President as Head of the Union Executive

Written By: Editor | Updated: September 09, 2024, 04:06 pm IST | Category: Indian Polity | Views: 77 views

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.