(a) (i) The President is the constitutional head of the Union Government.
(ii) Collective Responsibility: Under Article 75(3) of the Constitution the Council of Ministers shall be collectively responsible to the House of the People. Members of Cabinet swim and sink together when a decision has been taken by the Cabinet; every Minister has to stand by it without hesitation.
Individual Responsibility: Though the ministers are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, they shall be individually responsible to the head of the State. He hold the office during the pleasure of the President. He shall be liable to be dismissed by the President for their undesirable activities. However the President acts on the advice of Prime Minister in these matters.
(b) (i) The Prime Minister is the key stone of the cabinet arch. He is the recognized leader of the cabinet. The portfolios are given to the cabinet ministers by the President on his advice. He has a power to remove any cabinet minister.
(ii) He is the link between the President and the cabinet ministers. The constitution imposes a duty on the Prime Minister to keep the President informed regarding the affairs of the union.
(iii) He directs and co-ordinates policy. The Prime Minister co-ordinates the working of the various departments. Even at cabinet meeting when ministers put forth their views. He would listen to them and then give his own conclusion, which is normally considered as the decision of the cabinet.
(c) The Council of Ministers consists of all categories of Ministers—cabinet ministers, ministers of State and Deputy Ministers. The cabinet on the other hand is a smaller group consisting of some 25 senior members (cabinet ministers). All cabinet members are ministers, but all ministers are not cabinet members. The cabinet ministers together meet as frequently as possible and determine the policy and program of the Government though Council of Ministers as whole rarely meet. The Constitution says that there shall be Council of Ministers to aid and advice the President in exercise of his functions. In fact he is to act on the advice of the cabinet in all matters. While cabinet ministers attend the meeting of the cabinet in their own right, ministers of the state can only attend it on invitation.
