Difference Between Council Of Ministers And Cabinet
COUNCIL OF MINISTERS |
CABINET |
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It is a wider body consisting of 60 to 70 ministers. |
It is a smaller body consisting of 15 to 20 ministers. |
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It includes all the three categories of ministers, that is, cabinet ministers, ministers of state, and deputy ministers. |
It includes the cabinet ministers only. Thus, it is a part of the council of ministers. |
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It does not meet, as a body, to transact government business. It has no collective functions. |
It meets, as a body, frequently and usually once in a week to deliberate and take decisions regarding the transaction of government business. Thus, it has collective functions. |
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It is vested with all powers but in theory |
It exercises, in practice, the powers of the council of ministers and thus, acts for the latter. |
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Its functions are determined by the cabinet. |
It directs the council of ministers by taking policy decisions which are binding on all ministers. |
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It implements the decisions taken by the cabinet. |
It supervises the implementation of its decisions by the council of ministers. |
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It is a constitutional body, dealt in detail by the Articles 74 and 75 of the Constitution. Its size and classification are, however, not mentioned in the Constitution. Its size is determined by the prime minister according to the exigencies of the time and requirements of the situation. Its classification into a three-tier body is based on the conventions of parliamentary government as developed in Britain. It has, however, got a legislative sanction. Thus, the Salaries and Allowances Act of 1952 defines a ‘minister’ as a ‘member of the council of ministers, by whatever name called, and includes a deputy minister’. |
It was inserted in Article 352 of the Constitution in 1978 by the 44th Constitutional Amendment Act. Thus, it did not find a place in the original text of the Constitution. Now also, Article 352 only defines the cabinet saying that it is ‘the council consisting of the prime minister and other ministers of cabinet rank appointed under Article 75’ and does not describe its powers and functions. In other words, its role in our politico-administrative system is based on the conventions of parliamentary government as developed in Britain. |
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It is collectively responsible to the Lower House of the Parliament. |
It enforces the collective responsibility of the council of ministers to the Lower House of Parliament. |
Role of Cabinet
1. It is our politico-administrative system's highest decision-making authority.
2. It is the central government's primary policy-making body.
3. It is the Central government's supreme executive authority.
4. It is the central administration's chief coordinator.
5. It is a president's advisory body, and its recommendations are binding on him.
6. As the chief crisis manager, it is responsible for all emergency situations.
7. It is responsible for all major legislative and financial issues.
8. It has authority over higher-ranking officials, such as constitutional authorities and senior secretariat administrators.
9. It is in charge of all foreign policies and affairs.
What is Meant By Kitchen Cabinet?
In the formal sense, the cabinet, a small body consisting of the prime minister as its head and 15 to 20 of the most important ministers, is the highest decision-making body. However, a smaller body known as the 'Inner Cabinet' or 'Kitchen Cabinet' has emerged as the true power centre. The Prime Minister and two to four influential colleagues in whom he has faith and with whom he can discuss any problem make up this informal body. It provides important political and administrative advice to the Prime Minister and assists him in making critical decisions. It includes not only cabinet ministers, but also outsiders such as the prime minister's friends and family members. Every Indian prime minister has had a 'Inner Cabinet,' which is a circle within a circle. The 'Inner Cabinet,' also known as the 'Kitchen Cabinet,' was particularly powerful during Indira Gandhi's reign.
What is Shadow Cabinet?
A shadow cabinet is a group of politicians who serve in a political position for their party but are not in power (that is, an opposition party). A shadow minister is a member of the shadow cabinet. The Leader of the Opposition is the name given to the head of a shadow cabinet.
Each Cabinet minister is accompanied by a shadow minister. The Shadow Minister serves as an alternative to the government minister. They'll have a debate about issues that pertain to their respective areas of jurisdiction.