Union Cabinet - Indian Polity Notes

Union Cabinet is the highest decision-making authority in India’s government system. It includes some of the most experienced ministers chosen by the Prime Minister. It is the chief policy-formulating body of the central government.

Definition of Cabinet

• The Council of Ministers has an interior body called the Cabinet.
• It acts in the Council of Ministers' name and exercises all of the Council's functions.
• It is the central directing instrument of government in legislation as well as in administration.
• It consists of 15-18 members, who are the senior most and in fact most effective ministers of the council.

Role of Cabinet

• It is the Cabinet which controls the Parliament and governs the country.
• The Cabinet ministers are the members of the Cabinets, while a Minister of State may attend a Cabinet meeting when matters pertaining to his department are to be discussed.
• Cabinet decides major questions of policies. Its decisions are binding on all ministers.
• The various government departments carry out the cabinet’s policy decision by administering the law and devising measures for enactment as law by Parliament.
• Higher-ranking appointments, such as constitutional authorities and senior secretariat administrators, are under the control of the Cabinet.
• The Cabinet is in charge of all international policy and affairs.
• It is the Cabinet and not the Council of Ministers who advises the President, its advice is binding on him.

Powers And Functions Of Union Cabinet

• The primary functions of the Cabinet is to formulate the policies of the government for the good governance of the country, have it accepted by the legislature and carry on the executive function of the state as per the constitution and the laws.

The Cabinet Committee

• To relieve the Cabinet of some burden of work, a Cabinet committee has been set up.
• N. Gopalaswamy on the machinery of Government 1949, recommended setting up a standing committee of Cabinet over defined fields, with appropriate strengthening of the secretariat and other organs of these committees.
• These were the instruments to ‘organise co-ordination on a decentralised basis’. The cabinet committee should cover between them all important areas of governmental activities.
• It is also essential that they meet regularly so that sustained attention is given to complex problems and the progress of implementing important policies and programs is kept under constant review.
• Some important committees are:

Position of the Cabinet

• No other authority has the same power as the cabinet, as long as it has a majority in the house. The primary institution wields all of these authorities.
• The Cabinet enjoys a predominant position in administration.
• As the maker of all policies, the director of administration and the supreme coordinator of government activity, the Cabinet is the efficient part of the government.
• It is indeed the steering wheel of the ship of the state. It is the centre of power and the most powerful institution of the Indian political system.

Kitchen Cabinet/inner-cabinet

• The cabinet, which is led by the prime minister and includes 15 to 20 of the most important ministers, is the highest decision-making body. However, a much smaller body known as the "inner Cabinet" or "Kitchen Cabinet" has emerged as the true power center.
• This informal group includes the Prime Minister and two to four powerful colleagues in whom he has confidence and with whom he can discuss any issue.
• It provides advice to the prime minister on important political and administrative issues and assists him in making important decisions.
• It not only includes cabinet ministers, but also outsiders such as the prime minister's friends and family.
• Kitchen Cabinet is the informal and non-constitutional body (extra-constitutional).
• The ‘kitchen cabinet' notion is not unique to the Indian political and administrative structure; it also exists in the United States and the United Kingdom.

Examples

• Y. B. Chavan, Uma Shanker Dixit, Fakhruddin Ali Ahmed, Dr. Karan Singh, and others were part of Indira Gandhi's "Inner Cabinet," which became known as the "Kitchen Cabinet."
• L. K. Advani, George Fernandes, M. M. Joshi, Pramod Mahajan, and others made up A. B. Vajpayee's "inner cabinet."

Merits and Demerits of Kitchen cabinet

Difference Between Cabinet & Council Of Minister

Conclusion

The English Constitution leaves the whole Cabinet system to convention, with the Crown having full authority and Ministers being nothing more than servants of the Crown. It was not initially included in the Indian Constitution, but it was introduced by the 44th Amendment in Article 352. Through its collective wisdom and diverse expertise, it endeavors to address the multifaceted challenges facing the country while fostering development, welfare, and progress. However, there are areas where improvements can be made to ensure greater transparency, efficiency, and inclusivity in its functioning.

FAQs

MCQs

Question: Which of the following is/are true regarding the Cabinet?

1. The Inner Cabinet is smaller than the Kitchen Cabinet.
2. Kitchen cabinet may consist of family and friends too.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c) Both

(d) None

Question: When the annual Union Budget is not passed by the Lok Sabha? (UPSC CSE-2011)

(a) The Budget is modified and presented again

(b) The Budget is referred to the Rajya Sabha for suggestions

(c) The Union Finance Minister is asked to resign

(d) The Prime Minister submits the resignation of the Council of Ministers.

Question: Consider the following statements:(UPSC 2022)

1. The Constitution of India classifies the ministers into four ranks viz. Cabinet Minister, Minister of State with Independent Charge, Minister of State and Deputy Minister.
2. The total number of ministers in the Union Government, including the Prime Minister, shall not exceed 15 percent of the total number of members in the Lok Sabha.

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 2 only

(c)Both 1 and 2

(d)Neither 1 nor 2

Question: Out of the following statements, choose the one that brings out the principle underlying the Cabinet form of Government:(UPSC 2017)

(a) An arrangement for minimizing the criticism against the Government whose responsibilities are complex and hard to carry out to the satisfaction of all.

(b) A mechanism for speeding up the activities of the Government whose responsibilities are increasing day by day.

(c) A mechanism of parliamentary democracy for ensuring collective responsibility of the Government to the people.

(d) A device for strengthening the hands of the head of the Government whose hold over the people is in a state of decline.

*email: contactus@prepp.in