Describe the powers and functions of the President of India.

Powers and functions of President- Administrative Powers The President can make rules specifying the manner in which the orders and the other instruments which are made and executed in his name shall be authenticated. The President appoints: The Prime Minister and other Ministers. The Attorney-General of India determines his remuneration. The Governors of the States. Comptroller and Auditor General of India, Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners, Chairman and members of the Union Public Service Commission, and Finance Commission of India chairman and members Judges of High Courts and Supreme Court. National Commissions of Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, Other Backward Classes as well as a commission to report on the administration of the Scheduled Areas, a commission on official Language and Special officer for Linguistic minorities. He candeclare any area as a scheduled areaand has powers with respect to the administration of scheduled areas and tribal areas. He appoints an inter-statecouncil to center-state and inter-state cooperation. The President shall also have the power to remove: His Ministers, individually. Attorney-General of India. The Governors of the States. The Chairman or a Member of the Public Service Commission of the Union or of a State,on the report of the Supreme Court. A judge of the Supreme Court or of the High Court or the Chief Election Commissioner or the Comptroller-General of Indiaon an address of Parliament. Legislative Powers The President is anintegral part of the Parliament, and enjoys the following legislative powers. The President summons the House of Parliamentat least twice a yearor prorogues either House of Parliament and dissolves the Lok Sabha. Hemay summon both the Houses to meet in a joint sitting for debating or voting on a bill in case of deadlock. Hemay address either house separately or both Houses jointly. At the commencement of thefirst session after every general election, the President delivers an address. He appoints speaker, deputy speaker of Lok Sabha, and chairman/deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha when the seats fall vacant. Henominated 12 members of the Rajya Sabhaandtwo members to the Lok Sabhafrom the Anglo-Indian Community. However, in January 2020 theAnglo-Indian reserved seat in the Parliament and State Legislature of India was abolished by the 104thConstitutional Amendment Act, 2019. Every Bill passed by the Parliament must receive the President’s assentbefore it can become an Act. The President may give his assent or withhold his assent or return it for reconsideration by Parliament with his own suggestion, a Bill other than a Money or Constitutional Amendment Bill. Parliament may accept his suggestion or reject it but if it is again sent for the President's assent now the President has to give his assent. The Presidentmakes certain reports and statements to be laid before the Parliament. The Annual Financial Statement and the Supplementary Statement. The report of Comptroller and Auditor General relating to the accounts of the Government of India. Recommendation made by the Finance Commission. Report of the Union Public Service Commission, explaining the reasons where any advice of the Commission has not been accepted. The report of National Commissions of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes. The report of a Special officer for Linguistic minorities. The report of the commission on the backward classes. Veto Powers When a Bill is passed by both the Houses of the Parliament, it is presented to the President to seek his assent. It cannot become an Act of Parliament until it receives the assent of the President.Under Article 111, the President has three options before him: He may give his assent to the bill in which case it immediately becomes an act; He may withhold his assent to the bill; or He may, in case of the bills other than money bills, return the bill for reconsideration of the House. Thepower of withholding a bill sent for assent of the President is called a veto power of the President.Different kinds of veto power have been provided to the President of India by the Constitution of India which are in the form of Absolute, Suspensive and Pocket veto. Ordinance Making Power ThePresident's power to issue ordinances is covered in Article 123. This is one of the several legislative authorities that the President enjoys.On the recommendation of the union cabinet, he issues an ordinance. Emergency Powers The President exercises certain extraordinary power to deal with an emergency situation which are as follows: National Emergency (Article 352). President Rule (Article 356). Financial Emergency (Article 360) Financial Powers He hascontrol over the Contingency Fund of Indiato meet unforeseen expenses like flood, drought, war etc. His prior recommendation is a must in the introduction of the money bill and financial bill in the Parliament. His recommendation is a prerequisite to make a demand for grants. ThePresident of India constitutes the Finance Commission after every five years. He also places before the Parliament the report of Comptroller and Auditor General relating to the accounts of the Government of India and recommendations made by the Finance Commission. Military Powers He is the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces. He has the power to declare war and peace but his military power is subject to the