The President along with the Lok Sabha & Rajya Sabha, respectively form the Indian
Parliament. The President of India does get elected directly as the Prime
Minister, rather his election is an indirect one through an Electoral College
which consist of members of both the Houses of Parliament and elected members of
Vidhan Sabha and union territories.
The President of India tends to have very limited scope while there is an
initiation of any action on his own when it comes to terms related to
provisions of the Constitution. However, there is undoubtedly no wonder, that
the office of the President is of immense weight of such high post of office,
and a position of pride and honor and that it cannot be very easily be crashed
aside by the PM. The President plays a role of influencing the various policies
and different actions taken by the Government, moderately.
Prime Minister of India, plays the role of a bridge in between Parliament and
President. The President must be made informed regarding the happenings and
workings of all the Department ,especially the ones which revolves around
initiation of various policies. The relationship between the Pm and the
President is of great importance as it’s the Pm who keeps his ears intact to the
ground through which the President acquires the feel the pulse of the people
,hence ensuring the principles of democracy .as a government which is for the
people.[1]
The President:
The President of India appoints other officer who hold constitutional posts as
well some other vital members of the Central Government such as the
1.)Prime Minister.2.) The Council fo Minister on the Pm’s advice.3.) The Chief
Justice of India along with other judges of the Apex Court and High Courts upon
the CJI’s advice and other members of National Commissions, UPSC, etc.
President’s Powers:
The President has been entrusted with both legislative, executive as well as
judicial powers by the Constitution of India.
He assigns various governors of the States as well as Attorney General,
ambassadors to be sent to other foreign countries. He is the commander in –Chief-
of the Armed Force of India
He can grant an award of pardon, reprive, remit, amnesty, remission of a person
,also in certain cases can minimize the sentence of death of the person who is
offended, mainly regarding cases which revolve around punishments related to
death (Art 72,deals with the pardoning power of the President.).In Shatrugan
Chauhan and Anr. V Union of India & Ors.,where the Court upheld that during
certain grounds such as insanity, delay etc, the death sentence can be commuted
to life imprisonment.
B .The legislative powers of the President are cited below:
1. The President of India is entitled to command the Lok Sabha as well as the
Rajya Sabha as well as postpone it, he can also lead to the dissolution of the
House..
2. Bils can only become law when they are passed by him also he can promulgate
ordinances even when the Parliament cannot be in session.
The President of India , can declare State Emergency under Art.356, if he
feels satisfied that the constitutional machinery of concerned State has gone
through a breakdown. Also, he can impose National Emergency under Art.352,
during war, rebellion of arms , external aggression. (Indo-PAK war,
(Indo-China-War.) When cases as such occur, that the PM insists President, he is
bound put his signatures in that bill , this was how the Emergency was declared
by President Fakruddin Ali Ahmed in 1975.
Further, a Financial Emergency can be imposed by him if he feels that the
State’s stability in finance is no more in stable form under Art.360
The PM:
The PM of India has the following powers by the virtue of being the head of
Union of Coucil of Ministers:
1. Its on the PM’s recommendations that the President appoints ministers.
2. PM he is the presiding officer to various meetings of t council of
ministers ,also his decisions play an influential role
3. PM, may ask any minister to give his resignation at any time or else it
It is upon his advice that President dismisses any minister especially when
cases concerning difference in the opinion ,occur.
4. Allocations, reshufflings of portfolios among various ministers take place by
the PM.
5. He plays the role of a guide, director, controller ,coordinator of various
activities that keeps on taking place among the ministers.
6. Further, if he resigns from his post, the whole ministry resigns from office.
In short, the ministers are individually as well collectively responsible to
him,also that they swim and sink ,together.
In Relation To The President:
The Following Are The Powers Of The Pm In Relation To The President:
1. The PM acts as the main communication channel in between the council of
ministers and the President of India.
2. It is based on his sheer advice that President appoints The Attorney
General of India, CAG, Chairman of various commissions etc.
3. He gives advice to President concerning the proroguing, summoning and
dissolving of Parliament sessions.[2]
Further, the PM is considered to be the head of the Union Government as per the
Indian Constitution while the President is mainly ,the head of the State as he
derives these powers from the Constitution in itself. PM along with his council
are collectively responsible to President.Even though, the post acquired by
President is merely ceremonial;, but one cannot totally ignore his legislative
and executive as well as judicial functions.Once,the elections to Lok Sabha gets
over, the President is the one,inviting the leader of party who wins as
majority for froming the Governement. Also, it is worth mentioning that, during
a ‘Hung-Parliament’, the role of President gains much impetus.
`Although the executive functions performed by Government are taken and
performed in President’s name. However here are certain files which do not reach
him. are done in the name of President though all files do not go to him. There
is a delegation called Transaction of business Rules which has stipulated the
delegation. The appointments concerning Group-A, are performed in President’s
name. He gives his signature for credentials concerning the officers who are
sent to foreign where they act as representatives of India as well as in
organizations which are at international levels. The VC of Universities at
Central levels are also appointed by him. in the Central Government re done in
the name President. `After the bill gets passed in both Houses, it is further
sent to President and if he feels that there needs to be certain clarifications
which are to be made ,he again sends the bill to the House for reconsidering it,
later when such bill are passed again to the President, he is bound to sign
it. However, in case President concludes in neither of passing or signing of
the bill, the role of the PM is very limited in such circumstances.
The President holds the position of the Commander-In-Chief – in the Armed Forces
in India .The Apex Court and High Court judges are all appointed by him with due
recommendations and consultation sought in from the PM.[3]
Concluding Remarks:
Hence, to conclude it can be summed up that the relationship between the
President and the PM is rather, complex yet managing and they enjoy equal powers
and position which is of high importance and needed for the proper functioning
of the Government machinery for maintain and managing and upholding the
principles upheld in the Constitution and ensuring India as the largest
democracy.
End-Notes
[1]http://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/essay/relationship-between-president-prime-minister-and-the-parliament/32167/
[2]https://www.quora.com/What-powers-do-the-president-and-prime-minister-of-India-hold-on-each-other
[3]https://www.quora.com/What-is-the-constitutional-relation-between-President-and-Prime-Minister-of-India
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