In our Parliamentary system of government, the President is the Head of the State and the Union Executive. Article 52 of the Constitution defines that there shall be a President of India. Article 53 defines that the executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him per the Constitution.
The President of India is the head of the Union Executive, holding the supreme executive authority. As per the Constitution, the President appoints the Prime Minister and, on their advice, the Council of Ministers. The President’s role includes summoning and dissolving Parliament, granting assent to bills, and appointing judges to the Supreme Court and High Courts. As the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, the President also has significant military authority. While the President’s powers are extensive, they are exercised primarily on the advice of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, making the role largely ceremonial in practice.
PART V
THE UNION
CHAPTER I.—THE EXECUTIVE
The President and Vice-President
52. The President of India— There shall be a President of India.
53. Executive power of the Union.—
- (1) The executive power of the Union shall be vested in the President and shall be exercised by him either directly or through officers subordinate to him in accordance with this Constitution.
- (2) Without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing provision, the supreme command of the Defence Forces of the Union shall be vested in the President and the exercise thereof shall be regulated by law.
- (3) Nothing in this article shall—
- (a) be deemed to transfer to the President any functions conferred by any existing law on the Government of any State or other authority; or
- (b) prevent Parliament from conferring by law functions on authorities other than the President.
Advertisement
