‘The office of the Deputy Prime Minister is not specified in the Constitution, although seven persons have occupied such a position since the commencement of the Constitution. Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was the first Deputy Prime Minister in Nehru’s ministry. Morarji Desai was Deputy Prime Minister under Indira Gandhi. Charan Singh and Jagjivan Ram too held this position in Morarji Desai’s ministry so as to help defuse the crisis in the Janata Pary. Y.B. Chavan worked as Deputy Prime Minister during the tenure of Charan Singh. Devi Lal became Deputy Prime Minister in V.P. Singh’s Janata Dal government of 1989. Finally, Lal Krishan Advani was Deputy Prime Minister during the time of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in 2002. ‘The Deputy Prime Minister occupies in the cabinet a position next to the Prime Minister. He acts as the Prime Minister and performs his duties when he is not available. It may be observed that the Administrative Reforms Commission of 88?Indian Polity and Governance India (1966-70) in its Report on the Machinery of Government and its Procedure of Work recommended the creation of the office of Deputy Prime Minister to ensure effective working of the governmental machinery. It suggested that the Prime Minister could allot to the Deputy Prime Minister such tasks and ad hoc assignments as he thinks appropriate so to reduce his burden.
The Attorney General of India
‘The Attorney General of India is the law officer of the Government of India. His duty, according to Article 76 of the Constitution is:
- to give advice on such legal matters and perform such other duties of a legal nature as may, from time to time, be referred or assigned to him by the President; and
- to perform such functions as are conferred on him by the Constitution or any law for the time being in force.
‘The Attorney General is appointed by the President and holds, office during the pleasure of the President. His remuneration is determined by the President. He has the qualifications as are required for the judge of the Supreme Court. He is not the member of any House of the Parliament and has no voting power, though he enjoys all the privileges of a member of any House of the Parliament. He can speak in the Parliament and be a member of any committee under Article 105(4), and also has the right of audience in all the Courts in India
