Chief Minister of Kerala
Encyclopedia
The Chief Minister of Kerala is the elected head of government
of the state of Kerala
, India. By the Constitution of India
, the Chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state.
Following the victory in Assembly elections held in April 2011 Oommen Chandy
sworn-in as Chief Minister on 18 May 2011. Oommen Chandy
is the 21st chief minister of the state.
conducts assembly elections in Kerala by universal adult suffrage
, in which the Kerala's electorate choose the members of the Niyamasabha
(or State Assembly). Aspirant member is either the nominee of any political party (recognized by the Election Commission of India) or run independently called Independent Candidate
. In Kerala only two political alliances, UDF
and LDF, traditionally always have been in the office
.
.
sets the principle qualifications one must meet to be eligible to the office of the Chief Minister.
A Chief Minister must be:
A person shall not be eligible for election as Chief Minister if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said Governments.
The Executive Office of Chief Minister (CMO) is located on the third floor of the North Sandwich Block, of the Government Secretariat Complex in Thiruvananthapuram
.. The Chief Minister also has a camp office in his residence, where public can meet him, after office hours.
In past, several Chief Ministers have conducted Janasamparkam Yogams (People Interactions Meetings), where the Chief Minister tours various towns and villages across Kerala and conducts special meetings with local publics, to hear their grievances and pass orders/decrees according to the merit.
located at Nanathancode in the capital. But there are chief ministers in the history who had chosen not to reside in the conventional residence, rather preferred to continue their own private residence at capital. In such case, the residence will be declared as official residence.
, manufactured by the Hindustan Motors
has been used as state cars all over India. This convention continues here too. Most of Kerala Chief Ministers trend to ignore use other modern vehicles as official vehicles, to avoid criticism of being extravagant. However during regimes of K. Karunakaran and E. K. Nayanar
, both preferred to use luxury Mercedes Benz as state cars, which often called strong criticism from public for being extravagant at cost of state.
Head of government
Head of government is the chief officer of the executive branch of a government, often presiding over a cabinet. In a parliamentary system, the head of government is often styled prime minister, chief minister, premier, etc...
of the state of Kerala
Kerala
or Keralam is an Indian state located on the Malabar coast of south-west India. It was created on 1 November 1956 by the States Reorganisation Act by combining various Malayalam speaking regions....
, India. By the Constitution of India
Constitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
, the Chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state.
Following the victory in Assembly elections held in April 2011 Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy is an Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of Kerala. He has held the Chief Minister of Kerala position earlier from 2004 to 2006, and was the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011.-Early life:Oommen Chandy or 'Kunjoonju' was born...
sworn-in as Chief Minister on 18 May 2011. Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy
Oommen Chandy is an Indian politician and the current Chief Minister of Kerala. He has held the Chief Minister of Kerala position earlier from 2004 to 2006, and was the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly from 2006 to 2011.-Early life:Oommen Chandy or 'Kunjoonju' was born...
is the 21st chief minister of the state.
Election
After every five years State Election Commission of Kerala under the supervision of Election Commission of IndiaElection Commission of India
The Election Commission of India is an autonomous, quasi-judiciary constitutional body of India. Its mission is to conduct free and fair elections in India...
conducts assembly elections in Kerala by universal adult suffrage
Universal suffrage
Universal suffrage consists of the extension of the right to vote to adult citizens as a whole, though it may also mean extending said right to minors and non-citizens...
, in which the Kerala's electorate choose the members of the Niyamasabha
Niyamasabha
Niyamasabha Mandiram, located in Thiruvananthapuram, is the seat of Kerala State Legislative Assembly. Built in classical Kerala architecture, with strong influences of modern contemporary styles, it is a structure with grand staircase, gardens, water bodies and majestic Central Assembly Hall...
(or State Assembly). Aspirant member is either the nominee of any political party (recognized by the Election Commission of India) or run independently called Independent Candidate
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
. In Kerala only two political alliances, UDF
United Democratic Front (India)
United Democratic Front is an alliance of political parties of Kerala state in India. This alliance is led by the Indian National Congress....
and LDF, traditionally always have been in the office
Public administration
Public Administration houses the implementation of government policy and an academic discipline that studies this implementation and that prepares civil servants for this work. As a "field of inquiry with a diverse scope" its "fundamental goal.....
.
Appointment of Cabinet and Chief Minister
To conceive the government, any party must have to won majority of assembly seats (the minimum count is 71). After that state governor invites the party for making the government within the limited period of time, in this period majority party's winning members have to choose their leader for the post of chief minister and other members of the cabinet. The selected leader of the assembly is appointed as the chief minister by the governor, who also administer the oath of officeOath of office
An oath of office is an oath or affirmation a person takes before undertaking the duties of an office, usually a position in government or within a religious body, although such oaths are sometimes required of officers of other organizations...
.
Eligibility
Article 84 of the ConstitutionConstitution of India
The Constitution of India is the supreme law of India. It lays down the framework defining fundamental political principles, establishes the structure, procedures, powers, and duties of government institutions, and sets out fundamental rights, directive principles, and the duties of citizens...
sets the principle qualifications one must meet to be eligible to the office of the Chief Minister.
