The Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers is the executive wing of the Government of Tamil Nadu and is headed by the Chief Minister, who is the head of government and leader of the state cabinet.
Tamil Nadu Council of Ministers | |
|---|---|
 Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu | |
| C. Joseph Vijay ministry | |
| Date formed | 10 May 2026 |
| People and organisations | |
| Governor | Rajendra Arlekar |
| Chief Minister | C. Joseph Vijay |
| No. of ministers | 1 Chief minister 34 Cabinet ministers |
| Member parties | |
| Status in legislature | Coalition |
| History | |
| Election | 2026 |
| Outgoing election | 2021 |
| Legislature term | 2026–present |
| Predecessor | M. K. Stalin ministry |
The current state council of ministers were sworn in on 10 May 2026, following the 2026 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election.[1][2] The term of every executive wing is for 5 years. The council of ministers are assisted by department secretaries attached to each ministry who are from the Tamil Nadu cadre of the IAS.[3] The chief executive officer responsible for issuing orders on behalf of the Government is the Chief Secretary to the State Government, currently M. Sai Kumar, who assumed office on 8 April 2026.[4]
Constitutional requirement
editFor the Council of Ministers to aid and advise Governor
editAccording to Article 163 of the Indian Constitution, there shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his functions.[5]
# There shall be a Council of Ministers with the Chief Minister at the head to aid and advise the Governor in the exercise of his function, except in so far as he is by or under this Constitution required to exercise his functions or any of them in his discretion.
- If any question arises whether any matter is or is not a matter as respects which the Governor is by or under this Constitution required to act in his discretion, the decision of the Governor in his discretion shall be final, and the validity of anything done by the Governor shall not be called in question on the ground that he ought or ought not to have acted in his discretion.
- The question whether any, and if so what, advice was tendered by Ministers to the Governor shall not be inquired into in any court.
This means that the Ministers serve under the pleasure of the Governor and he/she may remove them, on the advice of the Chief Minister, whenever they want.
For other provisions as to Ministers
editThe Chief Minister shall be appointed by the Governor and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the Governor on the advice of the Chief Minister, and the Minister shall hold office during the pleasure of the Governor.[6]
# The Council of Minister shall be collectively responsible to the Legislative Assembly of the State.
- Before a Minister enters upon his office, the Governor shall administer to him the oaths of office and of secrecy according to the forms set out for the purpose in the Third Schedule.
- A Minister who for any period of six consecutive months is not a member of the Legislature of the State shall at the expiration of that period cease to be a Minister.
- The salaries and allowances of Ministers shall be such as the Legislature of the State may from time to time by law determine and, until the Legislature of the State so determines, shall be as specified in the Second Schedule.
The 91st Constitutional Amendment Act, 2003 inserted Article 164(1A), capping the total number of ministers, including the Chief Minister, at 15 per cent of the total membership of the Legislative Assembly, with a minimum of twelve ministers.[7] For Tamil Nadu's 234-member Assembly, this places the maximum cabinet size at 35 ministers.
Chief Minister
editThe Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is the real head of the government and responsible for state administration. He is the leader of the parliamentary party in the legislature and heads the state cabinet. The current Chief Minister is C. Joseph Vijay, president of the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, who was sworn in on 10 May 2026 as the 22nd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.[8] His election ended nearly six decades of alternating rule between the DMK and the AIADMK.[9]
Deputy Chief Minister
editThe Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is the deputy head of the government and senior minister of the cabinet after the Chief Minister. The current Vijay ministry has not designated a Deputy Chief Minister.
State Cabinet
editAs per the Indian Constitution, all portfolios of state government are vested in the Chief Minister, who distributes various portfolios to individual ministers whom he nominates to the State Governor. The state governor appoints individual ministers for various portfolios and departments as per the advice of the Chief Minister, and together they form the State Cabinet. Actions of individual ministers are part of the collective responsibility of the state cabinet, and the Chief Minister is responsible for the actions of each minister. The state cabinet along with the Chief Minister prepares general policy and individual department policy, which guides the day-to-day administration of each minister.
Council of Ministers
editSource:Government of Tamil Nadu[10]
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List of cabinets of Tamil Nadu
editOath as the state chief minister
editI, <Name of Chief Minister>, do swear in the name of God/solemnly affirm that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the Constitution of India as by law established, that I will uphold the sovereignty and integrity of India, that I will faithfully and conscientiously discharge my duties as a Minister for the State of () and that I will do right to all manner of people in accordance with the Constitution and the law without fear or favour, affection or ill-will.
See also
editReferences
edit- ↑ "Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM: Check full list of Cabinet Ministers in TVK government". India TV News. 10 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ "Vijay to take oath as Tamil Nadu CM with nine ministers today". DD News. 10 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ The Secretariat Office Manual (PDF). Government of Tamil Nadu. November 2017. Archived from the original (PDF) on 13 December 2021.
- ↑ "List of Chief Secretaries of Tamil Nadu". Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Article 163 of the Indian Constitution". Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Article 164 of the Indian Constitution". Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Article 164 in Constitution of India". Indian Kanoon. Retrieved 3 June 2026.
- ↑ "Vijay sworn in as Tamil Nadu CM: Check full list of Cabinet Ministers in TVK government". India TV News. 10 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ "Tamil Nadu Election 2026: Full list of Tamil Nadu Cabinet Ministers". Sunday Guardian. 10 May 2026. Retrieved 12 May 2026.
- ↑ "Minister list". Government of Tamil Nadu. Retrieved 22 May 2026.
External links
edit- "Council of Ministers | Tamil Nadu Government Portal". Archived from the original on 5 July 2013. Retrieved 18 August 2025.