chief minister (India)

chief minister (India), in India, elected head of government of each of the 28 states and 3 of the 8 union territories (Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, and Puducherry). The chief minister’s position at the state level is similar to that of the prime minister at the national level. The chief minister leads a council of ministers, which belongs to both the legislative and the executive branches of the state government. As part of the legislature, the chief minister and council of ministers participate in enacting laws in their state; as part of the executive, they are responsible for implementing the laws as well as other state policies. According to Article 163 of the Constitution of India, the function of the council of ministers is to “aid and advise” the governor (or lieutenant governor in union territories), who is the constitutional head of the state or union territory. However, while all executive action is conducted in the name of the governor, the real administrative power is wielded by the chief minister and the council of ministers.

Background

The government of India, which the Constitution defines as a “union of states,” is organized on the principle of federalism. Power is divided between the national government and the governments of India’s states and union territories. Subjects to be legislated on are arranged into three lists: the Union List, the State List, and the Concurrent List. State governments control subjects on the State List, such as health and sanitation, and agriculture, and are jointly responsible for subjects on the Concurrent List, such as education, with the national government.

India follows the parliamentary system of governance at both the national and state level. State legislatures can be either bicameral—consisting of an upper chamber (Vidhan Parishad, or legislative council) and a lower chamber (Vidhan Sabha, or legislative assembly)—or unicameral, consisting of only the legislative assembly. As of 2025 six Indian states have bicameral legislatures—Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh.

Discover how ordinary objects work, and expand your understanding of the familiar.

SIGN UP

" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">

Thank you for signing up!"

Back to homepage

By clicking "Sign Up", you consent to the Britannica Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Qualifications, tenure, and salary

The chief minister is an elected member of the state legislature and is generally the leader of the party or coalition of parties that has won the state election. A chief ministerial candidate must be:

• a citizen of India;
• a member of the state legislature (in states with a bicameral legislature the chief minister can be a member of either chamber); and
• at least 25 years old if a member of the legislative assembly or at least 30 years old if a member of the legislative council.

In the event that the chief minister is not a member of the state legislature, the individual must be elected to the legislature within six months of being appointed chief minister; failure to do so voids the chief ministership.

The chief minister is formally appointed by and serves each term at the pleasure of the governor. In practice, each term corresponds to that of the legislative assembly, which is five years unless dissolved for any reason, such as the government losing its majority. There is no limit to the number of terms that a chief minister can serve.

The chief minister’s salary is determined by the state government and varies by the state. As of 2025 the highest paid is the chief minister of Telangana (about 4 lakh rupees [$4,500] per month), with the chief minister of Tripura receiving the lowest remuneration (about 1 lakh rupees [$1,135] per month). In addition to their salary the chief minister also receives several allowances and perquisites such as free medical treatment.

Explore Britannica Premium!

The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.

SUBSCRIBE

Role in governance

• The chief minister is the head of the state government and also its chief spokesperson inside and outside the state legislature.
• The chief minister allocates portfolios to the council of ministers, coordinates between the ministers, and presides over meetings of the council; the chief minister can also retain portfolios for themselves.
• The chief minister takes a leading role in policymaking and administrative decisions. No bills are introduced in the legislature by a minister without the chief minister’s approval.
• The chief minister acts as the link between the council of ministers and the governor by keeping the governor informed of all administrative decisions and legislative proposals, furnishing any additional information requested, and submitting matters for the council’s consideration at the governor’s behest.

Council of ministers

The council of ministers is composed of elected members of the state legislature, who generally belong to the party or coalition of parties that won the state election. The ministers are formally appointed by the governor on the recommendation of the chief minister and are collectively responsible to the legislative assembly of the state. The size of the council of ministers must not exceed 15 percent of the strength of the state’s legislative assembly, with a minimum of 12 ministers. The qualifications match those of the chief minister, as does the tenure. Ministers can hold more than one ministry, and they are accountable for the departments in their charge. They formulate, develop, and implement policies related to their ministries.

Political relationships and challenges

The chief minister leads the council of ministers and has primacy in decision-making, with the council in charge of implementing policies. The chief minister acts as the channel of communication between the council of ministers and the governor, who functions largely as a figurehead despite the powers granted by the constitution. However, there have been instances of the governor using constitutional authority to transcend the largely ceremonial nature of the role. The governor is appointed by the president of India at the behest of the prime minister and, as such, acts as a representative of the central government. Historically, this has led to conflict with the chief minister in states where the ruling party is different from the party in power at the central level. The chief minister’s authority is also reduced without the confidence of the majority of the legislature, such as in the case of a coalition government. The governor’s role is greatly expanded in such circumstances, prompting concern about the central government’s influence in state politics.

The concentration of power in the office of the chief minister also poses the danger of misuse of authority and the facilitation of a chief-minister-centric model of governance. Since there is no limit on the number of terms a chief minister can serve, there have been several instances of incumbents holding office for more than 20 years—as of 2025 Pawan Kumar Chamling is the longest-serving chief minister (of Sikkim), having held office for 24 years and 165 days from December 12, 1994, to May 26, 2019.