A Chief Minister must be:
- a citizen of India.
- should be a member of the Niyamasabha.
- minimum of the age of 30
A person shall not be eligible for election as Chief Minister if he holds any office of profit under the Government of India or the Government of any State or under any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said Governments.
Role and Power of the Chief Minister
The chief minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a legislative assembly. The chief 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 and is responsible for bringing proposal of legislation.Office of the Chief Minister
Thiruvananthapuram
Thiruvananthapuram , formerly known as Trivandrum, is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala and the headquarters of the Thiruvananthapuram District. It is located on the west coast of India near the extreme south of the mainland...
.. The Chief Minister also has a camp office in his residence, where public can meet him, after office hours.
In past, several Chief Ministers have conducted Janasamparkam Yogams (People Interactions Meetings), where the Chief Minister tours various towns and villages across Kerala and conducts special meetings with local publics, to hear their grievances and pass orders/decrees according to the merit.
Official residence
In fact there is no statutory permanent official residence for the chief minister of Kerala. But conventionally, chief ministers of Kerala do reside commonly in a residence namely the Cliff HouseCliff House (Kerala)
Cliff House, is the official residence of Chief Minister of Kerala, located at Nanthancode in the state capital Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. The Cliff House is part of Cliff House compound, which houses 4 other ministerial residences and is in general part of state ministerial residential...
located at Nanathancode in the capital. But there are chief ministers in the history who had chosen not to reside in the conventional residence, rather preferred to continue their own private residence at capital. In such case, the residence will be declared as official residence.
Official vehicle
The official State car of the chief minister carries the 'Kerala State 1' sign board instead of a license plate. For several decades, AmbassadorHindustan Ambassador
The Hindustan Ambassador is a car manufactured by Hindustan Motors of India. It has been in production since 1958 with few modifications or changes and is based on the Morris Oxford III model, first made by the Morris Motor Company at Cowley, Oxford in the United Kingdom from 1956 to 1959.Despite...
, manufactured by the Hindustan Motors
Hindustan Motors
Hindustan Motors is an automobile manufacturer from India. It is part of the Birla Technical Services industrial group. The company was the largest car manufacturer in India before the rise of Maruti Udyog....
has been used as state cars all over India. This convention continues here too. Most of Kerala Chief Ministers trend to ignore use other modern vehicles as official vehicles, to avoid criticism of being extravagant. However during regimes of K. Karunakaran and E. K. Nayanar
E. K. Nayanar
Erambala Krishnan Nayanar was a prominent Indian political leader of the Communist Party of India . He held the post of Chief Minister of Kerala three times; during 1980-81, 1987–91 and 1996-2001. He is the longest serving Chief Minister of Kerala, having been in office for a total of 4009 days,...
, both preferred to use luxury Mercedes Benz as state cars, which often called strong criticism from public for being extravagant at cost of state.
Portfolios
The constitution of India doesn't explicitly require that any minister of the council of ministers of a state should hold any portfolio. So this is applicable to the chief minister too. But, there are a certain set of portfolios which various chief ministers in Kerala have held in common, namely, the Home department, and General Administration. The Home department is usually controlled by the chief minister because it controls the Police Department of the state. This is largely because, the Police system is considered in post-British India as a power enforcing tool rather than an instrument for service. Hence whoever holds power would like to have control over the Police department. In the history of Kerala, certain chief ministers had to allow other minister to handle the Home department owing to the power equations of party/coalition politics.Portfolio held by the present Chief Minister
- General Administration
- Department of Home and Interior Affairs (Law & Order, Police and Civil Defense)
- Department of Fisheries and Oceanography
- All India Administration Services
- Administration of Civil and Criminal Justice
- Department of Science and Technology & Scientific Institutes
- Personnel and Administrative Reforms Department
- Department of Elections,
- Crisis Management and Distress Relief,
- Inter State River Waters Monitoring Council,
- any other subjects/portfolios not handed by any other minister/specified
Bearer of other offices
- The Government of KeralaGovernment of KeralaThe Government of Kerala is a democratically elected body that governs the State of Kerala, India for a period of 5 years. The state government is headed by the Governor of Kerala as the nominal head of state, with a democratically elected Chief Minister as real head of the executive. The state...
being the major stake holder of the company, the chief minister of Kerala is the chairman of the board of directors of Cochin International Airport LimitedCochin International AirportCochin International Airport is an international airport located in Nedumbassery, a suburb on the outskirts of the city of Kochi about northeast of downtown Kochi, in the state of Kerala, India. It is the busiest and largest airport in the state of Kerala...
..
See also
- List of Chief Ministers of Kerala
- List of Chief Ministers in India
- Chief Minister (India)Chief Minister (India)A Chief Minister is the elected head of government of a state of India. The chief minister is the head of the state Cabinet, and the leader of the state Legislature. By the Constitution of India, the chief minister is appointed by the Governor of the state....