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ICSE Question Bank
2019Q1(f)The Union Executive: The Prime Minister, the Union Cabinet and the Council of Ministers
ReasoningHard1 mark
1

Answer briefly each of the questions (a) to (j):

What happens when a motion of 'No-Confidence' is passed against a Minister?

Topic: No Confidence Motion

Previous-year question practice database

Answer

Exam answer

The ENTIRE COUNCIL OF MINISTERS must resign — not merely the minister against whom the motion was directed.

This follows from the principle of COLLECTIVE RESPONSIBILITY under Article 75(3): the Council of Ministers is responsible to the Lok Sabha as a single body, so a vote of no confidence against one member is a vote against the whole ministry. They swim and sink together.

Explanation

This is the single most misunderstood question in the Civics section, and the whole point of it. The answer is NOT that the minister alone is removed — the WHOLE ministry falls. Say the words "collective responsibility" explicitly; that is what the examiner is testing. The phrase "they swim and sink together" is worth quoting.

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