Q. Consider the following statements:
1.Cabinet Minister is the highest-ranking position in the Union Council of Ministers.
2.As per the Constitution of India, the maximum number of ministers allowed in the Union Council of Ministers is 10% of the total members of the Lok Sabha.
3.Minister of State (Independent Charge) is one of the categories of ministers in the Union Council of Ministers.
4.The concept of “collective responsibility” in the context of the Council of Ministers implies that all ministers must agree on every decision.
How many of the statements given above are correct?
Explanation –
Statements 1, 2 and 4 are incorrect. The highest-ranking position in the Union Council of Ministers is the Prime Minister, followed by the Deputy Prime Minister (if any), and then the Cabinet Ministers. According to the Constitution of India, the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers must not exceed 15% of the total number of members of the Lok Sabha. The concept of “collective responsibility” means that all ministers share joint responsibility for decisions and must support them publicly, even if they personally disagree. If a minister cannot support a decision, they are expected to resign.
Statement 3 is correct. The Union Council of Ministers includes categories such as Cabinet Ministers, Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and Ministers of State.
Source: AIR
