Jonah Patel
The President of India is the constitutional head of the country. The current president is Droupadi Murmu, who is the 15th president and took office on 25 July 2022. The office of the president was created when India became a republic on 26 January 1950, and the role is similar to that of the King or Queen under the English Constitution. The president is the head of state, the first citizen of the country, and the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Constitutional head of India | President of India |
| Current President | Droupadi Murmu |
| Date current President took office | 25 July 2022 |
| Date the Constitution of India came into force | 26 January 1950 |
| First President of India | Rajendra Prasad |
| First citizen of the country | The President |
| Head of state | The President |
| Commander-in-chief of the Indian Armed Forces | The President |
| Authority to defend and protect the Constitution of India | The President |
| Power to declare war or conclude peace | The President, on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers headed by the Prime Minister |
| Legislative system of government | Parliamentary |
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What You'll Learn
The President of India is the constitutional head of state
The President of India is elected indirectly by an electoral college comprising both houses of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and territories. The President is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India. They also represent India in international forums and affairs, though this role is chiefly ceremonial. The President may send and receive diplomats and is the only one who can declare war or conclude peace, on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers, headed by the Prime Minister.
The President constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of taxes between the centre and the states. All international treaties and agreements are negotiated and concluded on behalf of the President, though in practice, these negotiations are usually carried out by the Prime Minister and their Cabinet.
Article 53 of the Constitution of India states that the President can exercise their powers directly or by subordinate authority. However, in practice, all executive powers vested in the President are exercised by the Prime Minister, who heads the Council of Ministers. According to Article 74(1) of the Constitution, the Council of Ministers is to aid and advise the President, who shall exercise their functions in accordance with this advice.
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The President is indirectly elected by an electoral college
The President of India is the head of state of the Republic of India. The President is the nominal head of the executive, the first citizen of the country, and the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces. The current president is Droupadi Murmu, who took office on 25 July 2022. The office of president was created when India became a republic on 26 January 1950, when its constitution came into force.
The President is a ceremonial head of state and does not rule the nation. While the President has executive powers, these are typically exercised by the Prime Minister, who heads the Council of Ministers. The President is bound by the advice of the Council of Ministers and must exercise their functions in accordance with their advice. The Council of Ministers is responsible for aiding and advising the President, and they are collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha, or House of the People.
The President's role in the legislative process is also limited. While laws cannot be passed without the President's assent, the President is not allowed to incorporate any matter in an ordinance that violates the constitution or requires an amendment to it. The President must take moral responsibility if an ordinance violates the constitution or is not approved by Parliament.
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The President is the head of the Indian Armed Forces
The President of India is the head of state and the constitutional head of the Indian government. The President is also the head of the Indian Armed Forces and is referred to as the Supreme Commander or Commander-in-Chief. The current President, Droupadi Murmu, is the 15th person to hold this office, which was established when India became a republic in 1950.
The President of India is indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising both houses of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and territories. The President's role is largely ceremonial, with the Prime Minister and their Council of Ministers exercising most of the executive powers. However, the President is the first citizen of the country and is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India.
As the head of the Indian Armed Forces, the President holds significant power and responsibility. The President is the only one who can declare war or conclude peace, although this is done on the advice of the Union Council of Ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister. The President also has the power to bring laws in the form of ordinances, although this is meant for unusual circumstances where immediate action is necessary.
The President is meant to exercise their duties in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers. The President is also bound by the decisions of the Parliament of India, which consists of the President and two Houses: the Council of States (Rajya Sabha) and the House of the People (Lok Sabha).
In addition to their role as head of state and the Indian Armed Forces, the President of India performs various other functions. They represent India in international forums and affairs, although this is mostly ceremonial. The President also constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of taxes between the central government and the states.
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The President is advised by a Council of Ministers
The President is the constitutional head of India. However, the President is only a nominal executive, with the role of the real executive being fulfilled by the Council of Ministers, which is headed by the Prime Minister.
Article 74(1) of the Constitution states that there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Prime Minister as its head to aid and advise the President, who shall exercise his or her functions in accordance with the advice given. The 42nd Amendment (1976) clarified that the President shall "act in accordance with such advice". This amendment came into effect on 3 January 1977. The 44th Amendment (1978) added that the President can request that the Council of Ministers reconsider their advice, but if the same advice is given after reconsideration, the President must accept it.
The Council of Ministers aids and advises the President regarding the formation of the Government and the functioning and exercise of the states based on the Constitutional powers. The President can choose the Council of Ministers based on their own perspective and can reject advice. The President has discretionary power to use without the Cabinet's aid.
The Council of Ministers also aids and advises the President in the formation of a majority perspective with a no-confidence motion. The Council of Ministers takes care of the "constitutional act" and advises Parliament regarding the amendment and changes of rules and regulations. It provides a clear description of the "controversial interpretations of the state" that can be conferred by the power of the Council of Ministers.
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The President is the first citizen of the country
The President of India is the head of state and the first citizen of the country. The office of president was created when India became a republic on 26 January 1950 and its constitution came into force. The President is the constitutional head of the Executive of the Union and is elected indirectly by an electoral college comprising both houses of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and union territories. The President is the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces and represents India in international forums and affairs.
The President is responsible for defending and protecting the Constitution of India. Any action taken by the executive or legislature entities of the constitution shall become law only after the President's assent. The President shall not accept any actions of the executive or legislature that are unconstitutional. The President also constitutes a Finance Commission every five years to recommend the distribution of taxes between the centre and the states.
While the President is the de jure head of state, the Prime Minister is the de facto head. The President exercises their powers and functions with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers, which is chaired by the Prime Minister. The Council of Ministers is responsible for aiding and advising the President, who shall exercise their functions in accordance with the advice of the Prime Minister.
The President of India is currently Droupadi Murmu, who took office on 25 July 2022. She is the 15th President of the Republic of India.
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Frequently asked questions
The President of India is the head of the Indian Constitution.
Rajendra Prasad was the first President of India.
Droupadi Murmu is the 15th and current President of India, having taken office on 25 July 2022.
The President is the head of state of the Republic of India, the first citizen of the country, and the supreme commander of the Indian Armed Forces.
The President of India is indirectly elected by an electoral college comprising both houses of the Parliament of India and the legislative assemblies of each of India's states and territories, who are directly elected by the citizens.
