12.4 Role of the Prime Minister under the Constitution

The executive's real head: chairs the Council of Ministers; the government's leader in the House (the confidence machinery's pivot); The President's channel (Articles 66(2), 81): the PM communicates the Council's decisions, bills to be presented, requested information, and the country's contemporary situation and foreign affairs to the President — the bound presidency's transmission belt; Tenure and cessation (Article 77): the PM ceases on resignation to the President; on a failed confidence vote or passed no-confidence (Article 100); on ceasing to be an HoR member; on death. The caretaker convention (77(3)): the Council continues until the successor is formed — routine business only; the senior-most minister acts if the PM dies; The counter-sanction: the dissolution recommendation under 76(7) — the PM's nuclear option in the ladder's endgame; The legislative-leadership role: the government drafts and pilots most legislation; the finance-bill monopoly (Article 110); ordinances when both Houses are out of session (Article 114) — on the CoM recommendation, with the force of an Act, lapsing unless both Houses pass it at the next session, maximum six months' life.