Kerala Council of Ministers, are elected legislative members, who are appointed as ministers by the Kerala State Governor to form the executive branch of the Government of Kerala. They hold various portfolios as decided by the Chief Minister of Kerala.
The Kerala Council of Ministers is headed by the Chief Minister and oversees the work of all ministers. The structure of the Kerala State Government is determined by the Constitution of India (1950).[1]
The Keralam Council of Ministers along with the other elected legislative members assemble at the Kerala Legislative Assembly to introduce new drafts of law (otherwise known as bills), discuss them with other elected members of the assembly, revise the drafts for edits if necessary. A bill once finalised is sent to vote on the floor of the house of Kerala Legislative Assembly and if the bill receives the majority vote, it becomes a binding law else it is rejected and the existing law continues. The members of the Legislative Assembly together also makes the Council of Ministers and the Chief Minister accountable on behalf of the people, for any misuse of executive powers vested with them.
The Kerala Council of Ministers is accountable to periodically evaluate the existing law of the land and ensures they are in the best interest of the society at large, which they represent under a democratic system.[2] Kerala State Governor is also regarded as a member of the Legislative Assembly and may suspend or dissolve when no coalition is able to muster a working majority).[2]
Present Council of Ministers
The incumbent chief minister of Kerala is serving his second consecutive term, and was sworn into power on 20 May 2021. The oath-taking ceremony was held at the Central Stadium. The Kerala Governor administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new members. In December 2023, the Kerala Cabinet underwent a reshuffle as part of a mutual agreement among member parties. The reshuffling is in accordance with a pre-election agreement within the Left Democratic Front (LDF) coalition. Transport Minister Antony Raju and Ports and Archaeology Minister Ahmed Devarkovil resigned, leading to the appointment of K.B Ganesh Kumar as the new Minister for Transport and Kadannappalli Ramachandran as the Minister for Registration and Archeology.[3]
| S.No | Name | Portrait | Constituency | Designation | Department | Party | State Car Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Pinarayi Vijayan | 
|
Dharmadom | Chief Minister |
|
CPI(M) | 1
|
| Cabinet Ministers | |||||||
| 2. | Adv. K. Rajan | 
|
Ollur | Minister for Revenue and Housing |
|
CPI | 2
|
| 3. | Roshy Augustine | 
|
Idukki | Minister for Water Resources |
|
KCM | 3
|
| 4. | K. Krishnankutty | 
|
Chittur | Minister for Electricity |
|
JD(S) Kerala | 4
|
| 5. | A. K. Saseendran | 
|
Elathur | Minister for Forest and Wildlife |
|
NCP | 5
|
| 6. | Kadannappalli Ramachandran | 
|
Kannur | Minister for Registration, Museum Archaeology & Archives |
|
Congress (S) | 6
|
| 7. | K. B. Ganesh Kumar | 
|
Pathanapuram | Minister for Transport | KC(B) | 7
| |
| 8. | V. Abdurahiman | 
|
Tanur | Minister for Sports, Wakf and Haj Pilgrimage, Minority welfare |
|
NSC | 21 |
| 9. | G. R. Anil | 
|
Nedumangad | Minister for Food and Civil Supplies |
|
CPI | 19
|
| 10. | K. N. Balagopal | 
|
Kottarakkara | Minister for Finance | CPI(M) | 10
| |
| 11. | R. Bindu | 
|
Irinjalakuda | Minister for Higher Education and Social Justice |
|
CPI(M) | 18
|
| 12. | J. Chinchu Rani | 
|
Chadayamangalam | Minister for Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development |
|
CPI | 14
|
| 13. | M.B Rajesh | 
|
Thrithala | Minister for Local Self Governments, Rural Development and Excise |
|
CPI(M) | 9
|
| 14. | P. A. Mohammed Riyas | Beypore | Minister for Public Works and Tourism | CPI(M) | 17
| ||
| 15. | P. Prasad | Cherthala | Minister for Agriculture |
|
CPI | 13
| |
| 16. | O. R. Kelu | 
|
