Abstract
As noted in the preceding chapter, while the president of India may be the head of state, the head of government is the prime minister. Article 74(1) of the constitution provided that ‘There shall be a Council of Ministers with a Prime Minister at the head to aid and advise the President in the exercise of his functions’. On 17 March 1971, the Supreme Court judged the requirement to be mandatory, ruling that the president could not function without the aid and advice of prime minister and cabinet. As we saw in the last chapter, Mrs Indira Gandhi made assurance doubly sure by amending Article 74 of the constitution in 1978. In this chapter I will:
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1.
Examine the role of the prime minister in the Indian system of government.
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2.
Examine the tenures of the several prime ministers that India has had.
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3.
Examine the role of the cabinet in the Indian system of government.
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Further Reading
Gopal (1979). An authorized account of the Nehru years based on privileged access to his papers.
Hart (1976). A useful collection of essays on the impact of Mrs Gandhi’s prime ministership on India’s major political institutions.
Jayakar (1992). An intimate portrait rather than a critical evaluation.
Malhotra (1989). A fine personal and political biography of Mrs Gandhi which is objective, fair and critical while still remaining friendly towards its subject.
Manor (1994). Essays on several dimensions of the prime minister’s role and authority.
Pal (1983). Traces the evolution of the role of the prime minister.
Sen Gupta (1989). A critical evaluation by an elder statesman among Indian political commentators.
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© 1995 Ramesh Thakur
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Thakur, R. (1995). Prime Minister and Cabinet. In: The Government and Politics of India. Comparative Government and Politics. Palgrave, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-24100-2_5
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-349-24100-2_5
Publisher Name: Palgrave, London
Print ISBN: 978-0-333-59188-8
Online ISBN: 978-1-349-24100-2
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