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While the Governor is the nominal executive authority, the Chief Minister is the real head of the state. In light of the above statement, discuss the role of Chief Minister in a parliamentary form of government.

Hints: In the scheme of the parliamentary system of government provided by the Constitution, the Governor is the nominal executive authority and the Chief Minister is the real executive authority. The Governor is the head of the state while the Chief Minister is the head of the government. Thus, the position of the Chief Minister at the state level is analogous to the position of the Prime Minister at the Centre. 

According to the convections of the parliamentary system of government, the Governor appoints the leader of the majority party in the state legislative assembly as the Chief Minister. But, when no party has a clear majority in the assembly, then the Governor may exercise his personal discretion in the selection and appointment of the Chief Minister. In such a situation, the Governor usually appoints the leader of the largest party or coalition in the assembly as the Chief Minister and asks him to seek a vote of confidence in the House within a month.

Constitutional provisions:

• The Indian Constitution does not contain any specific procedure for the selection and appointment of the Chief Minister. Article 164 mentions that the Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor. However, it does not mean that the Governor is free to appoint anyone as the Chief Minister.

Role of Chief Minister:

• The Governor appoints only those persons as ministers who are recommended by the Chief Minister.

• The CM allocates and reshuffles the portfolios among ministers. 

• The CM can ask a minister to resign or advise the governor to dismiss him in case of difference of           opinion. 

• The CM presides over the meetings of the council of ministers and influences its decisions. 

• The CM guides, directs, controls and coordinates the activities of all the ministers

 • The CM can bring about the collapse of the council of ministers by resigning from office. 

• Since the Chief Minister is the head of the council of ministers, his resignation or death automatically     dissolves the council of ministers. 

• The CM advises the governor with regard to the summoning and proroguing of the sessions of the          state legislature.

 • The CM can recommend the dissolution of the legislative assembly to the governor at any time.

 • The CM announces the government policies on the floor of the house.

 • The CM is also the member of the Inter-State Council and the National Development Council, both        headed by the prime minister. 

• The CM is the chief spokesman of the state government.

 • The CM is the crisis manager-in-chief at the political level during emergencies.

Conclusion: Although every work in a state is carried under the Governor’s name, the actual work is carried by Chief Minister along with his Council of Ministers in a parliamentary form of government. Thus, it can be said that the Chief Minister is the real head of a state as most of the work is performed by the office of the CM, in the name of the office of the Governor.

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