With 72 members, Modi 3.0 council of ministers is 9 short of maximum limit

New Delhi, Jun 9 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 touched the maximum strength of 78 in 2021 after expansion, but the outgoing council of ministers had 72 members, including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The third term of the BJP-led NDA government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a maximum of 31 cabinet ministers, including Prime Minister Modi, besides 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, when the cabinet was expanded, there were a maximum of 78 ministers with 30 cabinet ministers, 2 Ministers of State (Independent charge) and 45 Ministers of State. The maximum strength of the Council of Ministers is 81, including the prime ministers, which is 15 per cent of the total strength of 543 in the Lok Sabha.