	Meaning	Example
Collective Responsibility	Article 75(3)	CoM acts as one unit, accountable to Lok Sabha	No-confidence motion leads to fall of whole ministry
Individual Responsibility	Article 75(2)	Minister holds office during President’s pleasure (on PM’s advice)	PM can drop/dismiss a minister
No Legal Responsibility	Convention (not codified)	Ministers not legally liable for President’s acts	Courts can’t question ministerial advice

💡 In Essence

The Council of Ministers operates on the twin foundations of collective and individual responsibility, ensuring unity in action and accountability in politics.
The Prime Minister is the pivot who keeps this structure functional, cohesive, and constitutionally responsible.

🏛️ Composition of the Council of Ministers

Now, in the Indian parliamentary system, the Council of Ministers (CoM) is not one uniform block.
It’s a three-tier structure, consisting of ministers with different ranks, responsibilities, and influence.

Let’s visualize it like a pyramid —
with the Prime Minister at the top, and three categories of ministers forming the layers below.

🧭 Cabinet Ministers

These are the senior-most and most powerful members of the government.

• They head the key ministries such as:
  • Home Affairs
  • Defence
  • Finance
  • External Affairs
  • Education, etc.
• They are members of the Cabinet, the core decision-making body of the government.
• They attend Cabinet meetings regularly, and their decisions shape national policy.

So, the Cabinet Ministers form the inner circle of power.
They represent the nerve centre of governance, where all major policies and legislative strategies are decided.

🧭 Ministers of State (MoS)

Now comes the second layer — the Ministers of State.
They are somewhat junior to Cabinet Ministers and can be of two types:

(a) Ministers of State with Independent Charge

• They head a ministry or department independently, without being under a Cabinet Minister.
• Example: Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Youth Affairs or Culture.
• They perform almost the same functions as Cabinet Ministers but are not part of the Cabinet.
• They attend Cabinet meetings only when invited, especially when issues concerning their ministry are discussed.

(b) Ministers of State Attached to Cabinet Ministers

• They assist Cabinet Ministers in handling departments or specific portfolios.
• For example, a Minister of State may look after certain divisions under the Ministry of External Affairs or Home Affairs.
• They work under the supervision and direction of the concerned Cabinet Minister.

👉 In short:

• Independent MoS = small, self-managed ministry
• Attached MoS = assistant to a Cabinet Minister

🧭 Deputy Ministers

These are the junior-most ministers in the hierarchy.

• They don’t head any ministry independently.
• They are attached either to Cabinet Ministers or to Ministers of State.
• Their role is to assist in:
  • Administrative tasks
  • Parliamentary work (replying to questions, etc.)
  • Political coordination

They do not attend Cabinet meetings and hold no independent decision-making power.

So, think of Deputy Ministers as support staff within the executive machinery — important for coordination, but not for policy decisions.

🧩 Deputy Prime Minister (Special Case)

Occasionally, there is also a Deputy Prime Minister — but this post has no constitutional basis.
It is created only for political or coalition reasons — mainly to recognize seniority or balance power-sharing between parties.

✅ Example:

• Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel (India’s first Deputy PM),
• L.K. Advani during the Vajpayee government.

The Supreme Court in Devi Lal case (1990) clarified that:

The title of “Deputy Prime Minister” is merely descriptive — it does not grant any constitutional authority or extra powers.

🧭 Parliamentary Secretaries (Non-Members of CoM)

Now, here’s an interesting add-on category.

There are also Parliamentary Secretaries — but note carefully:

They are not part of the Council of Ministers.

• They are appointed by the Prime Minister, not by the President.
• They do not head any department.
• Their role is to assist senior ministers in parliamentary work — for instance, replying to questions or managing parliamentary business.

You can think of them as junior political aides rather than executive heads.

⚖️ Distinction Between the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet

Now, this is where students often get confused — so let’s clear it completely.

Both the Council of Ministers and the Cabinet are part of the executive machinery, but their scope, structure, and function differ sharply.

(1) Size and Composition

Point	Council of Ministers	Cabinet
Meaning	Entire body of ministers	Small, select group within CoM
Composition	Cabinet Ministers + Ministers of State + Deputy Ministers	Only Cabinet Ministers
Size	Wider body	Smaller, inner circle

(2) Function and Role

Council of Ministers	Cabinet
It does not meet as a body to conduct government business.	It meets regularly (usually once a week) to take major policy decisions.
It implements Cabinet decisions.	It directs and controls the CoM; decisions taken here are binding on all ministers.
It is a constitutional body — mentioned in Articles 74 and 75.	It is a conventional body — its existence and role are based on British conventions (not detailed in the original Constitution).

