Narendra Modi is set to take the oath as the Prime Minister of India for a third consecutive term at 7:15 pm at Rashtrapati Bhawan on 9 June. This remarkable achievement makes Modi only the second person after former PM Jawaharlal Nehru to serve three consecutive terms.
As the nation awaits the swearing-in ceremony, attention is focused on which MPs from the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) will be included in Modi's Cabinet and Council of Ministers. These ministers are also scheduled to take their oath on Sunday. Given Modi's reliance on coalition allies to manage his government, the allocation of ministries is expected to be strategically distributed to accommodate his allies.
Despite this, there is a constitutional limitation that the NDA must adhere to: the total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister, cannot exceed 81. This limitation is rooted in the Constitution (Ninety-first Amendment) Act, 2003, which imposes specific restrictions on the number of ministers that can be appointed in both Union and State governments in India.
According to this amendment, the total number of ministers in the Council of Ministers cannot exceed 15 percent of the total number of members of the House of the People (Lok Sabha). With 543 members in the Lok Sabha, this translates to a maximum of 80 ministers, excluding the Prime Minister.
Historically, Modi's previous governments have adhered to this constitutional cap. The structure aims to ensure efficient governance and prevent an overly bloated cabinet. The careful balancing act of including key allies while maintaining this cap will be a critical challenge for Modi 3.0 as it seeks to fulfil its governance mandate.
