The correct answer is Both 1 and 2. Explanation & Key Takeaways: • Article 75–Other Provisions as to Ministers • The Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President and the other Ministers shall be appointed by the President on the advice of the Prime Minister. • The total number of ministers, including the Prime Minister, in the Council of Ministers, shall not exceed 15% of the total strength of the Lok Sabha. This provision was added by the 91st Amendment Act of 2003. • A member of either house of Parliament belonging to any political party who is disqualified on the ground of defection shall also be disqualified to be appointed as a minister. This provision was also added by the 91st Amendment Act of 2003. • The ministers shall hold office during the pleasure of the President. • The council of ministers shall be collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. • The President shall administer the oaths of office and secrecy to a minister. • A minister who is not a member of the Parliament (either house) for any period of six consecutive months shall cease to be a minister. • The salaries and allowances of ministers shall be determined by the Parliament. Important Notes: • RESPONSIBILITY OF MINISTERS • Collective Responsibility • The fundamental principle underlying the working of the parliamentary system of government is the principle of collective responsibility. • Article 75 clearly states that the council of ministers is collectively responsible to the Lok Sabha. • This means that all the ministers own joint responsibility to the Lok Sabha for all their acts of omission and commission. • They work as a team and swim or sink together. • When the Lok Sabha passes a no-confidence motion against the council of ministers, all the ministers have to resign including those ministers who are from the Rajya Sabha. • The principle of collective responsibility also means that the Cabinet decisions bind all cabinet ministers (and other ministers) even if they differed in the cabinet meeting. Hence, statement 1 is correct. • It is the duty of every minister to stand by cabinet decisions and support them both within and outside the Parliament. • If any minister disagrees with a cabinet decision and is not prepared to defend it, he must resign. • Individual Responsibility • Article 75 also contains the principle of individual responsibility. Hence, statement 2 is correct. • It states that the ministers hold office during the pleasure of the president, which means that the President can remove a minister even at a time when the council of ministers enjoys the confidence of the Lok Sabha. • However, the President removes a minister only on the advice of the Prime Minister.