Maximum Number of Cabinet Minister?
VerifiedAnswer: 15% of Total
Explanation:
The maximum number of cabinet ministers in India is constitutionally limited to 15% of the total strength of the legislative assembly or parliament. This important provision ensures that the executive branch doesn't become disproportionately large compared to the legislative body.
This rule applies to both the Union government and state governments across India. For instance, if the Lok Sabha has 543 members, the total number of ministers (including the Prime Minister) cannot exceed approximately 81 members. Similarly, in state assemblies, if there are 200 members in the legislative assembly, the maximum number of ministers would be around 30.
The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act of 2003 introduced this ceiling to prevent the formation of oversized cabinets. Before this amendment, there was no specific limit, which sometimes led to the appointment of numerous ministers primarily for political reasons rather than administrative necessity.
The amendment modified Article 75 for the Union government and Article 164 for state governments. It established that the total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister (at the Union level) or Chief Minister (at the state level), shall not exceed 15% of the total number of members in the House of People or Legislative Assembly, as the case may be.
However, there's an important exception: the minimum number of ministers cannot be less than 12, regardless of the size of the legislative body. This provision ensures that even smaller states with fewer legislators can have an adequate number of ministers to handle essential governmental functions effectively.
This constitutional provision helps maintain a balance between having sufficient ministerial positions to run the government efficiently while preventing the misuse of public resources through unnecessarily large cabinets. It promotes better governance by ensuring that ministerial positions are allocated based on administrative needs rather than just political considerations.
