Article 75 — Other Provisions as to Ministers

(1) The Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. (2) The Ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President. (3) The Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People.

Source: Constitution of India, as published by the Ministry of Law and Justice.

Collective responsibility, the doctrine that the entire Cabinet stands or falls together, was inherited from the Westminster tradition. A minister who disagrees with a Cabinet decision must resign or stay silent; if the Cabinet loses a confidence vote, all ministers must resign. The Constituent Assembly chose collective responsibility over individual ministerial accountability to the legislature (the American model) because it creates stronger cohesion in government.

• 91st Amendment (2003) — Inserted clause (1A) capping the total number of ministers (including PM) at 15% of the total membership of the Lok Sabha; inserted clause (1B) disqualifying defectors from holding ministerial office.

• Article 52
• Article 74
• Article 83
• Article 100
• Article 356

Last reviewed: 3 July 2026