New Delhi: With a 72-member Council of Ministers taking oath on Sunday in the third term of the Modi government, it is only nine short of the maximum permissible strength of 81 and six less than the maximum of 78 ministers the Modi government had between 2019 and 2024.
The Modi government had reached the maximum strength of 78 in 2021 after expansion, but the outgoing council of ministers had 72 members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
In its third term, the BJP-led NDA government, headed by Prime Minister Modi, comprises a maximum of 31 cabinet ministers, including Prime Minister Modi, in addition to five Ministers of State (with Independent Charge) and 36 Ministers of State.
In the outgoing Modi government 2.0, there were 71 ministers, including 26 Cabinet ministers, three Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 42 Ministers of State.
In July 2021, following a cabinet expansion, the council had a maximum of 78 ministers, with 30 cabinet ministers, two Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 45 Ministers of State.
The maximum permissible strength of the Council of Ministers is 81, including the prime minister, which is 15 percent of the total strength of 543 in the Lok Sabha.
In May 2019, 57 ministers were sworn in, including 24 as cabinet ministers, nine Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 24 Ministers of State.
During his first term in May 2014, after defeating the Congress, Prime Minister Modi had 46 ministers, including 24 cabinet ministers, 10 Ministers of State (Independent Charge), and 12 Ministers of State, including the prime minister himself.
In May 2009, the Manmohan Singh government had the maximum strength of 79 ministers, including the prime minister. During UPA-1, the Manmohan Singh-led government also reached the maximum strength of 79 ministers.
The Atal Bihari Vajpayee government in 1999 had a total of 74 ministers.
