Chief minister (India)

A Chief Minister (CM) is the elected head of government of each of the twenty-eight states and three of the eight union territories of India. The Chief Minister is the de facto executive authority in the state, analogous to the Prime Minister at the national level.

Appointment and Term:

The Chief Minister is appointed by the Governor of the state. However, in practice, the Governor appoints the leader of the party or coalition that commands a majority in the State Legislative Assembly (Vidhan Sabha). If no single party has a clear majority, the Governor may invite the leader of the largest party or a coalition of parties to form the government and prove their majority on the floor of the Assembly within a specified timeframe.

The Chief Minister holds office during the pleasure of the Governor, but this is subject to maintaining the confidence of the Legislative Assembly. If the Chief Minister loses the support of a majority of the members of the Assembly, the Governor can dismiss the Chief Minister. The term of office is generally coterminous with the Legislative Assembly, which is typically five years. However, the Chief Minister may resign or be removed from office before the completion of the term.

Powers and Functions:

The Chief Minister heads the Council of Ministers, which aids and advises the Governor in the exercise of their functions, except in so far as they are required to exercise their functions in their discretion. The Chief Minister is responsible for:

• Forming the government after an election.
• Allocating portfolios to ministers within the Council.
• Presiding over cabinet meetings and coordinating the work of different departments.
• Advising the Governor on matters relating to the administration of the state.
• Representing the state government in inter-state and national forums.
• Initiating legislation and guiding its passage through the Legislative Assembly.
• Maintaining law and order in the state.
• Providing overall leadership and direction to the state government.

Relationship with the Governor:

The Chief Minister acts as a link between the Governor and the Council of Ministers. The Chief Minister is required to communicate to the Governor all decisions of the Council of Ministers relating to the administration of the affairs of the state and proposals for legislation. The Chief Minister also furnishes such information relating to these matters as the Governor may call for. While the Governor is the constitutional head of the state, the Chief Minister wields real executive power, subject to constitutional constraints and the will of the Legislative Assembly.

Eligibility:

To be eligible for appointment as Chief Minister, a person must be a citizen of India and a member of the State Legislative Assembly (MLA) or the State Legislative Council (MLC). If the person is not a member of either house of the legislature at the time of appointment, they must become a member within six months. The individual should also be of a certain age as defined by the Constitution of India.