(3) Legal Status

• The Council of Ministers is explicitly mentioned in the Constitution (Articles 74 & 75).
• The Cabinet was formally defined only later in Article 352, through the 44th Amendment (1978), which says:

“Cabinet means the council consisting of the Prime Minister and other ministers of Cabinet rank appointed under Article 75.”

However, even this definition does not specify the Cabinet’s powers —
its working is purely based on parliamentary convention, inherited from Britain.

(4) Power and Responsibility

Council of Ministers	Cabinet
Holds powers in theory, but functions under Cabinet’s direction.	Exercises real executive power in practice.
Collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha (Article 75).	Enforces that collective responsibility — ensures unity in decision-making.
Implements policies decided by the Cabinet.	Supervises implementation through the CoM.

(5) Nature and Origin

Council of Ministers	Cabinet
Constitutional and statutory basis	Conventional and practical basis
Size fixed by PM (max 15% of Lok Sabha under 91st Amendment, 2003)	Size and composition depend entirely on PM’s discretion
Works as a large political body	Works as the nerve centre — small, secretive, and decisive

🧩 In short:

Council of Ministers = The whole executive team (policy + administration)
Cabinet = The core policy-making committee within it

Or, as we can put it like:

“The Cabinet is the brain of the government;
the Council of Ministers is its body that executes what the brain decides.”

🧠 Additional Insights

• The Cabinet system evolved in Britain and was adopted in India to ensure collective decision-making, secrecy, and quick coordination among key ministers.
• The Cabinet is where political strategy and national policy are decided — including defence, budget, and legislative agenda.
• The Council of Ministers gives administrative shape and continuity to those decisions.

📘 Summary Table

Feature	Council of Ministers	Cabinet
Size	Large	Small (core group)
Composition	All Ministers	Only Cabinet Ministers
Legal Basis	Articles 74–75 (Constitutional)	Article 352 (Defined later by 44th Amendment)
Function	Implements Cabinet decisions	Decides policies, directs CoM
Meetings	Rarely meets as a whole	Meets regularly (weekly)
Power	Theoretical	Practical
Responsibility	Collectively responsible to Lok Sabha	Enforces that responsibility

🏁 In Essence

The Council of Ministers is the broader constitutional body responsible for aiding and advising the President,
while the Cabinet is the smaller, inner circle that actually directs government policy and action.

Together, they make the Prime Minister-centric executive structure the most powerful institution in India’s political system.

⚙️ Role of the Cabinet

Now let’s understand what exactly the Cabinet does.
The Cabinet is not just a part of the government — it is the heart of the executive system.

Its role can be seen through several lenses 👇

1️⃣ Highest Decision-Making Authority

All major policies, national decisions, and government strategies are finalized here.
The Cabinet’s decisions are binding on all ministers and departments.

2️⃣ Chief Policy Formulating Body

It decides the broad direction of national policies — economic, foreign, defence, education, etc.
Ministries then prepare detailed plans under these policy frameworks.

3️⃣ Supreme Executive Authority

Although all executive power is nominally vested in the President (Article 53),
in practice, it is the Cabinet that exercises it through the Council of Ministers.

4️⃣ Chief Coordinator of Central Administration

Each ministry is like a department in a vast organisation.
The Cabinet acts as the coordinator, ensuring policies are consistent and ministries don’t work at cross-purposes.

5️⃣ Advisory Body to the President

The Cabinet advises the President on all key matters — legislative, administrative, or political.
Under Article 74, the President is bound by this advice (after 42nd & 44th Amendments).

6️⃣ Crisis Manager

During emergencies — wars, political crises, or natural disasters — the Cabinet becomes the nerve centre for quick decisions and coordination.

7️⃣ Legislative and Financial Authority

• It prepares and introduces bills in Parliament.
• It frames the annual budget.
• It decides when to summon, prorogue, or dissolve Parliament.

Basically, no major law or expenditure moves without the Cabinet’s green signal.

8️⃣ Control over High Appointments

The Cabinet plays a major role in recommending appointments to:

• Constitutional authorities (CAG, UPSC, Finance Commission, etc.), and
• Top bureaucratic and diplomatic positions.

9️⃣ Foreign Policy and International Relations

All foreign affairs, treaties, and defense decisions are managed by the Cabinet, led by the PM and the Minister for External Affairs.

💬 Role Descriptions by Scholars

Now let’s see how great political thinkers described the Cabinet — these lines may come in UPSC mains answers and essays.

