Eligibility/Criteria,Salary,Features,Powers and Functions of Ministers in India

Article no 74 in constitution tells that there should be a council of ministers led by the prime minister to assist the formation and execution of
functions suggesting and executing.42 and 44 amendments in 1976 and 1978 respectively assert that the president of India must take final advices and
suggestions from council of ministers. According to the suggestion of the prime minister the president will appoint the other ministers to their posts.

There are three types of ministers in India.The central minister Gopalswami Ayengar in November
,1949 refers to these three types of minister -
1.cabinet minister
2.minister of state
3.deputy minister.
At present there is parliamentary secretariat besides these ministers.

A person must be registered as a voter in any constituency.E xcept Assam, Lakshadweep and Sikkim, as per Section 4 (c), 4 (cc) and 4 (ccc) of the R. P. Act, 1951,you can be a candidate where ever you like to contest in the country. A person must be an Indian citizen( Article 84 -a)).He must be at least 25 years of age or older(Article 84 -b) .He must bear a sond mental condition.He will not be a bankrupt .He should not bear criminal cases against his name.According to 8 (3) of R. P. Act, 1951,if a person is sentenced for two or more years ,he will not be able to contest in the election.According to 34 1 (a) of R. P. Act, 1951,a candidate who is going to contest in Loksabha must deposite a security money of 10,000 INR. We find in 34 of R. P. Act, 1951 about the security deposit of 5000 INR for a schedule caste or schedule tribe candidate.Security deposit was 500 INR and 250 INR respectively for general and schedule caste or schedule tribe candidate during 1996 Loksabha election and previously.1996 vide Act 21 of 1996 made this change in the amount of security money for the contestant in Loksabha election. 33 of R. P. Act, 1951 informs a candidate to bring forth a proposer if he is contesting for a state or national party.The same section allows a candidate to contest an election of Loksabha bringing forth ten proposers for the selection of his name if he is going to make a challenge in the Loksabha election independently or for an unrecognized political party. It is now a case of discussion as BJP ministerial candidate Mr Narendra Modi is contesting in two seats of Loksabha;one from Baranasi and another from Vadodara in Gujrat that can a candidate contest from more than one constituency.Yes he can.According to Section 33 (7) of R. P. Act, 1951 ,a candidate can contest Loksabha election from one or two seat or seats.But he can not contest for more than two seats.

Features of Council of ministers:-Dutifulness of the ministers can be devided into three categories-
1.Combined duties -It means the council of ministers will work as a united whole .The failure of the council of ministers will be accepted as equal each one's failure.They are bound to the parliament for the execution=
of duties. All the ministers are equally faulty if fault of government is identified.This is because the council of ministers works as a united group.So all the
ministers comment in support of the Government's rules and laws.If the proposed proposal is denied in the debate in parliament by a mebber of the group,it is considered to be t=
he defeat of the whole unity.

2.political duties :-It refers to the obedience to the electors by whom the minister is voted to sent to the cabinet.
Minister in centre holds the political and legal responsibilities for the functions and rules of his own department.
He leads all the works for his department in assistance with the secretariats but for any kind of faultism he has to take the responsibity on his own.

3.duties to maintain unity among the ministers:-It is duty for each and every minister to maintain uniformity,unity among the ministers within the government.
After discussion among the ministers ,decision is taken.So every ministers are morally obedient to execute a decision.No other opinion will be accepted after
the finalization of the decision,otherwise he has to leave the ground.Shyama Prasad Mukherjee ,V V Giri,K C Niyogi,Arif Mohammad Khan,N V Gadgil left the
government and resigned from the ministership for making different opinion against the proposal of the government.

Salary of the ministers:- There are different types of salaries for different types of ministers.Few year ago, cabinet minister used to get a
salary of 2250 Indian Rupee and an allowance of 500 Rupees.7800 was his house rent allowance.For furnitures he used to obtain 7704 Indian Rupees.
He was given 5080 Rupees for maintaining gardener,sweeper and guard. For others he used to received 15040 INR.Besides he used to take the facilities of
vehicle,telephone,transport fares etc fully free of cost.
Minister of state used to obtain 70000 Rupees as a salary and an allowance.They also obtains the facilities of telephone,transport and vehicle fares
for free of cost.

But after the hike in salary it becomes as follows: Income becomes 50000 rupees a month from 16000 a month.Daily allowance is doubled from 1000 rupees to 2000 rupees for attending parliament or any other constitutional meeting.Constituency allowance is also doubled from 20000 rupees to 40000 rupees. For office he is now given 40000 rupees which was 20000 rupees. 60000 thousand rupees for durable and 15000 rupees are given to an MP per year for non-durable furniture.Washing allowance once in three months is given to him.

Free telephone calls from 100,000 to 150,000,accommodation in Delhi with 4,000 kl of water and 50,000 units of electricity every year,reimbursement of expenses incurred on tiles in
kitchen and bathrooms,travel for spouse are the other facilities that an MP is attributed.

Powers and Functions of the Council of Ministers:-
1:- The main duty of the council of ministers is to execute and apply rules and laws of the government.Under the leadership of prime minister ,decision is
taken after discussion a matter under national and international perspective.Minister is to apply the law accordingly.Main duties are given to the minister
to raise a bill,law or rule in the parliament for discussion as laws are mandatory for proper functioning of the department.It is a matter of joke to say
that after raising a law,it must take approval as the minister who raises the bill belongs to the larger part of the government.
2:-An important duty is to decide the financial bill for the Ministers in parliament.Economic principles,five year planning,budget etc are the most important functions of the council of ministers.
3:- Administration is another important work for the ministers.They apply rules for runn=
ing administration properly.
4. How to relate to the other countries internationally is another important duty of the council of ministers.
5.Co-operation is an arms to run the government smoothly.It is compulsory for every minister to assist other minister mutually.
It is because if you are not ok internally ,how can you cope with the external affairs.