regulation of law. He appoints Chief of the Army, Chief of the Navy and Chief of the Air Force. Discretionary Powers Although the Constitution after the 42ndAmendment Act made it mandatory or obligatory for the President to act on the advice of the Council of Ministers, even then, the practice of parliamentary governance created some circumstances when the President had to act as per his own wisdom, sense of justice and discretion. When no single party has a majority in the election of Lok Sabha or due to the sudden death of the incumbent Prime Minister then the President can use his discretion to appoint the Prime Minister. Dissolution of Lok Sabha on the advice of Council of Ministers which has lost majority in Lok Sabha or against whom a vote of no-confidence may have been passed. Under Article 74 he can send an advice of the Council of Ministers at his discretion back to it for its reconsideration. Under Article 78, he enjoys the right to be informed about the affairs of the State by the Prime Minister. He applies suspensive and pocket veto at his discretion. ThePresident is faced with these kinds of situations more often from 1990 onwardswith the emergence of coalition governments and minority governments. Judicial Powers The President has the power to appoint the Judges of the Supreme Court and High Courts. Under theJudicial powers, the President has what is called pardoning power. The power of granting pardon to persons, who have been tried and convicted of any offence. read less

Executive Powers of President For every executive action that the Indian government takes, is to be taken in his name He may/may not make rules to simplify the transaction of business of the central government He appoints theattorney general of Indiaand determines his remuneration He appoints the following people: Comptroller and Auditor General of India(CAG) Chief Election Commissioner and other Election Commissioners Chairman and members of the Union Public Service Commission State Governors Finance Commission of Indiachairman and members He seeks administrative information from the Union government He requires PM to submit, for consideration of the council of ministers, any matter on which a decision has been taken by a minister but, which has not been considered by the council He appoints National Commissions of: Scheduled Castes (Read aboutNational Commission for Scheduled Castesin the linked article.) Scheduled Tribes Read about (National Commission for Scheduled Tribesin the linked article.) Other Backward Classes (Read aboutNational Commission for Backward Classesin the linked article.) He appoints inter-state council He appoints administrators of union territories He can declare any area as a scheduled area and has powers with respect to the administration of scheduled areas and tribal areas Legislative Powers of President He summons or prorogues Parliament and dissolve the Lok Sabha He summons a joint sitting of Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha in case of deadlock He addresses the Indian Parliament at the commencement of the first session after every general election He appoints speaker, deputy speaker of Lok Sabha, and chairman/deputy chairman of Rajya Sabha when the seats fall vacant (to know thedifference between Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabhacheck the linked article.) He nominates 12 members of the Rajya Sabha He can nominate two members to the Lok Sabha from the Anglo-Indian Community He consults the Election Commission of India on questions of disqualifications of MPs. He recommends/ permits the introduction of certain types of bills (to read onhow a bill is passed in the Indian Parliament, check the linked article.) He promulgates ordinances He lays the following reports before the Parliament: Comptroller and Auditor General Union Public Service Commission Finance Commission, etc. Financial Powers of President To introduce themoney bill, his prior recommendation is a must He causes Union Budget to be laid before the Parliament To make a demand for grants, his recommendation is a pre-requisite Contingency Fund of India is under his control He constitutes the Finance Commission every five years Judicial Powers of President Appointment of Chief Justice and Supreme Court/High Court Judges are on him He takes advice from the Supreme Court, however, the advice is not binding on him He haspardoning power: Under article 72, he has been conferred with power to grant pardon against punishment for an offence against union law, punishment by a martial court, or death sentence. Note: Pardoning powers of the president includes the following types: Pardonwith the grant of pardon convicts both conviction and sentence completely absolved Commutationwith this nature of the punishment of the convict can be changed Remissionreduces the term of the imprisonment Respite awards lesser punishment than original punishment by looking at the special condition of a convict Reprievestays the execution of the awarded sentence for a temporary period Diplomatic Powers of President International Treaties and agreements that are approved by the Parliament are negotiated and concluded in his name He is the representative of India in international forums and affairs Military Powers of President He is the commander of the defence forces of India. He appoints: Chief of the Army Chief of the Navy Chief of the Air Force Emergency Powers of President He deals with three types of emergencies given in the Indian Constitution. read less