📜 Article 177 of the Indian Constitution
Title: Rights of Ministers and Advocate-General as respects the Houses
🔹 Text Summary of Article 177:
Article 177 grants Ministers and the Advocate-General of a State the right to participate in the proceedings of the State Legislature—even if they are not members of either House.
📌 Key Provisions:
| Who is Covered | Rights Given |
|---|---|
| ✅ State Ministers | Can attend, speak, and participate in either House of the Legislature or its committees. |
| ✅ Advocate-General of the State | Has the same rights as Ministers regarding participation. |
| ❌ But They Cannot Vote | Neither Ministers nor the Advocate-General can vote unless they are elected members of the House. |
🧠Key Takeaways:
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Ensures executive accountability to the legislature.
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Allows Ministers and Advocate-General to defend policies, answer questions, and introduce bills.
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Reinforces the principle of collective responsibility under Article 164(2).
⚖️ Related Articles:
| Article | Subject |
|---|---|
| 164(2) | Collective responsibility of Ministers |
| 178–182 | Presiding Officers of State Legislatures |
| 88 | Similar provision for Union Ministers in Parliament |
📚 Real Example:
If a person is appointed as a Minister, but is not yet elected as an MLA/MLC, they can still:
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Participate in debates,
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Present bills,
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Answer questions,
But they cannot vote until they are elected within 6 months (as per Article 164(4)).
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