According to the Constitution of India, the number of members of the Council of Ministers, including the Chief Minister in a State shall not be less than _______.

Key Points

• The Constitution of India specifies that the number of members in the Council of Ministers in a State, including the Chief Minister, should not be less than 12.
• This provision is aimed at ensuring a minimum size of the executive branch in the state government to maintain effective governance.
• The maximum number of ministers in the Council of Ministers should not exceed 15% of the total number of members in the Legislative Assembly of that State.
• This rule is established to prevent the over-expansion of the state executive branch and to ensure a balanced distribution of power.

Additional Information

• Council of Ministers
  • The Council of Ministers is the body of high-ranking state officials, typically consisting of the heads of state executive departments.
  • In India, the Council of Ministers is headed by the Chief Minister at the state level and by the Prime Minister at the central level.
  • The role of the Council of Ministers is to aid and advise the Governor of the State or the President of India in the exercise of their functions.
• Chief Minister
  • The Chief Minister is the elected head of the government of a state in India.
  • The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor of the state and is usually the leader of the majority party in the state legislative assembly.
  • The Chief Minister's role is to oversee the functioning of the state government and to implement state policies and programs.
• Legislative Assembly
  • The Legislative Assembly is the lower house of the state legislature in India.
  • Members of the Legislative Assembly (MLAs) are elected by the people through direct elections.
  • The Legislative Assembly's primary function is to legislate, control public spending, and represent the electorate.