Minister for Welfare of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes and Backward Classes. | CPI(M) | 15
| ||
| 17. | P Rajeev | 
|
Kalamassery | Minister for Law, Industries and Coir |
|
CPI(M) | 11
|
| 18. | Saji Cherian | 
|
Chengannur | Minister for Fisheries, culture & youth affairs |
|
CPI(M) | 8
|
| 19. | V. Sivankutty | 
|
Nemom | Minister for General Education and Labour |
|
CPI(M) | 16
|
| 20. | V. N. Vasavan | 
|
Ettumanoor | Minister for Co-operation | CPI(M) | 12 | |
| 21. | Veena George | 
|
Aranmula | Minister for Health and Woman and Child Development |
|
CPI(M) | 20
|
Chronological Order of Kerala Government Ministries
| No | Mandate | Cabinet | Chief Minister | Term of office | Party of the CM | Ruling Coalition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23 | 2021 | Second Vijayan ministry | Pinarayi Vijayan | 20 May 2021—Present | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 22 | 2016 | First Vijayan ministry | Pinarayi Vijayan | 25 May 2016—19 May 2021 | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 21 | 2011 | Second Chandy ministry | Oommen Chandy | 18 May 2011—20 May 2016 | INC | UDF |
| 20 | 2006 | Achuthanandan ministry | V. S. Achuthanandan | 18 May 2006—18 May 2011 | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 19 | 2004 | First Chandy ministry | Oommen Chandy | 31 August 2004—18 May 2006 | INC | UDF |
| 18 | 2001 | Third Antony ministry | A. K. Antony | 17 May 2001—29 August 2004 | ||
| 17 | 1996 | Third Nayanar ministry | E. K. Nayanar | 20 May 1996—13 May 2001 | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 16 | 1991 | Second Antony ministry | A. K. Antony | 22 March 1995—9 May 1996 | INC | UDF |
| 15 | Fourth Karunakaran ministry | K. Karunakaran | 24 June 1991—16 March 1995 | |||
| 14 | 1987 | Second Nayanar ministry | E. K. Nayanar | 26 March 1987—17 June 1991 | CPI(M) | LDF |
| 13 | 1982 | Third Karunakaran ministry | K. Karunakaran | 24 May 1982—25 March 1987 | INC | UDF |
| 12 | 1980 | Second Karunakaran ministry | K. Karunakaran | 28 December 1981—17 March 1982 | Indian National Congress | UDF |
| 11 | First Nayanar ministry | E. K. Nayanar | 25 January 1980—20 October 1981 | CPI(M) | LDF | |
| 10 | 1977 | Koya ministry | C. H. Mohammed Koya | 12 October 1979—1 December 1979 | IUML | — |
| 9 | P. K. Vasudevan Nair ministry | P. K. Vasudevan Nair | 29 October 1978—7 October 1979 | CPI | United Front/Ruling Front
(or) Maxi Front (Revamped) | |
| 8 | First Antony ministry | A. K. Antony | 27 April 1977—27 October 1978 | INC | ||
| 7 | First Karunakaran ministry | K. Karunakaran | 25 March 1977—25 April 1977 | INC | ||
| 6 | 1970 | Second C. Achutha Menon ministry | C. Achutha Menon | 4 October 1970—25 March 1977 | CPI | United Front/Maxi Front
(from 25 September 1971) |
| United Front/Mini Front
(till 25 September 1971) | ||||||
| 5 | 1967 | First C. Achutha Menon ministry | C. Achutha Menon | 1 November 1969—1 August 1970 | CPI | Mini Front/Democratic Front |
| 4 | Second Namboodiripad ministry | E. M. S. Namboodiripad | 6 March 1967—1 November 1969 | CPI(M) | United Front
(Seven Party Alliance) or United Left Front | |
| 1965 | No ministry formed | |||||
| 3 | 1960 | Sankar ministry | R. Sankar | 26 September 1962—10 September 1964 | INC | — |
| 2 | Pattom A. Thanu Pillai ministry | Pattom Thanu Pillai | 22 February 1960—26 September 1962 | PSP | Joint Front | |
| 1 | 1957 | First Namboodiripad ministry | E. M. S. Namboodiripad | 5 April 1957—31 July 1959 | CPI | — |
See also
References
- ^ Noble, William A. "Kerala: Constitutional Framework". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ a b Schwartzberg, Joseph E. "India: State and Local Governments". Encyclopædia Britannica.
- ^ "Kerala's Transport, Ports ministers resign, pave way for cabinet reshuffle". India Today. Retrieved 31 December 2023.
Further reading
- Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala (PDF), Thiruvananthapuram: Secratriat of Kerala Legislature, 2018
External links
- Kerala Government (Official Website)
