Powers of Chief Minister
- The Chief Minister is the chief of state administration.
- He has enormous functions and powers.
The following are the functions and powers of the Chief Minister.
- Relating to the council of ministers
- Relating to the Governor
- Relating to the State Legislature
- Other functions and powers.
- Relating to the Council of Ministers
- As the head of the Council of Ministers, the Chief Minister enjoys the following functions and powers.
- The Chief Minister recommends the persons who can be appointed as ministers by Governor.
- He allocates the portfolios among the ministers.
- He shuffles and reshuffles his ministry.
- He can ask a minister to resign or to advise the Governor to dismiss him in case of a difference of opinion.
- He presides over the meetings of the Council of Ministers and influences its decisions.
- He can bring about the collapse of the council of ministers by resigning from office; and
- He guides, directs, controls and coordinates the activities of all the ministers.
Relating to the Governor
- The Chief Minister is the principal channel of communication between the Governor and the Council of Ministers under Article 167, and
- He advises the Governor in relation to the appointment of the following officials.
- Advocate General
- State Election Commissioner
- Chairman and Members of the State Public Service Commission.
- Chairman and Members of the State Planning Commission
- Chairman and Members of the State Finance Commission.
Relating to State Legislature
- The Chief Minister advises the Governor with regard to the summoning and proroguing the sessions of the state legislature.
- He announces the government policies on the floor of the house.
- He can introduce the bills in the Legislative Assembly; and
- He can recommend for the dissolution of the Legislative Assembly to the Governor anytime.
Other functions and powers
- As the leader of the ruling party, the Chief Minister has to control the party and develop the disciplines
- As the leader of the state, he has to keenly consider the demands of the different sections of the people.
- As the political head of the various services, he has to supervise, control and co-ordinate the secretaries of various departments in the state level.
- For smooth functioning of the state and for good centre-state relations, he has to develop a rapport with the union government; and
- The size of the ministry is decided by the Chief Minister. However, only 15 percent of the members of the Legislative Assembly can be made as ministers due to the recent constitutional amendment.
- Thus, the Chief Minister plays a very significant and highly crucial role in the state administration. However, the discretionary powers of the Governor have slightly reduced the role and importance of the Chief Minister only in a few states where the Governors have special provisions.
- But, it is not so in the states like Tamil Nadu.