Prime Minister of the Republic of India भारत गणराज्य का प्रधानमन्त्री |
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Style |
The Honourable (formal) His Excellency (diplomatic) |
Member of | Cabinet, Parliament |
Residence | 7, Lok Kalyan Marg, New Delhi |
Seat | Prime Minister's Office, South Block, New Delhi |
Appointer |
President of India by convention, based on appointee's ability to command confidence in the Lok Sabha |
Term length | At the pleasure of the President Lok Sabha term is 5 years unless dissolved sooner No term limits specified |
Inaugural holder | Jawaharlal Nehru |
Formation | 15 August 1947 |
Salary | ₹20 lakh (US$30,000) (annual, including ₹960,000 (US$14,000) MP's salary) |
Website | Prime Minister's Office |
The Prime Minister of India (Hindi: भारत का प्रधानमन्त्री, Bhārat kā Pradhānamantrī) is the Head of Government and leader of the executive branch of the Government of India. The Prime Minister is also the chief adviser to the President of India and head of the Council of Ministers. He or she can be a member of any of the two houses of Parliament (the Lok Sabha or the Rajya Sabha), but has to be the leader of the political party, having a majority in the Lok Sabha.
The Prime Minister is the senior member of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. The Prime Minister selects and can dismiss other members of the cabinet; allocates posts to members within the Government; is the presiding member and chairman of the cabinet.
The federal or union cabinet headed by the Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India to assist the latter in the administration of the affairs of the executive. Union cabinet is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha as per . The Prime Minister shall always enjoy the confidence of Lok Sabha and shall resign if he/she is unable to prove majority when instructed by the President.
India follows a parliamentary system in which the prime minister is the presiding, actual head of the government and chief of the executive branch. In such systems, the head of state or the head of state's official representative (i.e., the monarch, president, or governor general) usually holds a purely ceremonial position.