President & Coalition
Hung Parliament, Discretion & The Prime Minister
PART I — THE FRACTURED MANDATE
THE DILEMMA
Hung Parliament
- A situation where no single political party or pre-poll alliance secures an absolute majority (50% + 1) in the Lok Sabha.
- Normally, the President acts merely on the binding advice of the PM. In a hung parliament, the old CoM has lost the mandate, creating a power vacuum.
ARTICLE 75(1)
Situational Discretion
- "The Prime Minister shall be appointed by the President."
- When there is a clear majority, the President has no choice but to appoint the leader of the majority party.
- In a hung parliament, the President exercises **situational discretion** to find a leader who can command a majority, becoming the ultimate constitutional arbiter.
PART II — RESOLUTION PROTOCOLS
SARKARIA GUIDELINES
Appointment Conventions
- Over time, Presidents follow established conventions (backed by Sarkaria/Punchhi Commissions) to ensure neutrality:
1. Invite the leader of a Pre-poll Alliance.
2. Invite the Single Largest Party.
3. Invite a Post-poll Coalition that appears stable.
THE ULTIMATE TEST
Proving Majority
- The President does not decide who has the majority in Rashtrapati Bhavan.
- The appointed PM is given a strict deadline (often a few days or weeks) to prove their majority via a **Floor Test** in the Lok Sabha.
- If they fail the trust vote, they must resign immediately, and the President restarts the process.
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