Features:
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- Extra-constitutionale. not mentioned in the Constitution.
- Two types– standing and ad hoc committees.
- Set up by the Prime Minister as per the exigencies of time and requirements of situation.
- Membership varies from three to eight
- Based on the principles of division of labor and effective delegation.
Functions:
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- To sort out issues and formulate proposals
- To reduce workload of cabinet
- To facilitates in-depth examination of policy issues
- To ensure effective coordination
Important cabinet committees:
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- Political Affairs Committee described as a “Super-Cabinet” deals with all policy matters pertaining to domestic and foreign affairs.
- Economic Affairs Committee directs and coordinates the governmental activities in the economic sphere.
- Appointments Committee decides all higher level appointments in the Central Secretariat, Public Enterprises, Banks and Financial Institutions.
- Parliamentary Affairs Committee looks after the progress of government business in the Parliament.
CoMs and Collective Responsibility
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Constitutional Basis
- Article 75 states that the Council of Ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha.
- This means all ministers share joint responsibility for government actions.
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Accountability to Lok Sabha
- Ministers act as a team and share success or failure together.
- If a no-confidence motion is passed, the entire Council of Ministers must resign.
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Binding nature of decisions
- All ministers must support Cabinet decisions, even if they had initially disagreed.
- It is their duty to defend these decisions within and outside Parliament.
- A minister who disagrees and refuses to defend a decision must resign.
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Examples of Ministerial Resignations
- B.R. Ambedkar (1953) – Resigned due to differences over the Hindu Code Bill.
- D. Deshmukh – Resigned due to opposition to state reorganization policy.
- Arif Mohammed (1986) – Resigned in protest against the Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Divorce) Act.
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