Scholar	Description of the Cabinet	Meaning in Simple Words
Ramsay Muir	“The Cabinet is the steering wheel of the ship of the state.”	It directs and navigates the government.
Lowell	“The Cabinet is the keystone of the political arch.”	It holds the entire political structure together.
Sir John Marriott	“The Cabinet is the pivot around which the whole political machinery revolves.”	It is the centre of administrative gravity.
Gladstone	“The Cabinet is the solar orb around which the other bodies revolve.”	It is the sun of the political system — everything depends on it.
Barker	“The Cabinet is the magnet of policy.”	All policy energy is drawn and directed by it.
Bagehot	“The Cabinet is a hyphen that joins, the buckle that binds the executive and legislative departments together.”	It connects and coordinates the two organs of government.
Sir Ivor Jennings	“The Cabinet is the core of the British Constitutional System.”	It ensures unity and coherence in governance.
L.S. Amery	“The Cabinet is the central directing instrument of Government.”	It provides leadership and strategic direction.

👉 Together, these descriptions highlight one truth:

The Cabinet is the real engine room of parliamentary governance.

🧩 “Dictatorship of the Cabinet”

Political scientist Ramsay Muir, in his book How Britain is Governed, said:

“The Cabinet wields powers so vast that it may fairly be described as omnipotent in theory… a dictatorship only qualified by publicity.”

Meaning —
As long as the Cabinet enjoys a majority in Parliament, its power is almost absolute.
It controls policy, administration, and legislation — everything!

✅ And this holds true for India as well:
The Indian Cabinet, under the leadership of the Prime Minister, is the most powerful political institution in the country.

👥 THE “KITCHEN CABINET” — The Inner Circle of Power

Now comes an interesting UPSC concept:
the Kitchen Cabinet, also known as the Inner Cabinet.

🔸 What is the Kitchen Cabinet?

While the Cabinet is the formal decision-making body,
the Kitchen Cabinet is an informal group — a smaller inner circle that actually advises and influences the Prime Minister’s key decisions.

It usually includes:

• The Prime Minister, and
• A few trusted colleagues, friends, or even family members.

This group is based on personal trust, not official hierarchy.

🔸 Why Does It Exist?

Because the formal Cabinet — with 15–20 members — is often too large to discuss every sensitive issue.
So, the PM relies on a smaller, quicker, and more confidential circle.

✅ Advantages (Merits):

1. Efficiency: Small group means faster and smoother decision-making.
2. Flexibility: Easier to meet frequently and handle urgent issues.
3. Secrecy: Helps the PM maintain confidentiality on sensitive political or security matters.

🔸 But There Are Demerits Too

1. It reduces the authority of the formal Cabinet, making other ministers feel sidelined.
2. It allows outsiders (non-ministers or family members) to influence state policy — which can undermine democratic accountability.

Hence, critics often say:

“In the Kitchen Cabinet, policies are cooked privately and then served before the Cabinet for formal approval.”

🔸 Examples

• Indira Gandhi’s Kitchen Cabinet was particularly famous — comprising a few close advisers and bureaucrats.
• Even in other countries like the USA and Britain, informal inner circles (e.g., President’s personal advisers) exist and often shape major policy moves.

🔸 Constitutional Status

Remember:
The Kitchen Cabinet is an extra-constitutional body —
meaning, it has no legal recognition.
Its existence depends entirely on the style of functioning of the Prime Minister.

🧠 Summary: Cabinet vs Kitchen Cabinet

Aspect	Cabinet	Kitchen Cabinet
Nature	Formal, constitutional body	Informal, extra-constitutional group
Composition	PM + all Cabinet Ministers	PM + a few trusted colleagues/friends
Basis	Constitution & conventions	Personal trust and convenience
Function	Official decision-making	Informal advice & pre-decision discussion
Accountability	Responsible to Parliament	Not accountable to Parliament
Merit	Democratic and representative	Efficient and secretive
Demerit	Slower and bureaucratic	Can bypass democratic processes

🏁 In Essence

So, we can say:

The Cabinet is the brain of the government,
the Council of Ministers is its body,
and the Kitchen Cabinet is the inner nerve centre that keeps the system agile and politically responsive.

So, while the Cabinet represents the institutional authority of government,
the Kitchen Cabinet represents the personal authority of the Prime Minister.

And that’s why, in India’s parliamentary democracy,
the Prime Minister’s leadership style determines how much power shifts —
from the Council of Ministers,
to the Cabinet,
and finally to the Kitchen Cabinet.

Articles related to Central Council of Ministers at a Glance

Article No.	Subject Matter
74	Council of Ministers to aid and advise President
75	Other provisions as to Ministers
77	Conduct of business of the Government of India
78	Duties of Prime Minister as respects the furnishing of information to the President, etc.
88	Rights of Ministers as respects the Houses