Essential conditions for the appointment of the Prime Minister

Essential conditions for the appointment of the Prime Minister

To be appointed Prime Minister of India, a person must be a citizen, a member of either the Lok Sabha or Rajya Sabha (or become one within six months), and at least 25 years old (for Lok Sabha) or 30 years old (for Rajya Sabha), and not hold any office of profit. 

Details of the conditions are as discussed below:

1. Citizenship:

The candidate must be an Indian citizen. 

2. Membership in Parliament:

The candidate must be a member of either the Lok Sabha (the lower house) or the Rajya Sabha (the upper house) at the time of appointment. 

If not a member at the time of appointment, the candidate must become a member of either house within six months. 

3. Age:

If the candidate is a member of the Lok Sabha, they must be at least 25 years old.

If the candidate is a member of the Rajya Sabha, they must be at least 30 years old. 

4. No Office of Profit:

The candidate cannot hold any office of profit under the Government of India or any state government, or any local or other authority subject to the control of any of the said governments. 

5. Appointment Process:

• The Prime Minister is appointed by the President of India. 
• In a parliamentary system, the President typically appoints the leader of the party or coalition that holds a majority in the Lok Sabha as Prime Minister. 
• If no party or coalition has a clear majority, the President may exercise their discretion in selecting the Prime Minister. 
• The Prime Minister, once appointed, must prove their majority on the floor of the Lok Sabha.